Court costs cop a drop

THE cost of police officers attending court to give evidence on rest days has fallen, new figures have shown, but still hit £238,000 last year.

A total of £238,337 was spent on officers attending court while off duty and for shift cover between April 2010 and March last year.

But the figure was a drop on the previous year, when it was £244,687, and the total of £269,398 for the year before.

Police chiefs have been working to reduce the cost of officers attending court. Under the present system, officers cited to attend court go to a police station no more than 30 minutes away to carry out duties until they are needed to give evidence.

The force also works with court clerks to provide the best dates for police witnesses to attend so suitable trial times can be set.