West Midlands Police stands to lose £3.3m amid coronavirus impact
West Midlands Police currently stands to lose more than £3.3 million due to coronavirus, according to reports presented to the police and crime commissioner.
PCC David Jamieson said the “vast majority” of the £1 million spent so far has been on PPE, though it has also had to pay out for changes to a cell block where prisoners thought to have the virus are being detained.
At the same time, it has so far missed out on an estimated £480,000 income from officers deployed to Birmingham Airport and football matches.
A further £1.9 million is expected to be spent over the coming weeks on matters related to Covid-19.
The figures were contained in reports on the impacts on crime, presented at an online meeting of the West Midlands Strategic Policing and Crime Board.
One of the reports, presented by Assistant Chief Constable Vanessa Jardine, shows the force has spent around £1 million in March, the vast majority of which went on purchasing and disseminating PPE.
Money also went on minor alterations to the cell block at Wolverhampton to protect officers, staff and prisoners.
IT workers needed to work overtime to configure 600 laptop machines and mobile devices for force employees to be able to work from home.
The report also laid out where expenditure would be needed over the coming weeks, including £1.8 million for IT equipment, £30,000 for additional cleaning and a £70,000 cost of police officers and staff changing roles.
The force also intends to make more use of Special Constables, trained volunteer police officers, during the crisis and find a way of paying them for their contribution to policing.
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The report states the Government is expected to provide additional funding to police to cover the costs of PPE but it is “unclear” whether all other costs relating to the pandemic will be covered.
Another report presented by ACC Jardine shows residential burglary is currently down 35.6 per cent compared to last year, while robbery is currently showing a 59.8 per cent reduction.
At the same time, offences appear to have moved out of city and town centre hot spots to the supermarkets that remain open in residential areas, according to the report.
Domestic violence is currently 9.9 per cent higher than last year and the report states hidden offences will increase and third party reporting will be less likely due to the isolation.
PCC Jamieson said outside the meeting: “Thus far West Midlands Police has had to spend around £1 million pounds to adjust to deal with coronavirus, with the vast majority going on PPE.
“I have raised this large cost with [the Government] and I hope they take note to ensure that it doesn’t have a knock on impact on police resources in the long term.
“At the same time as having to increase spending, we are also losing out on income from other sources. We would have expected to receive around £480,000 more in April, from sources such as airport and football policing.
“Crime is down significantly, but that does not mean it has disappeared. Crime always find a way to mutate and challenge us. During this pandemic that is no different.
“I am particularly worried about domestic abuse, that I why I have funded a large campaign targeting advertising at the region’s supermarkets to ensure people get the support they need. I am also pleased that in just a short period over 400 offenders were arrested for the crime.”
