Strike has little impact on police

Strike action by some Nottinghamshire Police staff yesterday has had very little impact on the services provided to the public, says the force.

In total, 166 employees took part in the industrial action, out of a police staff workforce of 1,748.

They were predominantly from the control room, custody and support departments such as business and finance. Only nine of the force’s 278 PCSOs went on strike.

Effective and thorough contingency planning by the force was said to minimise the impact of this action, with various measures being put in place to cover critical functions such as call handling.

This meant that the force continued to achieve its 100% target for answering 999 and 101 calls.

Officers also successfully policed a protest march involving thousands of people in Nottingham city centre, followed by a rally at the Albert Hall, ensuring the safety of the protesters and public alike.

Up to 6,000 protesters were present during the demonstration, but it passed peacefully and without incident.

Assistant Chief Constable Ian Ackerley said: “The professionalism of our workforce is never more apparent than in testing times like this, and our officers even received a warm round of applause from protesters at the end of the rally.

“We respect that some of our staff want to express their feelings about pension reform, but our priority has always been to maintain an effective service for the public, and I am pleased to say that we have not only achieved this aim, but exceeded it.”