More county bobbies on the beat (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

More county bobbies on the beat

SCORES of new police officers are to be deployed across Gloucestershire over the next three years.

In what is believed to be a national first, county council leaders have voted to fund 63 extra officers across the county.

Councillors have also voted overwhelmingly to oppose the merging of the county's police force, instead supporting the 'stand alone' option.

The future of Gloucestershire Constabulary, the second oldest force in the country after Wiltshire, is expected to be decided by the Home Office in the coming weeks.

Commentators believe the force will almost certainly merge with other forces in the South West.

Gloucestershire County Council leader Barry Dare said: "When the Government does not provide enough police on the streets, it is up to local government to really do something about crime in our county.

"When the Government proposes our police force should be run from Taunton or Bristol, it is county councillors who are leading the county's fight against the plans."

The council aims to have the first 12 officers on the beat by April 2006 with 17 more following each year for the next three years.

Currently, the final details are being sorted out between Gloucestershire County Council and the Police Authority on a service level agreement.

The aim is to ring-fence the officers to community and neighbourhood policing.

However, although they are funded by the council the officers will still be under the control of the chief constable, who will have the authority to deploy them elsewhere in exceptional circumstances.

Each officer will cost £30,900 - paid for by money from within existing council budgets and efficiency savings made elsewhere.

Gloucestershire Constabulary has welcomed the new council-funded officers.

Force spokesman Kate Nelmes said: "The initiative is in line with our neighbourhood policing development which is aimed primarily at increasing police presence, reducing crime and disorder and the fear of crime.

"We are involved in talks with the county council about the introduction of the 63 additional officers and this is still being progressed. The proposals will need to be considered by the Police Authority at its meeting on December 12."