League tables are a waste of time and money says Suffolk Police Federation
The re-introduction of the comparative tables is reportedly being considered by Government
The re-introduction of police league tables has been described as a waste of time and money by Suffolk Police Federation.
According to reports, the Government is considering the use of them despite being scrapped in the past for leading to "ludicrous" decisions.
The Chair of Suffolk Police Federation thinks they would do more harm than good.
Darren Harris said: "What we want is more police officers on the streets, we want more police officers helping the public and attending these incidents, and not being tied up with the bureaucracy these league tables will bring.
"Discretion is the bedrock of policing, it works. We know how it works and it's worked really well in the pandemic with the four E's and how that has been implemented here in Suffolk. If you start then dictating how officers should deal with people regarding key performance indicators (KPIs) and whether arrest is necessary, then it's a dangerous place to go."
Mr Harris argued a one-size-fits-all benchmark for forces across the country wouldn't work due to the difference in demographics, geography and funding.
He added: "Suffolk isn’t funded fairly due to the nature of the county and legacy issues. But we’re going to be held to account the same as another county who has different funding, who can spend more money in other areas."