POLICE spent almost a quarter of a million pounds on photocopying in the first three months of 2018 - equivalent to 12 new police officers.

The huge sum of £242,354 was built up in just 12 weeks and in three separate instalments of £106,210, £115,508 and £20,635 which were paid to contractor Konica East Direct Ltd.

Spending on photocopying at the beginning of this year was £50,000 more than in the first three months of 2017 when the total stood at £191,501.73.

In the 2016/17 financial year, the total cost was £721,517 and during 2017/18 this figure was £754,927 - just over three quarters of a million pounds.

According to graduate jobs website prospects.ac.uk, the salary of an entry level police officer can range from £19,971 to £23,124, meaning the force could employ more than 10 extra officers for the amount they spend on photocopying paper.

West Yorkshire Police – along with all other forces – publish all expenditure over £500 online.

The documents show the force is shelling out astronomical amounts of money when budgets are being squeezed and when frontline officers are being cut.

According to new research by a national newspaper, West Yorkshire Police has lost 1,038 officers since 2010, and last month the Telegraph and Argus revealed chiefs spent £4million in two years on agency and temporary staff.

Nick Smart, chairman of the West Yorkshire Police Federation, said the spending should be looked at again.

He said: "From our perspective we are aware of the costs involved and understand it is a necessary admin function.

"What we hope to see is that such costs are reviewed and kept to a minimum."

John O'Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance said: "This huge bill for photocopying will certainly raise eyebrows.

"Technology has enabled many organisations in the private sector to adapt and improve processes, so perhaps these best practices can't be employed in the public sector as well."

West Yorkshire Police said the spending on photocopying has been "consistent" over the past two years and is "actively monitored and managed".

A spokesman said: "By focusing on an individual month within a particular financial year, it only offers a snapshot of the Force’s spending.

"January for instance, represents the quarterly billing figure covering a three month period.

"There are different elements that make up our photocopying charges, which include the rental of machines and the quantity of the copies themselves.

"The number of copies made, depends largely upon ongoing operational and business requirements and can vary in any given month.

"For example, the Force’s internal reprographics department generates a high number of copies, which often influences costs.

"It prints material for key Force campaigns and also public information distributed by local Neighbourhood Policing Teams.

"In the past couple of years we have reduced the number of photocopying machines by around 80 and have recently conducted a survey of their use.

"This forms part of our longer term vision to evaluate our approach in line with any new technology available on the market.

"This is in preparation for the expiry of our current photocopying contract in 2019."

A spokesman for the office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for West Yorkshire, said: “West Yorkshire Police’s budget is monitored very closely and programmes of work are consistently carried out across the service to increase efficiencies, photocopying included.

"Our communities should be reassured that this expenditure is kept under review to ensure value for money."