Police attack 'recipe for cowboys'
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• The review of police duties, including those in traffic, that could be privatised, is cost driven and would lead to a new generation of "cowboy" operators who would ignore road traffic law, warns the Police Federation.
Home Secretary Michael Howard has written to Chief Constables asking them to identify what they consider core police tasks to be and whether they are suitable for takeover by private security companies.
The escort of wide loads, which has long been considered a candidate for privatisation, checks on Construction & Use Regulations and overloading and motorway and main road offenders are likely to be considered in the review.
"We're concerned about those who have ideas of a separate traffic force... People look at getting rid of traffic as a soft option which could release thousands of officers but a new force taking care of traffic would have to be paid for," says a Police Federation spokesman.