Cleveland police chief proud of force but being 'let down' by funding
Cleveland Police Chief Victoria Fuller has expressed pride in her force while criticizing current funding levels following a fatal motorway crash. She argues that the force requires significantly more resources to manage high crime rates comparable to larger metropolitan areas.
Why it matters
The story underscores the tension between police resource allocation and the increasing operational demands placed on regional law enforcement agencies.
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 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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