Sir Hugh Orde will open the Association of Chief Police Officers’ annual conference in Harrogate Plans for reforming the police service risk “compromising the safety of citizens for reasons of expediency”, the government will be warned later.
Sir Hugh Orde will say the changes could “threaten the impartial model of policing” that is “revered across the world” if they are “mismanaged”.
The message will come in a conference speech by the president of the Association of Chief Police Officers.
Home Secretary Theresa May will also address the gathering in Harrogate.
Sir Hugh will open the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) annual conference by urging ministers to be clearer about their proposals.
He is set to say: “The service of last resort is going through a period of substantial change.
“Changes to accountability, changes to central structures and changes to pay and conditions, which if mismanaged could threaten the impartial model of policing that has existed for 180 years and is revered across the world.
“We understand the government’s determination to deliver a substantial programme of reforms across the public sector, but we cannot afford to get policing wrong, and unless greater clarity emerges in the very near future I fear that we run the risk of compromising the safety of citizens for reasons of expediency.”
Mrs May is expected to defend the government’s attempts at cutting costs in the police service, before taking a question and answer session.
The government is planning to cut its £11bn funding for the police in England and Wales by 20% by 2014-15.
Sir Hugh will tell the conference that “the public sector is facing the most challenging times in living memory”.
“In short, we have a change programme that at one end will produce some of the most radical changes to police governance since 1829, and at the other will without question reduce police and staff numbers and pay,” he will say.
“That is a huge challenge for Acpo, as the leaders of the service.”
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