Midlands riots cost police up to £12m

Riots in the West Midlands cost cash-strapped police up to £12 million, the region's top officer revealed today.

West Midlands Chief Constable Chris Sims delivered a report to his force's police authority about the impact of last month's disorder.

Mr Sims revealed £8m had to be paid to police officers and staff who were ordered to work 12-hour shifts instead of the usual eight as they tried to contain rioters on the streets of Birmingham, Wolverhampton and West Bromwich and carried out round-the-clock investigations in the weeks that followed.