Private firms to take on police jobs in plan

Private security firms could guard crime scenes and collect CCTV footage in plans being looked at by West Midlands Police, it has been confirmed.

The force has placed a notice in the Official Journal of European Union asking for expressions of interest from external organisations interested in carrying out duties on its behalf.

The notice – which could lead to a 10-year contract worth £1.5 billion – includes opportunities for private firms to investigate crimes, patrol neighbourhoods and detain suspects.

The force today said the areas of service listed in the notice were deliberately broad to allow senior officers to explore the skills, expertise and solutions a partnership could bring.

Chief constable Chris Sims has previously said only "back-office functions" would be considered for partnership.

Chief superintendent Phil Kay, who is overseeing the project, said: "Police officers and PCSOs will still be carrying out front line services, such as street patrols and arrests. We are looking at innovative ways of helping free officers from duties which don't need a serving police officer to carry out, such as guarding crime scenes and collecting CCTV.

"This is about how we deal with the challenging conditions that we face and how we look to innovative ways to try and continue improving on delivering the service that we provide to communities.

"We want to explore how working with people in the private sector might be able to give us a new dimension and help us transform our service."

West Midlands Police has to make £126 million worth of savings between now and 2015.

Chf Supt Kay said if a private sector partnership arranagement does go ahead it would be around 2013-14 before any chosen partner would play an active part in how the force operates.