‘Officers are trying their hardest at a very challenging time’

THE Chair of South Yorkshire Police Federation has emphasised the positivity of the force looking to the future and “showing we are fit for purpose”, in reaction to another negative HMIC report.

The recent HMIC PEEL report highlighted concerns about anti-social behaviour and prevention of crime.

And the force continues to be tarnished by legacy policing issues – some of which occurred before many officers in the force were born, let alone part of the organisation.

Zuleika Payne emphasised how the past could not be compared to the present.

She said: “Sadly we’ve seen so much negative press here in South Yorkshire and we’re comparing policing today with policing back then when it comes to the legacy issues. We’re comparing past and present, sadly that impacts on the officers we have serving now who may not necessarily have been part of the organisation when those legacy issues occurred.

“Now that will be incredibly aggravating because you’re almost tarring people with a brush, bearing in mind many officers weren’t serving in the force at the time of the Hillsborough disaster or at the time of Orgreave. In fact, some of them weren’t even born, so it’s such a shame that the very individuals this negative coverage is affecting weren’t here at the material time.

“When you couple that with a sharp fall in officer numbers it adds to that aggravation for officers. It’s very difficult to find the resolve to keep going. There’s a lot of good work undertaken on a day-to-day basis which isn’t reported, sadly it goes unnoticed.

“When it comes to HMIC inspections and reports it can be very deflating because our officers are trying their hardest at a very challenging time.”

Zuleika also said it was important to not compare South Yorkshire Police to some of the forces surrounding it.

“We can always improve, every force can always improve,” she added. “But how accurate a science is it to compare forces that are all demographically so different?

“South Yorkshire Police houses Sheffield City Centre. Sheffield is the fourth largest city after London. The demographics of our force are vastly different to those that we neighbour. Derbyshire is a different county altogether, as is Humberside, as is West Yorkshire which is a huge force at the side of us.

“Working practices that may lead to the success of one force aren’t necessarily appropriate to assist us in becoming a better force. They have to be looked at individually because they are all so different.”

She added: “What we have seen since the arrival of the new Chief Constable is huge change within the organisation. Now we have some stability and continuity – which are absolutely key for us – so we can improve our way of working and forge ahead and show that we are a force to be reckoned with.”