Policing cost of coronavirus crisis in Lancashire nears £1m as commissioner calls for government help

Lancashire's Police and Crime Commissioner has called on government to provide more certainty around police funding as the costs of coronavirus continue to increase.
Lancashire's Police and Crime CommissionerLancashire's Police and Crime Commissioner
Lancashire's Police and Crime Commissioner

Since the start of the coronavirus outbreak, Lancashire Constabulary has spent an extra £795k on responding to the crisis, with the figure set to break the £1m mark by June. Such unprecedented pressure comes on top of government-imposed cuts of over £86m to hit savings targets, prompting Police and Crime Commissioner, Clive Grunshaw, to write to the policing minister, Kit Malthouse.

Seeking clarity and certainty for police forces at this difficult time to ensure they are not punished for managing the impact of coronavirus on communities, the commissioner said: "In these unusual times, we have seen the importance of the police and other front-line services in keeping Lancashire safe from harm.

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"I have written to the police minister to make sure that Lancashire will not be any worse off. Whilst the government has allowed Lancashire Constabulary flexibility in how it is able to spend the grant provided for an additional 153 officers, there needs to be certainty in how we recoup the costs related to responding to coronavirus."

Explaining that he expects the costs of policing the coronavirus to continue to rise as they manage public safety, Mr Grunshaw added: "The people of Lancashire will expect that their police service is not short-changed and that money spent responding to coronavirus is replaced in full by government.

"Lancashire Constabulary should not be penalised for protecting its officers and the public," he continued. "If we are to replace some of the 750 officers lost in Lancashire since 2010 and meet the government's own recruitment targets, then we need certainty over funding.

"The people of Lancashire consistently tell me that they want to see front-line policing protected and I hope that government is able to provide some reassurance."