41p extra for another 85 Police officers

9 January 2019, 09:55 | Updated: 9 January 2019, 09:57

Our police and crime commissioner has launched an online poll to see what we think about paying more council tax.

Alison Hernandez, the Police and Crime commissioner for Devon and Cornwall wants to know whether people living here would be willing to pay more towards their council tax to help pay for more police officers.

She says an extra 41 pence a week on Band C properties would ay for an additional 85 police officers. 

Currently most households in the region contribute less than £3.20 a week to pay for policing through the council tax precept.

The extra money would allow the force to recruit 85 officers by the end of 2020, taking the force strength to3,100 officers - the highest level since police and crime commissioners were introduced in 2012.

The front line will also be bolstered with the release of 30 experienced officers from back-office functions at police headquarters in Exeter. 

Alison says "Last year the public supported my plans for extra investment in our force area and we were able to fast-track officer recruitment, recruit tri-service officers in Cornwall and community responders in Devon. We were able to roll out body-worn video cameras and invest in 38 armed response officers.

"We live in one of the safest parts of the country and I want to keep it that way in the face of rising levels of crime in our area.

"The proposed rise would allow the chief constable to place a police officer in every sector with responsibility for better connecting the police and public, the force would be able to recruit more detectives so more criminals are brought to justice, maintain our investment in roads policing and recruit more response officers so we can get to more incidents, more often and in better time."

Without the increase in funding Devon and Cornwall Police would have to halt recruitment and revisit plans for frontline officer numbers.

A final decision will be made by the Police and Crime Commissioner ahead of the next meeting of the Devon and Cornwall Police Panel on Friday, February 8.

Have your say HERE.