Positive to see Police and Fire Minister take time to answer Federation’s questions

SOUTH Yorkshire Police Federation is looking forward to getting involved with a seminar with the Policing Minister should the event be expanded in the future.

Several Federation Reps from across England and Wales recently had the chance to quiz Kit Malthouse directly about policing issues such as stricter sentences for would-be police assailants and progress on the much-needed officer uplift plans.

The Minister said his top three priorities were getting crime down, recruiting the new cops and ensuring the police family is “happy, safe and well-motivated”.

Mr Malthouse said the Government was determined to introduce a Police Covenant and protections for police drivers “as soon as possible”. He also supported calls to speed up IOPC officer investigations and said 6,000 new officers would be recruited by Christmas.

“I think it’s a great idea and sounds as if it was beneficial,” South Yorkshire Police Federation Chairman Steve Kent said.

“It’s a really good sign that the Government wants to speak to Reps like this and hopefully it will become a regular thing and expanded to even include the Home Secretary perhaps at some point.”