ACPO lead for procurement, Lee Tribe, said:

"The report acknowledges the achievements already made by police in this area and highlights the number of professionally qualified procurement staff employed in forces to save the public money.
"The nature of local policing across 43 forces means some pay different amounts of money for similar goods.
"Police are committed to delivering value for money and have established a national hub for forces to share procurement information and avoid inconsistencies. Twenty-five forces are connected to the system and a plan is in place to bring all other forces on board.
"The hub is fundamental to our aim of ensuring forces get value for money for the taxpayer while obtaining high-quality goods and services to keep officers and the public safe."