SOUTH Yorkshire Police officers are being encouraged to take some well-earned rest after two years of pandemic disruption.<\/p>\n
Changing demand, officer absence and COVID-19 uncertainty has left many officers unable to properly unwind, according to Federation Chair Steve Kent.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cWe haven\u2019t seen people being able to take quality leave. We\u2019ve been very clear for officers to continue to take their leave even if they\u2019re sat at home watching the television or just putting their feet up, because it\u2019s absolutely important that they get their rest away from the workplace, regardless of what they\u2019re doing.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut now I suppose there is a bit of a floodgate in that people want to go abroad or people want to go and have the proper beach holidays. It is going to take a little bit of a while before everybody gets that sort of relief. But at least now things are looking a lot more positive going forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
Steve said the past 24 months have been an \u2018enormous challenge\u2019 for officers who have been \u2018working tirelessly\u2019, despite receiving very little recognition for the efforts from the Government. This has had a detrimental effect on many officers\u2019 mental health.<\/p>\n
Steve said: \u201cThere\u2019s been a lot of fatigue. There\u2019s been a lot of officers, myself included, who\u2019ve not been able to get holidays, and that is a huge burden to them. On the flip side, it\u2019s been a privilege to be able to support our colleagues in the NHS throughout this crisis. We\u2019ve often been vilified, when actually we really have been at the front line of this as much as anybody else. I think that\u2019s taken a bit of a toll on officers.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur officers had been left in an impossible situation, coupled with erratic messaging from Government. Obviously the hypocrisy of what\u2019s been happening and certain people having parties has had a massive impact.<\/p>\n
\u201cSouth Yorkshire Police, and I thank our senior command team for this, have always had a very pragmatic and common sense approach to enforcement of Covid, bringing the public with us rather than going against them. I think when it comes to dealing with the public that\u2019s been appreciated.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut there\u2019s still been a rhetoric ramped up that we are doing things we\u2019re not and we\u2019re penalising normal people for making honest mistakes or misjudgements, when that\u2019s been nothing further from the truth. I actually thing the police have done exceptionally well in policing this pandemic and balancing everything, like we always do.\u201d<\/p>\n