SOUTH Yorkshire Police is set to grow by 220 police officers between now and 2024, news which has been hailed as a \u2018great sign\u2019 by South Yorkshire Police Federation.<\/p>\n
A council tax precept increase has funded 55 more officers in this year\u2019s budget, while an additional 13 officers will be recruited in the financial year ahead.<\/p>\n
In 2020\/21 a further 73 will be added using efficiencies from a PCSO review and a 79 more will come by 2024 through further savings.<\/p>\n
The force is set to launch its most significant recruitment drive since 2008, and overall, more than 500 new PCs will be recruited to replace retiring officers.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis will be a growing of the establishment,\u201d said Federation Chairman Steve Kent (pictured).<\/p>\n
\u201cThat 220 is a plus figure \u2013 it may well be a lot higher, so it\u2019s just a really good sign.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Chief Constable is pulling all the strings he can, getting officers back in and if the new Prime Minister does increase budgets across the board, then I would expect that number to grow.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe result of that would be we have to grow our infrastructure in terms of training, but that would be a nice problem to have. The officers out there on the streets will still be doing a bloody hard job every day but will at least probably be able to manage it.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the minute, it\u2019s like trying to juggle several balls.\u201d<\/p>\n