Cash boost for rural police

16 June 2000



Cash boost for rural police

RURAL police forces have been given an extra 15 million to speed up response times to crimes, reports The Independent.

The money, announced on Thursday (15 June) by the Home Office, is expected to be used to provide more cars and officers on the beat.

The Times reports that the Home Office is considering introducing a part-time retained police force, which could include retired police officers, in rural areas.

Other proposals include increasing the number of special constables and allowing police to operate from rural Post Offices or libraries.

Meanwhile, a new report by the Countryside Agency says that many rural people are as socially excluded as poor people in inner-city estates.

It calls on the government to extend the role of the Social Exclusion Unit to rural areas, reports The Times.

• The Independent 16/06/2000 page 13
• The Times 16/06/2000 page 12