Staff shortages see frontline officers answer 999 calls

THIRTY-FIVE South Yorkshire Police officers have been removed from the frontline to answer 999 calls because of staff shortages.

The officers have been seconded to the Atlas Court call handling centre in Attercliffe following delays in answering public emergency calls. Neil Bowles, Chairman of the South Yorkshire Police Federation, has warned against taking fully fit officers off the streets to sit behind a desk.

“I support the use of adjusted duties officers in Atlas Court, who through no fault of their own have become unable to work on the frontline,” he said.

“It would be an ideal place for experienced officers in that position to deal with the public at the first point of contact, possibly being able to resolve some situations there and then.

“But what I don’t want to see is fully fit officers having to come off the frontline because we need them out there supporting each other and the public to keep people safe.”

Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Jason Harwin has said it is a “temporary solution” while permanent staff are recruited into roles at the calling centre and he explained that ten of the officers are currently not operationally fit. Recruitment and training of new call centre staff is said to take around 12 weeks.

“This interim fix is to enable us to fulfil a longer term goal to be one of the forces in the country with the most efficient and effective communications centres,” he said.

“During the time additional staff have been deployed to Atlas Court we have seen reduced waiting times, particularly for 999 calls.”

Police and Crime Commissioner Dr Alan Billings added that call handlers are “just as much at the frontline as police officers” and until there are more staff trained there is “little choice” other than to bring in officers.

“Naturally I will want to know why a situation of staff shortages might arise and how that can be prevented in the future,” he told The Star.