Warning over £74.5 million South Yorkshire Police cuts "nightmare"

South Yorkshire Police Federation warned that the public were being put at risk by the budget struggle, with chairman Neil Bowles saying: “The budget cuts mean less policing in South Yorkshire — this affects every resident, employee, child, student and pensioner in Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield.”

The Federation has spoken out as part of its #CutsHaveConsequences campaign.

The two-month campaign will highlight the consequences of cuts to policing budgets in the South Yorkshire and what they will mean to the tax-paying public.

Other policing cuts include:

q Roads policing officers being reduced from around 150 to 90.

q The scrapping of the force’s cold case review team.

q A total of 13 public enquiry desks closing in five years.

q More volunteer Special Constables being recreuited over the past year than any other force.

q The dog unit reduced from 36 to 25 handlers and the mounted unit cut from 12 to eight.

Mr Bowles added: “People in South Yorkshire deserve to be protected by a well-resourced police force — they deserve to feel safe in their own homes and on the streets of the county. Cuts do have consequences. Less does mean less.”

Deputy Chief Constable Andy Holt said: “Budget cuts present us with a significant challenge and my job is to ensure we deliver the best possible service to the public of South Yorkshire with the budget we are provided.

“We hope people recognise we have to make some very difficult decisions, however we will strive to continue to offer a high-quality service to members of the public, drive down crime and provide a timely and appropriate response to the variety of incidents we deal with on a daily basis.”