HM Inspectorate of Constabulary\u2019s assessment that South Yorkshire Police \u201crequires improvement\u201d is \u201cgalling and frustrating\u201d.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s the view of Chair Elect Zuleika Payne, who said that there needs to be \u201cperspective\u201d about the force\u2019s performance given heavy media criticism – and the loss of 1,100 officers.<\/p>\n
HMIC said South Yorkshire Police has a \u201climited understanding of current and future demand and workforce capability\u201d in its latest efficiency report, adding that the force was struggling to answer non-emergency calls and criticised \u201cdiminishing\u201d community engagement and preventative policing.<\/p>\n
Zuleika responded: \u201cIt does feel really galling, it\u2019s very frustrating. It perhaps comes as no surprise but what we have to maintain sight of the fact is that we have had a pretty rough ride with lots of issues have been dragged through the media. Despite all that, officers are still going out there to deliver.<\/p>\n
\u201cMuch negativity has hung over the force which detracts from all the good work which is carried out by our officers. While much criticism has been levelled at the force as a result of these legacy issues we have to look at where we are today. A lot of the officers serving now weren\u2019t serving at the time of these legacy issues, in fact some of them weren\u2019t even born.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo we have to get some sense of perspective on this, and really put it into context that despite all this criticism, despite the fact that we\u2019ve lost 1,100 officers \u2013 which is the equivalent of all the officers in Doncaster and Rotherham \u2013 officers are still going out there and doing the job to their best of their ability with depleted officer numbers. That is quite an achievement when you think we\u2019ve lost almost a third of our organisation.<\/p>\n
This fall in officer numbers coupled with a change to our policing model was always going to have a detrimental impact upon our service delivery.”<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not a surprising read when you see that outcome, but actually we do remarkably well when you think of the lack of resources.\u201d<\/p>\n
Zuleika said she would like to speak to HM Inspector of Constabulary Sir Tom Winsor about how he would implement the recommendations included in the report.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d be very interested in fact most curious, to see what he would do differently,\u201d she said.”At our national Police Federation conference this year, Sir Tom Winsor said that the recent work he had embarked upon and his involvement with various forces had proved most insightful. This comes years after the former rail regulator had published his recommendations to reform the service”.<\/p>\n