DEPARTMENTAL mergers at South Yorkshire Police will put stretched officers under even more pressure, the local Police Federation has warned.<\/p>\n
Chief Constable David Crompton has to find savings of \u00a349 million by the end of 2016 and has said that \u201cbasically anything above and beyond police officers and community support officers patrolling the streets is up for grabs\u201d.<\/p>\n
South Yorkshire is due to merge nearly every department with neighbouring forces in a bid to achieve the cuts imposed by Government.<\/p>\n
But Neil Bowles, chairman of the South Yorkshire Police Federation, has warned that officers are already \u201cover-worked, over-stressed and not allowed to take their due rest\u201d with morale \u201cnon-existent\u201d.<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cThey do not have the time to deal with every case fully and, because of the pressures of demand, mistakes are bound to be made \u2013 officers are only human.<\/p>\n
\u201cSooner or later they will suffer burn out and go sick, causing more work for their colleagues left behind.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Bowles warned that the mergers come at a time when the \u201cthreat of terrorism has never been so great\u201d with members of the Armed Forces and police considered legitimate targets.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of our greatest weapons against radicalisation has been community policing, yet the Government are causing cuts there as well,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The number of South Yorkshire Police officers has fallen by one fifth from 3,289 in March 2007 to 2,677 in March 2014, and Mr Crompton has said that more officer and staff roles need to be axed.<\/p>\n
Yet the work has not reduced, said Mr Bowles. The population has increased by almost 10 per cent and demand for policing has increased.<\/p>\n
\u201cHistorically, South Yorkshire Police has appeared to have a bigger overtime budget than other similar forces,\u201d said Mr Bowles. \u201cI was asked why is this the case, my response is we do not have enough officers to do the job.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the last two years, we have seen more officers leave the force, mid service without an immediate pension, because they have had enough, they have been beaten.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jim Lucas, branch secretary, has said that merging departments with colleagues in the north east will mean the force will not be able to provide the same service as it has in the past.<\/p>\n
\u201cOfficers are already stretched with work; days off are cancelled to provide a response and to ensure public reassurance.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe reduction in funds does not mean there is a reduction in the calls the force receives; it does not reduce incidents that officers have to attend,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The Police Federation has maintained throughout the austerity measures that the service will suffer. \u201cThe Government states you can do more for less. All you get with less, is less,\u201d said Mr Lucas.<\/p>\n
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