Chief hopes war chest will keep up numbers

South Yorkshire Police has already lost about 200 officer posts, more than any other force in the country, in the last two years but Chief Constable Meredydd Hughes believes it is now well prepared to weather the approaching financial storm.

The controlling police authority has built up a war-chest of 23m which will be available to offset some of the money lost from Government awards. Mr Hughes believes it will be possible to maintain officer numbers at current levels for at least the next 24 months.

Other cost saving measures will include finding new buildings which are effective and cheap to operate, including a move to a new HQ from the current Snig Hill base in Sheffield, which will become a conventional police station.

Officers will be expected to rely more heavily on technology, with computerised devices meaning they will be able to operate without visiting police stations so frequently.

A public debate will be needed to help assess how policing will change, but Mr Hughes said the force would continue to offer the full range of policing services, including anti-terrorist work which go largely unseen.

"It is not a question of maintaining uniformed services, I need to maintain a full range of policing services." More back-room jobs are expected to be civilianised, leaving officers in public facing roles.

He also expects changes on a national basis over the way police work, which might affect areas such as overtime.