IF SOUTH Yorkshire Police doesn\u2019t try and help policing parents unable to take holidays with their families during school holiday times because of the Job, then the Police Federation will.<\/p>\n
And this could include South Yorkshire Police Federation writing to head teachers on the issue, Chairman Steve Kent said.<\/p>\n
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Currently, parents who take their children out of school during term-time can be penalised by the local education authority with a minimum \u00a360 fine.<\/p>\n
But many officers find it difficult to get leave during the school holiday weeks due to the demands of operational policing. Christmas and New Year are a time for demand at all forces, and getting rostered leave during the six weeks of summer can prove tricky.<\/p>\n
Around the country local branch boards have called on chief constables to write to headteachers and request that officers are given special dispensation to the rule \u2013 and some have. Heads have the discretion whether or not to report parents to the local authorities.<\/p>\n
Steve said: \u201cI think it\u2019s a brilliant idea. It\u2019s not going to necessarily be successful in every case but the most important thing is it sends out a message of support to our officers which is important because sometimes it is impossible for cops to get leave during school holidays. Not to mention as well the exploitative costs of holidays during the holidays which cops are struggling to afford.\u201d<\/p>\n
Steve is planning to discuss the matter with the chief officer team, and will push the issue as a the education authorities on behalf of the Federation. He added: \u201cEither the force jumps on this or we do.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t see any reason why the Federation can\u2019t put that kind of pressure on the schools ourselves, or even just do a pro forma letter for cops to apply for it under certain circumstances and send it through.\u201d<\/p>\n
The issue is confounded however by a \u201cfear culture\u201d that professional standards departments might get involved if officers are fined, he added.<\/p>\n
A Supreme Court ruling last year found that taking children out during term time was still unlawful, after a long-running battle from a father from the Isle of Wight. The court\u2019s deputy president ruled: \u201cAny educational system expects people to keep the rules. Not to do so is unfair to those obedient parents who do keep the rules, whatever the costs or inconvenience to themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n