Police officers reminded to stay vigilant and alert

SOUTH Yorkshire Police officers have been warned to be “extra vigilant” about their personal safety, particularly when on single crewed patrol.

The threat level to police officers and staff has been heightened, two months after Home Secretary Theresa May announced that the national threat level had increased from substantial to severe, meaning a terrorist attack is highly likely.

The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) has published a statement to remind officers and staff of the need to be vigilant.

Neil Bowles, Chairman of the South Yorkshire Police Federation, said: “We should always be vigilant about our own safety and this just reinforces something that we should be doing all the time.”

The Federation has made approaches to the force’s command team about the danger of single crewing, but at the moment the force is not planning to change its policy.

Therefore, Mr Bowles has reminded officers on single crewed patrol to be “extra vigilant” and keep their sergeant or supervisor aware of what they are doing and where they are going.

In the ACPO statement, Mark Rowley, Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner and National Policing Lead for Counter-Terrorism, said: “The threat level to police officers and staff has been heightened, but we are used to confronting risk and danger. This is what we do on a daily basis, and we are well trained.”

Officers and staff are being informed of the heightened risk and reminded to stay alert to any possible dangers.

“We are asking them to follow existing policies and good practice. Measures are being put in place to increase the vigilance of officers and staff,” said Mr Rowley.

He said that all police forces would continue to “constantly” review their security and safety procedures. “You will see no major changes in the way we continue to police the UK and engage with our communities – our emphasis is on vigilance,” he added.

ACPO has urged communities and families to contact the police if they believe anyone they know is vulnerable or in danger of escalating towards terrorism.

“We will continue to build on existing community relations and work closely with them to ask for their help in combating terrorism,” said ACPO.