Police Privatisation...

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3DHB

New Member
Location
Worcestershire
Had a quick look at the article but it seems that it is typical press at work. Most forces already have civvie staff doing those roles as it is so why not put it out to contract if it saves money?
 

Grizzly

Well-Known Member
Location
East Kilbride
Cos in the long term it wont save money. At the moment the Police are responsible for the civilian staff they employ, if the member of staff is not up to the job then they can take that through their management system and get it dealt with. Having a third party dealing with staff means that you lose control of these personnel issues, you cant decide who to employ or enforce recruitment standards. Private companies are about maximising profits, and to do this they employ cheap staff and cut corners, I dont want a Police force like this thanks.
 

compo

Veteran
Location
Harlow
Will the police be vetting staff employed by these security firms? Pretty well anyone can obtain a SIA licence including those with criminal records. Security firm recruitment advertisements will usually demand a 10 year checkable work history whilst employing many from overseas who haven't been in this country very long and often have less than excellent communication skills in English. Perhaps the low wages and poor working conditions offered by the industry is reflected in the calibre of staff they recruit.
 

screenman

Legendary Member
What is wrong when the public sector costs more than a company that needs to make a profit costs to do the same job. I can never figure out why it is cheaper to outsource than do the job themselves, dustmen and the suchlike certainly hard working guys but why cheaper.
 
What is wrong when the public sector costs more than a company that needs to make a profit costs to do the same job. I can never figure out why it is cheaper to outsource than do the job themselves, dustmen and the suchlike certainly hard working guys but why cheaper.

In a shot its all down to workers conditions of employment,lower pay,reduced holidays, no sick pay and other benefits that public workers have that these private firms do away with to get the job done cheaply.
 
What is wrong when the public sector costs more than a company that needs to make a profit costs to do the same job. I can never figure out why it is cheaper to outsource than do the job themselves, dustmen and the suchlike certainly hard working guys but why cheaper.

Usually paid less ?
 

subaqua

What’s the point
Location
Leytonstone
Will the police be vetting staff employed by these security firms? Pretty well anyone can obtain a SIA licence including those with criminal records. Security firm recruitment advertisements will usually demand a 10 year checkable work history whilst employing many from overseas who haven't been in this country very long and often have less than excellent communication skills in English. Perhaps the low wages and poor working conditions offered by the industry is reflected in the calibre of staff they recruit.

sounds like the security for getting onto the olympic park . I kid ye not.
 

albion

Guru
Location
South Tyneside
"The NHS is safe with us"

"Next!"
 
What is wrong when the public sector costs more than a company that needs to make a profit costs to do the same job. I can never figure out why it is cheaper to outsource than do the job themselves, dustmen and the suchlike certainly hard working guys but why cheaper.

Unfortunately it is rarely the same job.

It is cheaper to cut corners and be very inflexible according to an outsourcing agreement, therefore the companies provide only what is written on the contract and nothing more. They don't care about the business that employs them or anything but the bottom line.

Example, privatised hospital cleaners had cleaning targets of a few minutes per room and specific tasks. The staff were treated poorly and therefore only worried about their pay, not the safety of the patients. Now they are employed by the NHS again iirc and reports of MRSA etc are fading. Staff that care keep standards up.

Every local authority I have heard of that outsourced their IT departments have ended up paying extra to cancel the contract and bring IT back in house. Private company strictly provide only x,y,z services, but any new requirements and they charge very steeply on top of the agreement, thus rendering any savings lost.

It is no secret that outsourcing companies such as Capita expect any 1m pound contract to become worth more than 2m pound once the hidden extras are added over the life of the contract.
 

Paul J

Guest
Another outsource that will eventually fail and at a huge cost to the taxpayer. Lets face it, it's nothing more than a get rich scam for politicians with there noses in the trough :cursing:
 

3DHB

New Member
Location
Worcestershire
Cos in the long term it wont save money. At the moment the Police are responsible for the civilian staff they employ, if the member of staff is not up to the job then they can take that through their management system and get it dealt with. Having a third party dealing with staff means that you lose control of these personnel issues, you cant decide who to employ or enforce recruitment standards. Private companies are about maximising profits, and to do this they employ cheap staff and cut corners, I dont want a Police force like this thanks.
No long term sickness to pay for, no maternity leave, no pension, no holiday, no this, that and the other. No Unions to worry about when they want to cut staff numbers, then no redundancy pay. My personal thoughts aside, I can see how it can appeal to the Police Authority after the number crunchers have glammed it up a bit when they present their agenda.
As I said a lot of these roles are already done by civvies, either employed directly by Force/Constabulary or via external companies. Most Bobbies would rather have a police officer doing the back office roles, you can't beat experience in the job to offer the best support to serving officers, however, the public do not want it, the press do not want it, and senior management don't want it. That being said most Bobbies don't want to be back office anyway.
My main fear is not in the privitisation, its that the civvie staff will be made redundant and then offered their jobs back but with reduced salary, worse conditions, etc. Even before this cost-cutting scheme it is a rocky time for a lot of civvie staff.
 

albion

Guru
Location
South Tyneside
I'm far more bothered about trust basis. Overall our police are not corrupt.

Private companies have other priorities and are far more naturally corrupt.
 
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