Departing Essex Police chief constable warns PM against cuts

In January, the government announced a review into the prospect of “dramatically” reducing the number of police forces in England and Wales, external.

That same week, the Labour administration said it would provide £21bn for police in England and Wales in 2026-27, up £1.3bn on the previous year, which it said meant a real-terms increase of 4.4%.

But the Conservative police, fire and crime commissioner for Essex, Roger Hirst, said this meant the county’s share would be “insufficient” and would therefore consider cutting 110 full-time roles.

Between 2012 and March 2025, the number of special constables in England and Wales fell from 20,343 to 5,534.

Essex Police has 3,700 police officers and another 2,500 police staff to cover a county of 1.9 million people.

A Home Office spokesman said: “We thank Ben-Julian Harrington for his service as Essex Police chief constable.

“We are working closely with policing partners to deliver major reforms, which will bring the police closer to the communities they serve and ensure we have the right policing in the right places.”

Also in an interview with the BBC, Harrington defended his officers against “armchair critics” and discussed his plans beyond retirement, including a cycle ride across France.

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