Revealed: police for private hire

The police are being privatised - along with a lot of other services!

I think it's very good if the paid for police are protecting the public on the job. That needs to be done and that way it means the tax payer is not footing the bill. But not if it is only property being protected. Property developers? Supermarkets? They should get their own security from the private sector.

It’ll be us and them in gated communities before long if we’re not careful. We need more police and ‘stop and search’. Knife crime is endemic.

A 20y old man was stabbed to death in Wythenshawe a few days ago and a boy in Hale Barns died too last month - both places 10 miles either side of Urmston. It’s scary..

Having just read all the latest posts, I think you make good points Jane and Monica. I hadn’t thought of it that way. I initially responded as you have Jura, I understand that response, but I guess if the money is going back into the police that does make a difference.
The police need all the support they can get in these difficult times. Many are leaving, they’ve had enough. Two my own family have had enough and left, my nephew and another nephew’s wife, both have had enough. What a waste.

wow totally wrong.

This has been going on since the police forces were founded. Are you assuming that all the police presences at football games, big concerts and other crowd events are provided for free?

Would you like all the crowd control in stadiums and stadium private property outside the stadium managed by poorly trained security staff who need to liaise with the police force beyond stadium grounds rather than professionals knowing their job and working seamlessly from playing field/concert edge to final dispersal. The Hillsborough disaster would become just one of many. Shops expecting huge crowds for sales. They are also used for events where there are expected to be some problems at the private/public interface , vast quantities of extra traffic and crowds

When businesses like sports and concert promoters etc employ these staff far from police officers are diverted from policing for the benefit of the general public , they are usually employing them to do just that.

What are the alternatives?
The businesses could train their own security staff.
Or they could get them from private security firms.
Or they could pay the police to do the work, (presumably) the money goes back into the police force & they can recruit more police officers or community service officers?
Perhaps it’s the least bad option.
The real problem is cuts and underinvestment in the police force in the first place.

Agreed Eloethan, it certainly does. Don’t think I agree with it.