Police chiefs tell Home Office plan to house asylum seekers at RAF base poses ‘critical risk’​

Norfolk and Suffolk forces both penned a joint three-page letter to Policing Minister Sarah Jones to warn that current Government proposals pose a “critical risk” to policing capabilities.

RAF Barnham has been leased by police for a number of years to provide officers with “specialist” public order training that cannot take place in standard training environments, the letter stated.

Discussions for the forces to buy the site from the MOD had been progressing until June.

However, Norfolk and Suffolk have been given just weeks to vacate the site, according to the letter, in order for preparations to begin to turn the base into migrant housing.

Police bosses warn officers face “significant operational implications” which could create “risks to operational capability, officer safety and service delivery”.

It emerged last month that the Home Office submitted an Urgent Crown Development application to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government for the use of RAF Barnham.

The revelation, which would help Labour find sites for its asylum seeker accommodation scheme, would bypass any council decision-making.

In recent weeks, RAF Barnham has been home to a number of protests against the Government plans to have asylum seekers move into their community.

Local councillors also voted unanimously to pass a motion which said the site was unsuitable to house asylum seekers.

Councillors heard that the site could house as many as 1,250 migrants.

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NORFOLK & SUFFOLK POLICE

Norfolk and Suffolk Police say the impact of the plan is particularly concerning amid concerns that it could “create ongoing policing demand across both our counties”.

“We are increasingly concerned about the potential for heightened community tension and unrest arising from the proposed future use of RAF Barnham,” Chief Constable Paul Sanford and Chief Constable Rachel Kearton wrote.

They continued: “The scale and nature of the proposal have the potential to create ongoing policing demand across both our counties.”

“It is therefore particularly concerning that the removal of a critical specialist training facility is being considered at the same time as policing demand associated with the site is already increasing,” the police bosses said.

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In their scathing letter to the Home Office, they said “Whilst we remain committed to working constructively with the Home Office, Ministry of Defence and other partners, it is imperative that the operational reality facing both constabularies is fully understood.

“Without a suitable alternative location, it is unrealistic to expect that we can vacate the site within the proposed time frame without causing significant damage to our training capability, specialist operational readiness and overall policing resilience.”

The police chiefs added: “We therefore respectfully request that the Home Office urgently reconsider the proposed timeline and engage with us to determine a realistic and achievable transition plan that protects critical policing capability, safeguards public safety and ensures both Norfolk and Suffolk Constabularies remain able to respond effectively to any increase in community tension, protest activity or public order demand arising from the future use of the site.”

There have been numerous protests outside of former military sites used to house asylum seekers.

Hundreds have gathered outside of RAF Wethersfield in Essex and a former army barracks in the Sussex town of Crowborough.

However, the Home Office defended the decision to explore more disused military bases amid the spiralling costs of hotels housing asylum seekers.

Taxpayers continue to foot a £2billion bill on hotel accommodation, down from a peak of just over £3billion.

GB News has approached the Home Office for comment.