We will have to decide what we stop doing, warns chairman

SOUTH Yorkshire Police – and its officers – are going to face some tough decisions about what they stop doing in the face of more drastic budget cuts.

That’s the warning from Neil Bowles, Police Federation Chairman, who was reacting to the news that 500 more police officers could go from the force as it needs to save £59 million by 2020.

He warned that neighbourhood policing was under threat.

“We are losing 500 officers from 2500 – that’s one in five officers. What are we going to have to stop doing?” questioned Mr Bowles (pictured).

He added: “How can we keep up and continue the service the communities of South Yorkshire are paying for – they will be getting a lesser service. It’s not acceptable.

“Our members want to provide the best service they can but they are having to do this with one hand tied behind their backs. And they are suffering with stress and mental health conditions because of it.”

In South Yorkshire, in the last financial year, 165 officers were signed off for either stress, depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder. That was up from 117 the year before.

As well as the loss of 500 further police officers, it is thought 1,000 members of police staff and 150 Police Community Support Officer positions may also go.

Mr Bowles added: “Members of police staff perform vital roles supporting police officers in their day-to-day duties. If they are not there then we are going to have to have police officers doing those jobs.

“One of the areas that will be hit hardest will be neighbourhood policing, which is vital for community cohesion and for gaining intelligence in areas such as terrorism and like matters.”

So how does Mr Bowles think the number of officers can be maintained? “If enough people stand up and say ‘no, we need there to be a credible police force to protect us’ then maybe things will change,” he added. “The armed services have been protected. It’s time the Government realised policing is the other half of that security equation and our budgets need to be protected or increased.”

He said people in South Yorkshire need to be aware that “the population has increased and yet our budget has been drastically decreasing”.

He concluded: “In cash terms our budget is now the same as it was in 2007. In real terms that is a cut of over £70m. The population – and demand on our services – is increasing and now crime is rising too.”