Reserves strategy

Reserves are essentially rainy day funds – they help manage financial risk and fund major future costs such as change programmes aimed at improving services to the public. Reserves should be used to fund one off investments, not ongoing costs.

The Commissioner continues to use reserves to pay for the cost of change that is required to meet both the financial challenge and the necessary investment to ensure that the Constabulary remains a modern, operationally effective police service.

Having the right level of reserves is important. If reserves are very low, there may be little resilience to financial shocks and sustained financial challenges.

The level of reserves continues to be reviewed by the Commissioner, Chief Finance Officers and auditors to ensure that suitable reserves are in place to mitigate and manage the risk of the financial challenges faced, and to ensure that reserves are not unnecessarily held to the extent that is detrimental to current service delivery.

Read the reserve strategy below.