Cleveland police chief proud of force but being 'let down' by funding
The Chief Constable of Cleveland Police has publicly stated that her force is underfunded despite high crime rates. This follows a tragic fatal crash involving a police pursuit, prompting calls for the force to merge with a larger entity to secure better resources.
Why it matters
It highlights the ongoing tension between police resource allocation and the operational demands of regional law enforcement in the UK.
Figure caption, PCs Matthew Blades and Tom Clough 'put the public before themselves', Cleveland Police chief says
Cleveland Police's Chief Constable has said she is proud of her "brave" force but that it was being "let down" by the way it was funded, following a fatal crash which killed seven people including two police officers.
In her first sit-down interview since the A66 crash, speaking exclusively to the BBC, Victoria Fuller said the force needed to become part of a larger force with greater resources.
She said her officers are dealing with some of the highest crime levels in the country akin to those faced by metropolitan forces, but with less than half the number of officers.
Multiple people have since been arrested as part of a wider police operation against organised crime following the crash .
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