THE hard work and drive of officers is covering up police leaders\u2019 failures to plan for demand, according to the latest HMICFRS review of policing.<\/p>\n
It added that officers\u2019 can-do attitude was keeping the service going and that police leaders were \u2018over reliant\u2019 on that attitude to get the job done.<\/p>\n
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South Yorkshire Police Federation Chair Zuleika Payne says pumping cash into the service, as part of a \u2018revisit\u2019 of how the police work, is needed to stop hardworking officers from falling ill.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cWe can\u2019t absorb everything, and the HMICFRS report showed just how hard working but also how under pressure officers are.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe only way we can address this is through investment and a review of how we work as a service.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy that I mean we should allow the police to police and let other agencies, those concerned with mental health for instance, be responsible for their areas of expertise.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need a leg up to do what we need to do effectively.\u201d<\/p>\n
Welfare and health and wellbeing of officers continues to suffer as a result of demand and falling officer numbers, Zuleika added.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are some serious issues out there,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are issues around pay and morale. Just because we\u2019ve lost officers doesn\u2019t mean the work has gone away and there is a feeling that officers are not getting a fair day\u2019s wage for a fair day\u2019s work.<\/p>\n
\u201cWorkloads are increasing and there\u2019s more of a burden on officers\u2019 shoulders.\u201d<\/p>\n
The pressure is already leading to officers\u2019 quitting their roles, she said.<\/p>\n
Zuleika added: \u201cI recently became aware of an officers\u2019 resignation, they are saying they have had enough, doing too many hours, there\u2019s a real strength of feeling out there.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe NHS is getting a boost to its coffers, and rightly so, but unfortunately I\u2019m not confident the investment we need will happen.\u201d<\/p>\n