Police forces in England and Wales have wasted £500m over the past four years by using fully-trained officers in back-office roles.

A report published by the think-tank Policy Exchange claimed one in 20 police officers are currently in jobs suitable for civilians. The average pay gap between staff and officers is more than £20,000 and the report estimated that £147m could be saved a year by hiring civilian workers. ‘Too many sworn officers are hidden away in back offices,' said the Policy Exchange's head of crime and justice, Blair Gibbs.