G4S build on their success

[David Johnson]

Fresh from their "success" in helping the public sector police the Olympics, forumites will be pleased to know that G4S are recruiting again.

Ministers have frequently stated that "core policing" tasks will not be put out to tender. However, having won contracts with Warwickshire police force, G4S adverts for civilian investigators on long term, open-ended contracts, to be based in the Nuneaton, Rugby and Leamington areas have appeared.

The civilian investigators will investigate crime, gather evidence, seize and view evidential material, take statements from victims and witnesses, undertake house to house inquiries, prepare files from the CPS, attend court hearings and give evidence, and identify and trace offenders. Apparently the jobs would be "ideally suited to experienced ex-police".

Maybe I am missing something but the above is what is typically called "front-line policing".

Now I realise that there is certainly room for significant improvement in policing, but anyone who saw all or part of the G4S boss, Nick "abject performance" Buckles before the Commons Select Committee a few weeks ago, must be a tad concerned.

It is worth pointing out that the Warwickshire police force have lost more officers than any other bar one, despite being the smallest in England and Wales.

I can see trouble ahead, Warwickshire people!!!

[number 6]

Its all a bad dream.

[David Johnson]

Yes, it does appear to be a bit Alice in Wonderland.

All police forces have been forced to make large cuts in expenditure.

However you cannot make a police officer redundant so to cut manpower which is the main police force expenditure, the options are:

1. Wait until police officers quit, retire or die.
2. Use rule A19 which allows police officers to be forced to retire after 30 years service.
3. Sack civilian staff which obviously, the police authority can make redundant and replace their jobs with police officers taken away from front line policing.

Now option 3 is obviously fairly nonsensical and the opposite of what most governments try to do.

However in true Alice in Wonderland fashion, apparently Warwickshire has drafted up to 150 police officers to cover back-office functions of civilian staff who have been made redundant.

So presumably, the G4S contract is designed to fill the gaps, at a lower cost, left by the police officers who are now doing pen pushing jobs.

I would guess that the police officers who have been forced out after 30 years service using rule A19 and getting a healthy retirement package, will be readying their CVs for G4S at the moment!!!!

[one eyed jack]

We can look forward to much crack heads and aggressive behaviour aplenty while the Met put their feet up and happily pass the buck and step in like a knight in shining armour holding a helping hand out and smiling in HD slow motion. I can see the ads now. It will be beautiful, and sweeping set to classical music

Uncle Buckles recent grilling was really a public interview for a fall guy to take the heat off the IPCC....Really, I couldnt posibly make this up. You need a really creative mind for that.

[Jonone]

What happened to the Olympic feelgood factor. It soon dissipated in what ... a day ?

[David Johnson]

Were G4S ever part of the "Olympic feelgood factor"? More an integral part of the err, best phone the Ministry of Defence factor.

[Jonone]

Was a general observation that since Sunday there has been a fair amount of bad news (depending on your pov) eg rail fare increases, the West Coast line, G4S that seem to signal 'business as usual'.

[David Johnson]

I suspect there was bad news out there e.g. the worst trade deficit figures since 1997 including a big slump in exports to the BRIC countries.

The only difference was that it was tucked into Page 9 or whatever behind the first umpteen pages of Olympic pics and news.