Police Costs

How have they been allowed to charge what they charge for this long?

 

Seems rather strange that the most expensive game to police was the home game against Rotherham.

 

Not really, we've always had a bit of trouble with Rotherham over the last 5/6 years.

 

Must have missed that,I don't remember any trouble.

 

This was due to Ken Bates when at Leeds Utd, They were paying huge costs to the police and Bates accused them of profiteering at the clubs expense, Refused to pay and took them to court and won, Now all clubs benefit from that ruling

 

Think there is an overkill with regards policing certain games, i get people would moan if police werent there when trouble kicked off but some games surely need very little policing whatsoever. Im also interested how the police work out the cost of this, i bet there is very little correlation to what each PC is "charged out" at in relation to his pay

 

I totally agree.

I think the police presence at matches creates a heightened tension.

IMHO a better plan would be just a few visible police on the ground, accompanied by a few plain clothes officers just checking how things are going, and then sat on a back street is a van (or several) are the cavalry just in case. They could then be called within seconds to wherever they are needed.

That way we don't look like a police state and the police don't come across as some form of paramilitary there to tackle the peasants if they should uprise

 

I don't really have an opinion on whether City should have to pay for policing or not (the poll on that article)...

What do other event organisers have to pay in comparison?

 

Think I remember reading somewhere that the police charge by the hour with a 5 hour minimum for football matches, Prices were given as a Constable @£80 per hour, Sergeant @£125 per hour, Inspector @£180 per hour, This was a couple of years ago and prices may well be different now

 

And longer.

 

The problem with all the police costs is that they hold all of the power as for any event to go ahead you need the police's backing so it can pass all the safety criteria. No doubt they know this and they will add a little bit on top and go on the safety first rule and say we'd rather be overstaffed and nothing happen than understaffed and something happen. Even at the friendly against Sheffield Utd there were at least 2 police inside the ground by the changing rooms even though nothing looked remotely like it was going to kick off.