Fury At Plan To Remove TVs & Radios From Police Stations

Leicestershire Police is to review a plan to remove TVs and radio from police stations after a furious backlash.

Bosses say the move would save £10,000 in licence fees, but officers say it would badly hit morale and the Leicestershire Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers, has demanded a re-think.

Federation Chair Andy Spence said: “People are absolutely incensed about it all.

“It is vitally important for officers to decompress and take a short break on busy shifts, when they have often dealt with traumatic incidents.

“They need to be able to actually down tools and just be able to almost zone out a bit.

“Cops don’t spend the day sat in the police station watching Eastenders or anything like that.

“These televisions might be used for the 20 minutes or so that they manage to get a break. Cops don’t often even get the 45 minute breaks that they are entitled to.

“Officers need to be looked after. We’re coming to work and we’re putting absolutely everything on the line, working all the hours that we do, and then not getting too much rest and reward for it. Officers are having their rest days cancelled, they’re working in traumatic incidents, so let’s just let them have a TV and rest.”

Market Harborough Police Station

Mr Spence added: “We have urged the force to keep the TVs in places like canteens and the communal areas. We understand the force’s position that they’ve got over 100 TVs and they don’t need them all. But they can keep the TVs in the places where the cops need them most, such as the canteens and the rest areas.

“Staff can’t believe that we’re doing this at a time when we’re trying to save £10,000. We can save it other ways. We need to look at where else we’re spending the money – and it isn’t on TVs and radios.”

Over 60 objection comments were made by officers after the proposal was revealed on the staff intranet.

Leicestershire Police say the licence costs to have TVs and radios at force premises including Market Harborough Police Station are made up of the BBC licence fee, additional PPL/PRS fees and charges imposed by the Motion Picture Licensing Corporation.

A spokesperson told HFM: “Following 60 comments (not hundreds – we have a workforce of 4000 so important to be clear about this that it was 60 comments) the Chief has asked for more work to be undertaken to understand the new requirements and specifically what options may be available to reduce costs into the future whilst also being able to provide some facilities on site.

 “We are therefore reviewing the situation and considering what our options are moving forwards.”