Cambridgeshire Constabulary is permitted to charge for the policing of certain events, including football matches, visits by VIPs (not Royalty), for custody use, commercial events, charitable events, community events, statutory events and private functions.

The constabulary uses national guidance to charge for the policing of events, which is designed to offset the cost to the taxpayer of overtime and extra manpower required for some events.

Requests for policing services can be made using the application form below. Each request will be considered on a case by case basis.

Read guidance on policing service charges
Charging for police services

2011 Fees and Charges booklet
2011 Fees and Charges booklet

Crime prevention item pricelist
Crime prevention item pricelist

Download application form
Application for employment of police

The question and answer section answers some of the questions you may have about events charging and tells you who to contact for more information about getting policing support for your event.

Q. What sort of events can the police charge for?

A. The types of events which the constabulary may charge for include football matches, visits by VIPs, commercial events, charitable events, community events, statutory events and private functions.

Q. Do Cambridgeshire Constabulary charge for policing of all events?

A. Discretion will be used on all occasions. In some cases a charge will be waived and in others, a significant reduction will be made. Small-scale events may still be policed for free.

Q. How do the police decide whether to charge for policing an event?

A. Great consideration will be given to each request for policing support to determine what kind of event it is, how many officers will need to police it and whether this means additional officers need to be brought on shift that day, or work overtime. Small scale events below a threshold level can be policed without charge.

Q. Why is Cambridgeshire Constabulary charging for events policing?

A. Policing events throughout the year costs the police a great deal of money. We want to ensure that events are policed accordingly, and that officers are not taken off their normal duties and away from the communities they serve.

Q. Will the organisers of an event know how much they are being charged and why?

A. Yes, the charging process will be transparent and consistent for all events.

Q. What exactly will the police charge for?

A. A charge for the police services inside the event will be calculated. Some services may require a police presence on the perimeter of the event which may also be charged for; such as football matches. Charges for this will be at the discretion of the officer responsible for the policing of the event, in co-operation with the event organiser.

Q. What about events which have been running for several years?

A. Where events have taken place in previous years, a reduction to the charging costs will apply for the next three years until 2011.

Q. Who do I need to contact about getting policing support for my event or to find out about possible costs?

A. For more information, call Cambridgeshire Constabulary on 101 to arrange a chat with your local neighbourhood policing team about your event, or email your team directly.