Police authority chairman quits
THE chairman of the Cambridgeshire Police Authority has decided to quit. Michael Williamson, who has been in the position for the past three years, has decided to stand down at the authority s annual meeting on Monday. He said he was confident that he w
THE chairman of the Cambridgeshire Police Authority has decided to quit.
Michael Williamson, who has been in the position for the past three years, has decided to stand down at the authority's annual meeting on Monday.
He said he was confident that he was leaving the position with the police authority and Cambs constabulary in "a strong position".
Mr Williamson will continue as a member of the police authority until 2008.
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During his time as chairman he led the police authority's opposition to a merger with Norfolk and Suffolk under a Home Office plan which was eventually scrapped.
In his annual report, Mr Williamson said the police authority was always "sceptical" of the financial benefits of the plan.
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"We were concerned that there would be a loss of local accountability," he said.
But Mr Williamson was adamant that there was support of partnership working with neighbouring police.
His time as chairman has seen an increase in police officers in Cambs and a rise in the number of Police Community Support Officers.
Mr Williamson was involved, too, in the restructure of the police authority.
He said he period as chairman of the police authority had been both "challenging and rewarding".
* The crew of the new police helicopter in Cambridgeshire has been responsible for 105 arrests, assistance in 78 arrests and the recovery of property worth £127,100 from June last year to May.
The police authority provided £1.5 million towards the £3.9 million cost of the helicopter.
* Spending on police overtime payments in Cambridgeshire is £1.7 million, according to a report to the police authority's Finance and Resources committee.
* Police in Cambridgeshire are owed £195,663 from the UK Immigration Service.
* Medical examinations have had to be given to almost 7,000 people detained in police custody in Cambridgeshire in 2006-07.
The cost is £157,895 above the original budget of £552,000.
A medical call-out was needed for 1,125 people in a chronic condition, 1,222 who had injuries, 1,123 of people withdrawing from drugs and 794 of non-acute mental health cases.
