The table and pie charts compare the sources of police funding and the allocation of expenditure in one region of Britain for the years 2017 and 2018.
Overall, total police funding increased moderately over the period, primarily driven by a substantial rise in local tax revenue. While the majority of the budget in both years was devoted to salaries, the proportion spent on this category declined slightly, with more funds redirected towards technology.
In 2017, the total police budget stood at £304.7 million. The largest contribution came from the national government, amounting to £175.5 million, followed by local taxes at £91.2 million and other sources, such as grants, at £38 million. By 2018, total funding had grown to £318.6 million. Although the government’s contribution rose only marginally to £177.8 million, the figure for local taxes showed a much sharper increase, reaching £102.3 million. Other sources also rose slightly to £38.5 million.
In terms of expenditure, salaries accounted for the dominant share in both years, though this figure fell from 75% in 2017 to 69% in 2018. Conversely, spending on technology saw a notable increase, almost doubling from 8% to 14%. Meanwhile, the proportion allocated to buildings and transport remained stable at 17% in both years.
In summary, while the overall police budget experienced modest growth between 2017 and 2018, the data highlight a shift in spending priorities, with a smaller proportion directed towards salaries and greater emphasis placed on technological investment.