Police 'rationing' services in face of budget cuts
Watchdog raises 'red flag' after report highlights forces 'artificially suppressing or downgrading' emergency calls

Police forces in England and Wales are "rationing" services in response to budget cuts and increasing levels of demand, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) has warned.
In an inspection report published today, the watchdog said police were "artificially suppressing or downgrading" calls, leading to some basic tasks not being carried out.
It found evidence of emergency calls being reclassified as less urgent when there was a shortage of officers to respond and high-risk victims of domestic violence "on occasions" being downgraded to medium risk.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"This is because, in too many respects, existing support systems are overwhelmed," said the report.
Although two-thirds of forces were graded as either good or outstanding overall, HMIC urged police leaders to take action before problems become more widespread.
Zoe Billingham, who led the inspection, said: "Over the last few years, HMIC has said consistently that police forces were managing well in increasingly difficult circumstances. Nonetheless, today, I'm raising a red flag to warn forces of the consequences of what is, to all intents and purposes, an unconscious form of rationing of police services."
Billingham also warned of a national crisis in the shortage of detectives and investigators, which was "often leading to excessive workloads and stress amongst those currently in the roles", she said.
Chief Constable Michael Barton, of the National Police Chiefs' Council, said budgets had been slashed by 22 per cent in five years, with a loss of 32,000 officers and staff.
He added: "It's a simple reality that we are required to prioritise more. Difficult decisions are being made between resourcing neighbourhood teams, response units, specialist investigations and digital and cyber-enabled crime. There are no easy answers."
Writing in The Independent, retired police officer Lord Paddick says that "while some may call the actions of control room staff reprehensible, they are only doing this when there are simply no more police officers to send".
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
How generative AI is changing the way we write and speak
In The Spotlight ChatGPT and other large language model tools are quietly influencing which words we use
-
How long can Nato keep Donald Trump happy?
Today's Big Question Military alliance pulls out all the stops to woo US president on his peacemaker victory lap
-
Easy Money: the Charles Ponzi Story – an 'enlightening' podcast
The Week Recommends Apple Original podcast explores the 'fascinating' tale of the man who gave the investment scam its name
-
Is the G7 still relevant?
Talking Point Donald Trump's early departure cast a shadow over this week's meeting of the world's major democracies
-
Angela Rayner: Labour's next leader?
Today's Big Question A leaked memo has sparked speculation that the deputy PM is positioning herself as the left-of-centre alternative to Keir Starmer
-
Is Starmer's plan to send migrants overseas Rwanda 2.0?
Today's Big Question Failed asylum seekers could be removed to Balkan nations under new government plans
-
'The measles virus in Texas keeps spreading like, well, measles'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Has Starmer put Britain back on the world stage?
Talking Point UK takes leading role in Europe on Ukraine and Starmer praised as credible 'bridge' with the US under Trump
-
Left on read: Labour's WhatsApp dilemma
Talking Point Andrew Gwynne has been sacked as health minister over messages posted in a Labour WhatsApp group
-
New Year's Honours: why the controversy?
Today's Big Question London Mayor Sadiq Khan and England men's football manager Gareth Southgate have both received a knighthood despite debatable records
-
'Bodyguarding alone is not law enforcement'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day