MOVES to link up private security firms with police in East Lancashire have been labelled policing on the cheap by a national organisation.

The county's police chiefs are backing Home Secretary Jack Straw's plans, which are likely to see security guards patrolling troubled estates and town centres.

But the Blackburn MP's ground-breaking proposals have come under fire from the Police Federation, the organisation which represents the interests of officers.

Jack Straw's plan is to use about 50,000 private security guards in the battle against crime.

The guards would be kitted out with uniforms, licensed by local authorities and monitored by the police.

Two similar projects launched in East Lancashire in the last two years have met with failure. Hyndburn Council decided to axe its community warden scheme earlier this month in a bid to save cash.

And a private scheme on Blackburn's Whitebirk estate collapsed after it was revealed a security guard working on the estate had criminal convictions.

John Cooper, a spokesman for the Lancashire branch of the federation, said: "It is difficult to comment fully because there have still been no concrete proposals. But what does concern us is the lack of training these people will get before they go out on the streets.

"Police officers spend the first two years in training and we are looking at two weeks training for security guards."

Fred Broughton, chairman of the national federation, has also blasted the proposals, claiming the scheme is policing on the cheap. He said: "Patrols would fall to the private security industry, raising questions about policing on the cheap and the spectre of private security companies affecting ordinary people's civil liberties.

"Our view is that these proposals will reduce standards with lesser calibre patrol officers with limited performance."

"Policing in our country provides excellent value for money. It operates under extreme pressure with increasing demands and the debate should be about investing to improve the present high quality service."

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