Police chief hits out at civilian patrol plan

One of Britain's most senior police officers has criticised a plan by the Home Office and Scotland Yard to use civilian patrol officers, arguing that it is likely to damage crime-fighting.

Sir Edward Crew, the Chief Constable of West Midlands Police, also questioned whether the wardens would be stopped from abusing their authority.

The criticisms by such a senior officer, in an interview with The Independent, represent the first real challenge to David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, over radical reform in the way the streets are patrolled.

Sir Edward said: "Although this might provide a cheaper tier of policing, you will also find that reported crime goes up. If you put more police officers on the street, you will get more crime reported, particularly more minor offences. The trade-off with more police officers on the street is that they are more efficient at making arrests ... With the skills and powers you are going to get with wardens, you are going to get the crime reports without the arrests. You get the bad without the good."

He added: "If you have people with handcuffs, they are going to use them, and if the police are liable for the torts [civil wrongs that could result in claims for damages], the costs are likely to increase."

A senior officer at Scotland Yard commented: "I don't care. We're going to go ahead with this scheme."