THE Chair of South Yorkshire Police Federation has emphasised the positivity of the force looking to the future and \u201cshowing we are fit for purpose\u201d, in reaction to another negative HMIC report.<\/p>\n
The recent HMIC PEEL report highlighted concerns about anti-social behaviour and prevention of crime.<\/p>\n
And the force continues to be tarnished by legacy policing issues \u2013 some of which occurred before many officers in the force were born, let alone part of the organisation.<\/p>\n
Zuleika Payne emphasised how the past could not be compared to the present.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cSadly we\u2019ve seen so much negative press here in South Yorkshire and we\u2019re comparing policing today with policing back then when it comes to the legacy issues. We\u2019re comparing past and present, sadly that impacts on the officers we have serving now who may not necessarily have been part of the organisation when those legacy issues occurred.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow that will be incredibly aggravating because you\u2019re almost tarring people with a brush, bearing in mind many officers weren\u2019t serving in the force at the time of the Hillsborough disaster or at the time of Orgreave. In fact, some of them weren\u2019t even born, so it\u2019s such a shame that the very individuals this negative coverage is affecting weren\u2019t here at the material time.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you couple that with a sharp fall in officer numbers it adds to that aggravation for officers. It\u2019s very difficult to find the resolve to keep going. There\u2019s a lot of good work undertaken on a day-to-day basis which isn\u2019t reported, sadly it goes unnoticed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen it comes to HMIC inspections and reports it can be very deflating because our officers are trying their hardest at a very challenging time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Zuleika also said it was important to not compare South Yorkshire Police to some of the forces surrounding it.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can always improve, every force can always improve,\u201d she added. \u201cBut how accurate a science is it to compare forces that are all demographically so different?<\/p>\n
\u201cSouth Yorkshire Police houses Sheffield City Centre. Sheffield is the fourth largest city after London. The demographics of our force are vastly different to those that we neighbour. Derbyshire is a different county altogether, as is Humberside, as is West Yorkshire which is a huge force at the side of us.<\/p>\n
\u201cWorking practices that may lead to the success of one force aren\u2019t necessarily appropriate to assist us in becoming a better force. They have to be looked at individually because they are all so different.\u201d<\/p>\n
She added: \u201cWhat we have seen since the arrival of the new Chief Constable is huge change within the organisation. Now we have some stability and continuity \u2013 which are absolutely key for us \u2013 so we can improve our way of working and forge ahead and show that we are a force to be reckoned with.\u201d<\/p>\n