SOUTH Yorkshire Police Federation has welcomed a fresh start in Government\/Police relations after a positive address from the Home Secretary this week.<\/p>\n
Sajid Javid spoke positively and encouragingly to the Police Federation of England and Wales Annual Conference in Birmingham – promising extra resources for the service and a more sympathetic ear than past years.<\/p>\n
His tone surprised many seasoned officers, who were used to criticism and negativity from previous heads of state.<\/p>\n
Zuleika Payne, Chair of South Yorkshire Federation, said she was ‘somewhat taken aback’ by the address: \u201cWe have seen years of being lambasted, the locking of horns and general unease.<\/p>\n
“I felt it had a certain vibrancy, a certain buoyancy to it, and maybe the optimist in me thinks that we are now in a better position to engage and have those professional conversations, and head in the right direction.\u201d<\/p>\n
Zuleika said she was left feeling confidence and optimism about the future of policing. She added: \u201cThere was only one way for us to start heading and the direction had to be up, after what we had seen in previous years.<\/p>\n
“But that general uplift and change in mood and confidence, I feel has been the general feel of the overall Conference as well. I certainly came away feeling a little more upbeat.\u201d<\/p>\n
Zuleika added: \u201cResourcing and money have been two key considerations. What has concerned me in the lead up to conference is certainly with the recent attacks that we\u2019ve seen in London, the spin has been that it\u2019s not directly linked to the falling officer numbers and depleted police resources, and that in fact, given the huge cuts to policing, one would have anticipated the figures being even higher.<\/p>\n
“That caused me great concern as Federation Chair.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we need to see now is some serious investment. Spin it whichever way you want; the time has now come to head in the right direction, make that serious investment, see the improvement in resources, because ultimately what will happen if we don\u2019t is that the very people that we are trying to protect and serve will be the very people that we fail.\u201d<\/p>\n