Time for a reality check on police funding

IT IS time for a reality check on police funding, the Chair of South Yorkshire Police Federation has said.

The service cannot sustain any more cuts and must stop having to “rob Peter to pay Paul”.

Zuleika Payne was responding to calls by politicians for the Government to increase police funding after years of cuts, and following terrorist attacks in London and Manchester.

She said: “It was only the beginning of this year we were looking at the further cuts in South Yorkshire, which equated to another £1.3 million. So when [former Chancellor] George Osborne was very quick to declare ‘no further cuts to policing’, was that no further cuts to the ones that had already been decided? Or from that point onwards? The devil was clearly in the detail.

“And certainly with everything that’s happened in recent week and months, this is time for a reality check. Look at where we are, look at the cost, look at the social cost. We can’t sustain anymore cuts, and when those incidents need policing, we find ourselves in a situation where we are having to rob Peter to pay Paul.

“So for example, after the Manchester attack, forces sent armed officers up to assist Manchester Police, but then because of the London Bridge incident they had to be called back. It serves as a very stark illustration as to how this scenario is completely unacceptable because it’s not sustainable. We simply don’t have enough officers.”

“What compounds it is the frustration officers feel because they’re thwarted, trying to deliver the very service that they signed for; to serve and protect, and it becomes increasingly difficult on diminished officer numbers.

“Furthermore officers suffer fatigue, there’s the exhaustion. There’s a whole raft of issues around health, safety and efficiency. But also that of personal pride. It’s very difficult to serve efficiently and effectively, when there are so few of you.”