HMIC report just echoes the concerns the Federation have had for a decade

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A NEW report demanding ‘profound and far reaching reform’ in policing to protect public safety has been backed by South Yorkshire Police Federation.

The latest HMICFRS dossier into the state of policing praises officers in England and Wales for their bravery and integrity but says that police leaders, PCCs and the Government need to make bold and long-term decisions to avoid facing ‘unacceptable compromises in quality of service levels of public safety’.

The report also calls for a reform of the 43-force system in England and Wales.

For South Yorkshire Police Federation Chairman Steve Kent, the calls for change are pushing against an open door.

“I think Sir Thomas Winsor [HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary] is echoing and voicing the concerns that have been raised by the Federation for nearly a decade now,” he said.

“There’s nothing surprising here, and I welcome the fact that he said the Government need to make bold, long-term decisions to avoid facing compromising the quality level of service.

“The way I interpret that is he’s saying the Government must change direction in the way its treated policing, which again is exactly what the Federation have been saying. So, yes, I welcome it. It’s another voice to the crowd. Has it come too late? Probably.

“But if it can help that turn in direction then I obviously welcome it.”

Steve says the public in South Yorkshire have noticed the impact of cuts to policing.

“People will have to start listening because we’ve got the public starting to notice. The Federation’s noticing and the rank and file are noticing. The Chiefs are noticing.

“There’s actually nobody left to defend Government policies that it has had for so long. The person that its put in charge and who was put in charge by the David Cameron and Teresa May administrations [Sir Thomas Winsor] he’s actually now telling them that, essentially, the approach that it’s had is wrong and has resulted in where we are, and I don’t see how it  can fail to appreciate it.”