More Officers To Be Moved Into Frontline Roles

MORE frontline officers will be hitting the streets of South Yorkshire in a move backed by South Yorkshire Police Federation.

The force has announced plans to get more PCs into communities by halving the number of PCSOs in the region over three years, freeing up cash to recruit over 100 more warranted officers.

South Yorkshire Police Federation Steve Kent said the plan wouldn’t see any redundancies being made.

He said: “This has got to be good news. I respect the hard work that PCSOs do throughout South Yorkshire, but the important thing is that nobody’s been made redundant. It is just, essentially, a reduction in unsociable hours payments.

“The money will be juggled about to free up money for extra police officers. So, while I sympathise with our PCSO colleagues, our priority must be to get more cops on the beat.”

Steve says the move will help South Yorkshire Police drag officer numbers back towards pre-austerity levels, something which the public want to see.

He explained: “We’ve got to get back from those numbers of 2,500, and the Chief has just announced that he’s going to grow the force, by over 200 police officers, which is a good thing.

“So, we broadly support it. We were involved in the process, and our views were sought, and I’ve made that clear from the outset that we need more cops on the street.

“The majority of the public, when asked, also support having more police officers on the streets.”

Some media outlets have suggested the plan would lead to a drop off in visible policing, but Steve is having none of it.

He said: “It’s been reported in the media that this will [lead to a] reduction in visible police resources, but the Chief has made the pledge, and it’s been understood that the PCSOs will be replaced by officers who have more warranted powers and who can do more, and who can work more unsociable times.

“There is a concern that they’ll get deployed elsewhere. Well, that’s the case anyway if there was any kind of serious emergency. But if they’re going to be deployed to neighbourhood teams, which is what they are, they will be based in those areas.

“Essentially [we are] replacing PCSOs with a version with greater powers and greater things that they can do.”