It\u2019s important to proactively bust myths about policing in the media, South Yorkshire Police Federation has said.<\/p>\n
The national Federation has launched a series of \u2018myth-busting\u2019 insights, showing the reality behind some people\u2019s assumptions about policing. It starts with the truth about police numbers.<\/p>\n
The PFEW\u2019s first Tweet reads:<\/p>\n
\u201cMyth: \u2018By 2023 we will have 20,000 more police officers on our streets.\u2019<\/p>\n
Truth: The 20,000 uplift will only bring us to the same number of officers as a decade ago.<\/p>\n
As of 2021, we are protecting 4 million more people with 7,456 fewer officers.\u201d<\/p>\n
South Yorkshire Police Federation Chair Steve Kent said he welcomed the new comms strategy.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cThe Federation needs to put these comms out there and we need to target the media. We need to proactively go out there and every opportunity we get to speak to the media, if we can steer this into talking about these kinds of things, and that\u2019s what we need to be doing.\u201d<\/p>\n
He continued: \u201cReassuringly, contrary to what some people believe, it looks like the public are on our side anyway, but we need to just keep hammering this message home. Whenever we speak to the media we need to be having these conversations and saying, \u2018Actually do you know this? Do you know that?\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
The PFEW will continue to tackle more policing myths on social media throughout the coming weeks.<\/p>\n