'Cartoon' cops are slammed
Wigan opposition leader Michael Winstanley has branded the region's police force 'nonsense' for spending £100,000 on storytelling sessions for the borough's officers.
Bosses at Greater Manchester Police (GMP) have sent detectives on a course at a Manchester hotel to share tales of successful investigations.
The sessions, led by storyteller consultants, aimed to improve policing, with the lessons learned pasted on a cartoon storyboard to form a business strategy.
But one source said officers believed the event was a waste of time and Wigan's conservative leader, Coun Winstanley, has today slammed the idea.
He said: "I am absolutely staggered and amazed that the top brass in the police force are simply wasting more than 100, 000 on this kind of nonsense.
"It demonstrates how out of touch they are with the people they are meant to be serving, when budgets are being squeezed.
"They have got their priorities wrong.
"We shouldn't forget GMP has committed itself to build new headquarters in Manchester. They are wasting money.
"What people want to see is local bobbies on the beat and locking up criminals, rather than sat in a hotel drawing cartoons."
News of the courses comes after GMP proposed to shed 300 police posts and a further 150 civilian jobs to cut costs, yet spent 21, 000 on officers' name badges to improve customer service.
The revelation has also sparked outrage in the Police Federation.
Spokesman Ian Hanson said: "GMP is becoming the Ministry for Silly Ideas.
"I find it incredible that the chief constable is trying to slash hundreds of police posts in an attempt to reduce costs but seems to find the money for these kinds of activities.
"They need to ask the people of Greater Manchester whether they want officers on the beat or in a hotel telling stories."
But GMP human resources officer Julia Rodgers defended the sessions, saying: "The activity is the latest phase of work to tackle the issues that affect local people and ensure we can make a difference to the quality of life in Greater Manchester."
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Weather for Wigan
Thursday 02 September 2010
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Temperature: 8 C to 22 C
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