Paul Sanford, the National Police Chiefs' Council lead for finance, said there was an obsession with officer numbers even though it would often be more effective to have fewer officers supported by better technology.
Sanford, who is the chief constable of Norfolk constabulary, said forces cannot afford new technology that could help them solve crimes more quickly and serve victims better.
Police chiefs in England and Wales have said they need £3bn extra to fight crime properly, but there is little immediate prospect of them getting a real-terms increase in their budgets.
The Labour government and previous Tory government have told the 43 local forces the minimum number of officers they should have. They lose £50,000 per officer below the target.
Sanford said ending the rule on the minimum number of officers forces must employ could actually put more on the streets.
"If I had flexibility, I'd be employing more staff instead of officers, and I'd be making better use of technology," he said. "That would free up the time of my police officers, make them more visible and deliver the policing that the public expects of us.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة December 31, 2024 من The Guardian.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة December 31, 2024 من The Guardian.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Trump's first speech will focus on unity and light rather than carnage, aides say
Donald Trump is to begin his return to office with a speech that will strike a noticeably more upbeat tone than his address eight years ago, his aides said yesterday as Washington geared up for Monday's inauguration.
US-UK relations How the royal family will be used to woo Trump
David Lammy was visiting Washington last May when he realised Donald Trump was likely to win the presidential election.
Bob Dylan Singer joins TikTok as US ban looms
Bob Dylan is TikToking on heaven's door after signing up to the social media app - days before it could disappear from his native US.
It's the new normal' Brussels draws up its red lines as far right prepares to take power in Austria
When the Freedom party of Austria (FPÖ) entered government 25 years ago, shock waves reverberated around Europe.
Diagnosing obesity So how can we tell if our weight is a problem?
This week, doctors confirmed what many people have felt for a long time: the way we think about obesity is not helpful. BMI is unreliable, and this has to change.
'A lot can still go wrong' Wary reaction in Israel as some want the war to go on
News of a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas has been greeted with joy by Palestinians but with more caution in Israel, where demonstrators both in favour and against the agreement have taken to the streets.
Sands of time UK's oldest municipal hut faces its final summer
Admittedly, it does look a little shabby. A wooden slat next to the front door and a window pane are missing and a lick of paint would definitely not go amiss. But in Bournemouth there is disquiet at the prospect of the structure - beach hut number 2359 - being razed when structural work on the nearby pier begins.
You don't own people' Greenlanders savour spotlight on their cause
In one corner, friends discuss the aftermath of last week's visit by Donald Trump Jr, while in another, coffee is being roasted, as the northern lights dance across the dark early evening sky.
Tuscany, on a budget? Italian region among cheapest holiday destinations
January is one of the best months to book a summer holiday, and this year there is a surprise budget option: Tuscany.
He's one of the best' The economist aiming to fix Britain's growth problem
The economist John Van Reenen lacks the public status of Gordon Brown's \"two Eds\" - Balls and Miliband - who ranged across Whitehall in New Labour's first term, enforcing the Treasury's will.
