WMP Boss talks about 'Vicinity Policing'

Paul West, the Chief Constable of West Midlands Police, was interviewed on the Howard Bentham breakfast programme on BBC Hereford and Worcester earlier this morning.

Responding to an e-mail from Bulls News about vicinity policing and the reported bill for £15,000 sent to Hereford United after the Swindon game, the Chief Constable won't comment specifically on the case.

"I can't comment on the specifics of the Hereford United case because that is currently subject to negotiation but I can certainly put the general point.

"This is to do with national guidelines that exsist. It is not just West Mercia policy. National guidelines in policing which are to do with charging for what are called special police services. Those are policing services that are provided in the vicinity of private sector events which are being run for profit.

"So you can think of football matches as an example, big pop concerts, other sporting events which by the very nature of their scale or location involve a degree of policing in the area.

"These are events which are being run by private organisations for profit and I think all of your listeners, I'm sure all of your listeners, would agree that in times of constrains on public finances there is a big question mark as to whether local peoples council tax should be used to subsidise the pockets of private sector entrepreneurs.

"So that's what it is all about. If there is a big event happening whether it is football, whether it is a pop concert, or another sporting event which requires a degree of policing there has to be a sensible balance and agreed level of charging levied against the organiser for that policing. And that is the issue."

Bentham then spoke about the Worcester Warriors, who often have four times the attendance compared with Edgar Street, and asked if it was a similar picture for them.

"It's exactly the same everywhere," said the Chief Constable. "There has to be an agreement struck which, certainly for sports clubs, is agreed at the start of any particular season as to what the arrangments will be.

"Increasingly over the years, because stewarding and private sector security is now accredited, has become much more professional you see fewer and fewer police officers actually inside the grounds of sporting events. It is run by the stewards. That is good but it is also a means by which those events have managed to reduce the policing costs.

"But if there is a requirement for a good number of police officers who could and indeed should be patrolling elsewhere in any force area to be tied up in and around the vicinity of a private sector event of whatever nature it is, I think it is absolutely right that there has to be a common sense approach to charging for those services. And that's the position nationally."

Bentham then pointed out that he thought the Warriors weren't formally charged for this and then asked if 'Hereford United might be being picked out here slightly'?

"I'm not going to be drawn into comments on the specifics of any particular case. What I would say is that the agreement on charges for special policing services is a nationally agreed approach and it is applied equally everywhere."

The Chief then contrasted the position with a public function such as the Remembrance Day parade in London. There was no question that the Royal British Legion would be charged he said.

"There is a very clear distinction here between public sector, public space events and big events being organised by private entrepreneurs for profit."

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