Controversial scheme to rename Leicestershire Police has been axed

A controversial scheme to rename Leicestershire Police has been axed.

Leicestershire Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Rupert Matthews launched a wide-ranging online study to discover if people wanted the force to be retagged Leicestershire and Rutland Police.

And he has now said that “local people are quite clearly against the proposal” after it was branded “nonsense” last week by Leicestershire Police Federation chiefs.

Mr Matthews was “inundated” with public responses on changing Leicestershire Police’s name.

The project, which would have cost thousands of pounds, has now been scrapped after the majority of people said it was a non-starter.

“I would like to thank everybody who took the time to contribute their opinions in this survey.

“I’m astounded by the number of responses we have had and it further confirms to me the importance of communication with the public on matters of policing,” said Mr Matthews, of Kibworth Beauchamp.

“The consultation cost nothing as it was managed entirely online and was a resounding success.

“We have been overwhelmed with the strength of feeling shown and willingness for local people to use their voice on this important issue.

“Before pursuing the opportunity of a rename any further, we did the right thing which was to consult the public.

“Local people are quite clearly against the proposal and I will fully abide by their decision,” said Mr Matthews.

“I always welcome public feedback.

“As this simple exercise has shown, local people really can make a difference.”

People in Harborough as well as right across Leicestershire and Rutland have made their views known days after the contentious initiative was slammed by the local Police Federation.

The organisation, which represents frontline rank and file officers, said “renaming Leicestershire Police would be a complete waste of resources at a time when the force needs cops, Tasers and other equipment”.

Adam Commons, chair of the county’s Police Federation, said he was “angry” the idea was even being discussed when “there are so many more important priorities for the force”.

He hit out days after Mr Matthews was slammed by his PCC predecessor Lord Willy Bach for scrapping his bold blueprint to recruit an extra 100 officers to fight crime.

“You can’t cut 100 cops and then start talking about spending hundreds of thousands of pounds on a rebrand,” declared Mr Commons.

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

“If you’re going to cut numbers for officers, we are not going to be spending money on changing a name.

“Because we are going to have to spend money.

“It is not going to be free.

“Signs don’t just fall off buildings and need replacing.

“Why do we need to do this?

“I don’t understand it,” insisted Mr Commons.

“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.

“If we have got money to spend, it needs to go on equipment, training, vehicles, Taser capacity.

“If you were to ask the public, they would want us engaging with the communities, driving down knife crime, violent crime.

“It has made me angry,” said the county’s Police Federation leader.

“In the list of priorities in the policing world, I am just astounded that this has been suggested.”