Fed warns that reductions are allowing criminals to move unchecked as annual conference gets underway.

Chief officers and police and crime commissioners are viewing roads policing as “a luxury” and is a specalism that is ripe for cuts, Federation officials have warned.

They fear that reductions to the specialist area is giving criminals greater scope to move around the country unchecked – as well as leaving those using the roads exposed to greater risk.

The issue will be high on the agenda for the annual joint Association of Chief Police Officers and Police Federation Roads Policing Conference, held in Hinckey, Leicestershire, from January 16-17.

Speakers include Alex Marshall, the Chief Executive of the College of Policing and Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary Tom Winsor.

In an interview John Apter, who leads for the Fed on pursuits, predicted sustainability would be a key topic.

He added: “My concern at the moment is that some now see roads policing as a luxury rather than a necessity – and in my view that is a very dangerous place to go.

“There are some police and crime commissioners and chief constables who wrongly believe that these specialist officers are only there for duties such as enforcing speed limits – but they are also there to deal with dangerous criminals using the roads.

“The roads network is a neighbourhood – people on it deserve a professional service.”

As previously reported, there have been fears that deep cuts in resources have seen dedicated patrols withdrawn – with South Yorkshire Fed Secretary Jim Lucas claiming they are now “as rare as dodos”.

Several forces – including Greater Manchester Police – have taken action to consolidate their roads policing assets following budget cuts.

The national Fed has been carrying out research into the scale of the cuts to roads policing across the country – further information on which is due to be released by Fed lead John Giblin – at the conference.

In addition to the concerns over cuts, Mr Apter highlighted that training would also be a key discussion topic – particularly with the creation of the new College of Policing.

An audit of national training is currently being carried out by team led by retired officer Alan Jones, a former chairman of both the Fed Roads Policing Group and Inspectors’ Central Committee.

Mr Apter added: “It is crucial that we have buy in on this issue from the College and the likes of Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary – it is important that we get this right.”

From Police Oracle