Police powers idea is ‘from cloud cuckoo land’

HANDING police officer powers to volunteers is another idea from “cloud cuckoo land”, the Chairman of South Yorkshire Police Federation has said.

Neil Bowles accused the Government of trying to rush through plans without due consideration.

The Home Office has launched a consultation that says it wants chief officers to have the ability to bestow any police power on volunteers – outside a reserved list of nine – including arrest and stop and search. 

“It’s such a short consultation,” said Mr Bowles. “They’re just trying to rush through something totally inappropriate.

“Volunteers are great in what they do and wherever they do it, but we’re talking about police powers. We’re talking about enforcing the law in one description or another.

“How can you ask volunteers, with no accountability, no training, to take up some of those powers, however minor they are.

“I know they want to preserve about nine for warranted officers, but we are the police service, they know that we’re all warranted officers, we’re powered to do x, y and z. It just complicates the matter.

“And it links into this direct entry, how can you possibly train someone in a matter of a year or so what the experience and training of 15 years’ service to become a Superintendent? It’s just cloud cuckoo land.”

Mr Bowles added: “We need to reprioritise policing like the armed forces, their budget’s been protected, we’re equally part of that whole security issue.

“The country’s population has increased, diversity’s increased, we’ve got a whole different community dynamics within South Yorkshire – the public still demand a service, their [council tax] precept costs have gone up and yet they’re getting a lesser service.

“They deserve more. It’s the Government’s duty to protect its citizens and they’re not doing it.”