SOUTH Yorkshire Police officers are both emotionally and physically shattered after an incredibly tough 18 months policing the Covid-19 Pandemic \u2013 and there does not appear to be an ending in site.<\/u><\/u><\/p>\n
That\u2019s the warning from South Yorkshire Police Federation \u2013 the body representing thousands of officers in the region \u2013 which fears colleagues who are having to work extended shifts are at the end of their tether.<\/u><\/u><\/p>\n
Chairman Steve Kent said: \u201cIt pains me to say but police officers in South Yorkshire have had enough\u2026 they are absolutely shattered; emotionally and physically. There\u2019s real understandable but frustrating restrictions on leave which is just causing problems.<\/u><\/u><\/p>\n
\u201cThere doesn\u2019t seem to be an end in sight when it comes to September because we think that is going to continue potentially, which is why our force has to re-look at how we do things for the next couple of months.\u201d<\/u><\/u><\/p>\n
Steve said the \u201cPingdemic\u201d \u2013 which has forced colleagues to isolate – has caused an even bigger issue, heaping more work onto the shoulders of officers who are left at work.<\/u><\/u><\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not going to put numbers on it because it varies, but we have seen significant numbers of officers having to isolate,\u201d added Steve. \u201cI know that\u2019s being addressed with some of the measures being put in place around testing, but the effect is that over the last month and going into the summer, because of the Pingdemic and because of the lockdown releasing, we\u2019ve had the force extend shifts mandatorily on weekends which means that officers are working really, really long hours.<\/u><\/u><\/p>\n
\u201cBut the alternative to not working those long hours was to have officers being called in on their days off \u2013 having their all important and much needed rest days cancelled. Our view has been we\u2019d rather have cops working longer than cops working their days off. But frankly it\u2019s an awful choice because there are just not enough officers to do the work. Demand is outstripping resources. And it\u2019s our colleagues who are going to break.\u201d<\/u><\/u><\/p>\n
With the night time economy returning to full capacity, football matches returning with crowds in coming weeks and the COP26 Conference in Glasgow needing to be policed in the Autumn \u2013 as well as day to day demand \u2013 the Federation fears things could get worse before they get better.<\/u><\/u><\/p>\n
Steve concluded: \u201cI can\u2019t underestimate or play down the strength of frustration out there with how hard officers are working.\u201d<\/p>\n