Stretched force is short of 70 detectives

SOUTH Yorkshire Police investigation departments are short of around 70 detectives, the Federation has revealed.

The lack of investigators marked a “sea change” in the way the role is perceived, according to Chair Zuleika Payne.

She said: “Over the last quarter of a century, there’s been a huge change in detective numbers.

“To get an attachment to CID was quite an achievement, you were clearly very highly thought of if you completed your ‘aide’ before becoming a qualified detective. Detectives have to undergo further specialised training to prepare them for the types investigations they will become involved in.”

“Two decades down the line and we’re in a situation now where, as a force, we’re about 70 detectives short. One cannot help but feel that this is in part due to some of the legacy issues here in the force whereby officers are receiving bad press due to historic issues.

“When you look at how specialist an area of work this is, complex, involved, investigations involving serious crime, one can understand why people feel they aren’t supported in those roles and therefore the attraction wanes. Because of the complex and serious nature of those investigations, it can be an incredibly exhausting and fatiguing line of work to be in. It must be said that this is not unique to detectives, it is the harsh experience of all front line officers.”

The latest Police Federation of England and Wales survey has cited fatigue and stress among detectives increasing at an alarming rate.

Cuts have also led to increased workloads with three quarters of respondents to the Federation’s poll said that the amount of work they have been given over the last 12 months is too high.

Karen Stephens, Secretary of the Police Federation National Detective Forum, said: “The facts speak for themselves.

“These results clearly show that detectives are overwhelmed with increased pressures brought on by a lack of resources.

“Morale is low, people are exhausted and there is little sign of improvements to come if things stay the way they are.

“The single aim of every officer, detectives included, is to protect and help others. But what these results show is that despite their best efforts, the demands of the role do not allow them to do this.

“This is further emphasised with over half of the respondents saying they did not even have time to stay up to date with the latest training.”