OFFICERS\u2019 hard work in South Yorkshire is being recognised.<\/p>\n
The Sheffield Star<\/em> reports that growing public confidence in the force is behind an increase in the number of child sex offences being reported. It makes a welcome change for the force to receive some positive publicity. Belief that the force will act when incidents are reported saw 330 more victims come forward last year compared to 2016 says the paper.<\/p>\n \u201cHome Secretary Amber Rudd called out South Yorkshire regarding neighbourhood policing recently so these two items of news are welcomed. Officers work hard to serve their communities and protect the public every single day, but the positive news stories seldom appear in the headlines. Sadly legacy issues and negative reporting have overshadowed this.\u201d says Zuleika Payne, Chair of South Yorkshire Police Federation.<\/p>\n \u201cIn regard to child sexual exploitation and child sex offence historical investigations, the officers involved need to receive the praise their hard work so richly deserves.\u201d<\/p>\n On average, South Yorkshire Police receives six reports of sex offences against children each day, The Star<\/em> reports, while the national picture reveals that 64,667 sexual offences against victims aged under 18 were reported last year – up 15 per cent on 2016.<\/p>\n That\u2019s an average of 177 offences a day.<\/p>\n