"Ipswich Town Football Club has won its appeal in a battle over the cost of policing matches. Last year, the High Court agreed Suffolk Constabulary were entitled to recover costs for officers on streets around the Championship club's ground. Michael Beloff QC, representing the club, said about £500,000 was at stake. In the initial High Court case, lawyers for the police argued the club controlled the public highway, which club bosses disputed. Lady Justice Gloster said: "It is for parliament to change the law, if it considers it appropriate to make football clubs pay for police attendance at football matches on the highway, outside the stadium or other privately owned land." I wonder if SY PLOD are looking over their shoulders? Why don't we do the same?
I've seen a few arguments regarding who should pay for police atendance at football matches. The Aston Villa game swayed me though. There was literally a police officer stood every five yards from the bridge to the train station. A good few with riot gear on. Not one had to move a muscle at any point. They only time the police were possibly needed was when Villa fans ran around the penalty box and ripped the advertising boards down. The ten or so officers stood adjacent id absolutely nothing. I wouldn't like to guess the policing bill that day. Very hard to justify such a cost when we get zero value for money from them. As an aside, I do think we seem very over-policed in general. For a club with a relatively modest support and let' be really honest, hardly any track record of actual serious disorder, the police presence on matchdays is incredible. Even at Preston it resembled the G8 summit outside the away end.
I couldn't disagree more with the original poster. If the policing which has to be put in place to ensure public safety is not paid for by the football-related participants then it has to be paid for by the council taxpayers. I have no patience for arguments that the police presence is overdone. In my experience, the reverse is true. Police resources are stretched. Football is awash with money. There is no doubt in my mind where the costs should fall.