‘Policing will continue come what may’

CRIMINALS will still be caught during the coronavirus pandemic, including those who are trying to cash in on the situation.

That message comes from South Yorkshire Chief Constable Stephen Watson, who told Yorkshire Live that police officers will “remain at the fore” to ensure public safety.

He said: “The vast majority [of the public] will be sensible, compassionate and considerate. Yes, a few will see opportunity. They may look to exploit some of those opportunities for criminal gain. My officers are acutely aware of this and are well prepared for the challenge.

“Policing will continue come what may. Your police officers will not withdraw, they will remain at the fore to ensure your safety wherever possible. This is the difference between a job and the discharge of duty.”

South Yorkshire Police Federation Chairman Steve Kent agreed. He said: “We’ve got to carry on business as usual as much as we possibly can. The force has planned well about how we’ll deal with things at certain stages while this virus grows. But obviously we need to deal with crime.

“We’re the police and we’re out here doing what we can. This is why we need people to abide by the lockdown as much as possible to make sure we can do our job as best as we can.”