According to various media, such as the Formby Times, the police on Merseyside have been compelled to spend more than £6 million in dealing with compensation claims over a four year period. This level of spending in response to compensation claims amounts to a significant drain on the public purse.

According to one calculation, £6 million could have been spent on putting another 280 police officers on the beat to combat crime. However, it is difficult to see how the public could hold the police accountable for errors if compensation claims could not proceed. It is also tricky to see how any police force could conduct its affairs without sometimes being in the wrong. The truth of this assertion is best assessed by examining the areas in which Merseyside Police have been found to be culpable.

As an employer, the police force has a duty of care to all its employees. If one of the staff suffers personal injury through an accident at work that is not their fault the police force may have to pay out. As motorists, the police are obliged to chase criminals and undertake other duties. If a road traffic accident occurs, the police are sometimes liable for the consequences. The nature of the work can mean they cannot take the normal safety precautions. As the police have to try to catch criminals they will sometimes be exposed to accusations of false arrest and so on.

While Merseyside Police can attempt to minimise its exposure to compensation claims, its various activities means that it may find it difficult to do so.