THE chairman of South Yorkshire Police says policing\u2019s founder Sir Robert Peel would be \u201cturning in his grave\u201d if he knew the drastic changes the Government are making to the service.<\/p>\n
Neil Bowles (pictured) said \u201csome of the reforms being made to the service are putting the very fundamentals of policing at risk\u201d.<\/p>\n
He was responding to a speech by police minister Damian Green at the College of Policing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mr Green said police reform will make the service \u201ca more attractive profession\u201d and \u201cmore representative of the people it serves\u201d.<\/p>\n
However speaking to CopperConnection Mr Bowles rubbished Mr Green\u2019s claims.<\/p>\n
Mr Bowles said: \u201cMr Green claimed reform will make the service \u201ca more attractive profession\u201d. How may I ask? By offering a starting salary less than a Barista? Attacking the independent office of Constable? Sacking officers that cannot complete the bleep test due to an injury on duty?<\/p>\n
\u201cHe went on to say that the reforms will make the service \u201cmore representative of the people it serves.\u201d\u00a0 We agree the police service should accurately reflect the society it serves. Has the Government carried out an equality impact assessment of its reforms?<\/p>\n
\u201cAs far as most experts can see these reforms will make the service far less diverse than ever before.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Bowles added: \u201cThe police service is being increasingly stretched, we have seen a drop in numbers of 14,000 officers under the coalition and our members are reporting they are at breaking point.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn South Yorkshire alone we have seen over 11,000 days (Officers and Staff) lost due to sickness caused by stress in the last three years. This does not include other reasons for sick leave provided by others that may not wish to have stress marked in their personal files. This is impacting on the service we provide to the public and on officer morale.<\/p>\n
\u201cAmong the latest government reforms, suggested by Tom Winsor in his reviews of policing, is direct entry. This will see those from outside the service leap-frogging the ranks into senior positions without the operational experience, we feel, is necessary to carry out such roles.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are particularly concerned that some of the reforms being made such as fitness tests, pre joining qualifications and direct entry \u2013 which we fear will lead to the reduction of diversity in the service \u2013 will put the very fundamentals of policing at risk, such as policing by the consent of the public.<\/p>\n
\u201cSir Robert Peel will be turning in his grave”.<\/p>\n
Mr Green, speaking on 16 October at the College of Policing\u2019s first conference, said all the \u201ctransformational elements\u201d of the Government\u2019s police reform programme \u201cwill help produce a revolution in the way policing is delivered.\u201d He argued that policing \u201cshould be regarded as one of the great professions, alongside those of the law and medicine.\u201d<\/p>\n
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