Plan to rename Leicestershire Police slammed by federation

The police and crime commissioner said he had been told residents want Rutland in the force's title

Plans to rename Leicestershire Police to incorporate the neighbouring county of Rutland have been criticised by the Police Federation.

Police and Crime Commissioner Rupert Matthews has launched a consultation on changing the name to Leicestershire and Rutland Police.

He said many communities in Rutland - which the force also serves - did not feel an affinity with it.

But the federation said such a change would be a waste of resources.

'Enormous operation'

Mr Matthews said: "Rutland residents have repeatedly told me they are disappointed not to be recognised in their police force's name.

"Everyone is entitled to an opinion, which is exactly why I am consulting people across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland to see if they support the idea of reinstating Rutland into the force's name - or not.

"I will review the responses to my survey and act accordingly."

Rutland has not featured in the name of the area's police force since the 1970s.

Last week, a plan agreed by Mr Matthews's predecessor to fund an extra 100 police officers in Leicestershire was halted after he said it was no longer "sustainable" in the longer term.

The force represents both Leicestershire and Rutland

Adam Commons, Leicestershire Police Federation chair, said he was angry the idea was being discussed at a time when there were other priorities for the force.

He said: "You can't cut 100 cops and then start talking about spending hundreds of thousands of pounds on a rebrand.

"It would be an enormous operation to rebrand the force, and from my point of view, it is a nonsense.

"It is not going to be free. Signs don't just fall off buildings and need replacing.

"With everything that is going on in our world - the pandemic, officers getting injured, everyone worried about the increasing cost of living - this is so unimportant. The name cannot be a priority."

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