Police force spends £42,000 on ‘relaxation pods’ for officers to put their feet up

Police force spends £42,000 on 'relaxation pods' for officers to put their feet up
The cabins are sometimes seen in again gardens quite than police stations (Image: Media Wales)

Police chiefs have been blasted for spending £42,000 on ‘leisure cabins’ for employees.

The so-called ‘plod pods’ have been purchased with taxpayers cash forward of ‘inspirational’ coaching programs.

Every cabin, which price £14,000 every, might be used at South Wales Police’s headquarters in Bridgend.

However the purchases have been branded a ‘full waste of cash’.

One girl, who lives close by the police constructing, stated: ‘What a waste of funds. Getting extra policing onto the streets can be higher.’

One other native resident queried: ‘Wouldn’t that cash be higher spent on recruiting extra officers seen as they is an enormous scarcity?’

A retired police officer additionally claimed the drive ought to prioritise spending to sort out a ‘lack of kit’ on policing entrance traces.

Debate has additionally reportedly raged in a Fb group known as ‘Blueprint’ which brings collectively retired South Wales Cops.

Image of garden-style pods bought by South Wales Police - South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Alun Michael has defended a decision to buy three garden-style cabins as training rooms for police officers. The cabins - or pods - are normally to be seen in middle-class suburban gardens, where they provide homeowners with a comfortable place to relax during the summer. But the three units - bought at a cost of ??14,000 each - will instead be used as the location for ???inspirational??? courses given to police officers at a new training centre built on the site of demolished police houses in the grounds of force headquarters at Bridgend. Not everyone who has heard about the purchase of the pods is impressed, with critical comments having appeared on social media. One message, on a Facebook site for retired South Wales Police officers called Blueprint, states: ???It appears that South Wales Police have purchased a number of these ???relaxation pods??? for staff at HQ. They are ??14,000 each. Wonder whose bright idea this was, and yet front line complain of a lack of equipment. There are three of them and Mr Alun Michael was insistent on them being purchased.??? Mr Michael said he wasn???t aware of any criticism of the pods on social media, but added: ???It doesn???t surprise me. There are always people who will complain about anything new. And they provide value for money. ???The meeting pods are part of a police learning centre development at police headquarters which is a major investment in the training of new and existing police officers and staff.
The three cosy pods might be used to coach up new recruits to the police drive (Image: Media Wales)

Members declare the area’s police and crime commissioner Alun Michael was ‘insistent’ on the pods being bought.

Mr Michael responded that backlash was partially anticipated.

The previous MP stated: ‘There are at all times individuals who will complain about something new.

‘The assembly pods are a part of a police studying centre improvement at police headquarters which is a significant funding within the coaching of recent and current cops and employees.

Image of garden-style pods bought by South Wales Police - South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Alun Michael has defended a decision to buy three garden-style cabins as training rooms for police officers. The cabins - or pods - are normally to be seen in middle-class suburban gardens, where they provide homeowners with a comfortable place to relax during the summer. But the three units - bought at a cost of ??14,000 each - will instead be used as the location for ???inspirational??? courses given to police officers at a new training centre built on the site of demolished police houses in the grounds of force headquarters at Bridgend. Not everyone who has heard about the purchase of the pods is impressed, with critical comments having appeared on social media. One message, on a Facebook site for retired South Wales Police officers called Blueprint, states: ???It appears that South Wales Police have purchased a number of these ???relaxation pods??? for staff at HQ. They are ??14,000 each. Wonder whose bright idea this was, and yet front line complain of a lack of equipment. There are three of them and Mr Alun Michael was insistent on them being purchased.??? Mr Michael said he wasn???t aware of any criticism of the pods on social media, but added: ???It doesn???t surprise me. There are always people who will complain about anything new. And they provide value for money. ???The meeting pods are part of a police learning centre development at police headquarters which is a major investment in the training of new and existing police officers and staff.
The ‘plod pods’ have been branded a ‘full waste of cash’ (Image: Media Wales)

‘In comparison with offering devoted assembly areas inside the primary constructing at a price of £4,135 per sq. metre, the pods at a price of £14,000 present a comparatively low cost and easy choice which allow small group undertaking work to be developed and maintained.’

Mr Michael added round 1,000 new officers and PCSOs might be educated over the subsequent three years as older employees retire – and that new recruits will want a devoted studying space.

The futuristic-looking pods, sometimes seen in gardens, function cushion seats and inside tables.

They are going to type a part of a brand new coaching centre constructed on the positioning of demolished police homes in Bridgend.

Mr Michael added: ‘Coaching has been modernised past all recognition from years passed by when it was a case of 30 folks sitting in a classroom listening to a lecturer.

‘Analysis exhibits that offering separate studying areas enhances educational performances so these new amenities will allow us to ship that top high quality coaching which the general public would count on us to offer for our future cops.

‘In fact there are assembly rooms within the headquarters that could possibly be used, however the pods present a way more appropriate studying surroundings than we’d get by utilizing current amenities or by placing up a standard new constructing at a lot higher expense.’

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