Association President Responds to the Home Affairs Select Committee comments on frontline policing.

Association President Derek Barnett said:

'The Home Affairs Select Committee Report endorses what we have been saying for some time now about the challenges facing the Police Service and the impact that current and predicted levels of funding will have on service delivery. Our job as senior managers is to manage that change process to ensure that the service to the public is protected as much as possible.

'The front line in policing is not easy to tie down in terms of a simple definition. Some have spoken about it being all warranted police officers. Some Chief Constables have sought to interpret front line in terms of rank, suggesting that only Constables and Sergeants are front line officers, the remainder above simply management on costs. I believe both these approaches to be too simplistic and nowhere near recognise the scope and complexity of policing in the 21st century. Our members, as senior operational leaders in forces, are certainly frontline and not simply management on costs.

'I also think it inappropriate to use the terms back office or middle office in a way that undervalues the contribution and impact those police officers and police staff who act in a support role, provide in protecting and serving the public.'