Austerity Measures Led To Lack Of Public Confidence In Policing

ONLY half of South Yorkshire residents are confident that police will be there when needed, which the South Yorkshire Police Federation says is a result of “10 years of austerity”.

The South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office carried out a survey of almost 2,000 residents between October and November 2020.

It found that around 40% of people asked “feel less safe due to the perception of crime and anti-social behaviour”.

Meanwhile 34% said they feel they have seen a decline in the level of policing, and only half of respondents were confident the police would be there if needed.

Federation Chair Steve Kent said: “I think it’s a very harsh statement. Of course we have to trust the public to give us their observations, but they have to be cognisant of 10 years of austerity and where we’ve been as a force.

“I know our boys and girls are running around trying to do their best. That is, unfortunately, the realities of the cuts of the last decade. I do think it’s getting better and there are more officers coming into the force.

“But if the observations of the public are that there are not as many police on the streets, that’s because the officers we do have are absolutely run off their feet trying to go from incident to incident the best they can.”

Almost three quarters of respondents said they would be willing to pay more council tax to fund policing and criminal justice services if it is used to tackle low level crime, visible policing, early intervention and crime prevention initiatives.

Police and Crime Commissioner Dr Alan Billings said: “People want more police visibility and they want crime to fall. In the public mind the latter follows from the former. If only it were that simple.”