Police chiefs outline shake-up

CHANGES to how South Yorkshire Police operates will mean fewer police officers for Rotherham and may involve shutting police stations - but chiefs insisted they would bring a more visible prescence on the beat.
By Adele Forrest
Published 16th Mar 2015, 09:23 BST
Updated 9th Jan 2017, 03:13 BST

The Local Policing Model outlined this week allocates 185 officers in the borough - a cut of three - serving on three Local Policing Teams (LPTs) based at Rawmarsh, Main Street and Maltby, which are replacing separate Response and Safer Neighbourhood Teams.

The changes, which will save £8.1 million annually, mean Sheffield and Barnsley’s officer numbers will fall by 33 and 16 respectively, while Doncaster will have an extra 47.

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Other changes outlined this week include police officers using buildings such as libraries to work out of and being equipped with mobile technology to keep them on the streets and out of police stations, allowing them to file reports while they are in the community.

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Police and Crime Commissioner Dr Alan Billings said the force would gain 150,000 extra hours of police visibility per year under the new model, which he outlined with Chief Constable David Crompton on Tuesday at the force’s headquarters in Carbrook, Sheffield.

Asked if police stations could close, Mr Crompton added: “It’s good to have places to work from in the community, but it may not always be a police station.

“It could be a room in a library or school. Some stations are quite old and cost a lot to keep going.”

The phased rollout for the new operating model will begin in Doncaster in May and the following month in Barnsley, with Sheffield following in September and Rotherham on October 5.