Exclusive: The cops too sick or suspect to talk to the public

Scores of police officers, including 50 based in Yorkshire, have been told to keep away from the public because they face misconduct allegations or are in poor health.

While police forces struggle to overcome Government spending cuts and maintain frontline numbers, at least 175 officers across the country have been placed on restricted duties which prevent them from dealing with citizens face to face.

Some have had their responsibilities limited for more than a decade owing to health complaints, with one officer known to have been working under restrictions since August 1997.

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Those barred include 17 West Yorkshire officers, four of whom are facing disciplinary proceedings, and 26 members of Humberside Police, whose health problems prevent them from carrying out normal duties.

Three South Yorkshire officers have been told to stay behind their desks pending disciplinary investigations. Four North Yorkshire officers face similar restrictions for reasons their force refused to specify.

Of the 26 Humberside officers affected, six have been on restricted duties for more than five years. One officer, whose restrictions began in June 2008, stopped meeting the public after becoming prone to anxiety and panic attacks.

Others have had their responsibilities limited because of ailments such as hearing problems, arthritis, and heart conditions.

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Elsewhere in the country, 31 Hampshire officers have been told they must not leave their station, including four subject to that restriction since 2001.

Other forces with more than a dozen officers affected include Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Northumbria, Thames Valley and North Wales.

The data, obtained by the Yorkshire Post under freedom of information legislation, has prompted concern that forces are wasting taxpayers’ money by deploying warranted officers in support roles which could be filled by lower-paid civilian staff.

Constabularies across England and Wales face a 20 per cent funding cut over the next four years, a shortfall expected to result in the loss of 16,000 officer posts.

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The head of crime and justice at the Policy Exchange think tank, Blair Gibbs, said annual police fitness tests should be introduced.

“There remain too many police officers on restricted duties who are invisible to the public,” he added. “Sometimes these officers are just ‘parked’ in back office roles where they go on being paid as cops to do essentially admin jobs, sometimes sitting alongside civilian staff doing the same job for much less.

“That is not fair and it lets down the public, costing more and delivering less.”

A Humberside Police spokesman said restricted duties enabled officers to recover from injuries “sustained in the line of duty”.

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“Although not able to carry out the full requirements of their role during these periods, officers are able to perform countless other duties which often add value and provide help and support to their colleagues on the front line, keeping them in the loop until fit to return to their public-facing role.”

Labour leader Ed Miliband said yesterday he was determined to force a vote in Parliament on policing cuts, which he warned would “weaken the forces of law and order on our streets“.

Speaking as civilian staff at Nottinghamshire Police staged a 24-hour walkout over job losses, Mr Miliband said: “After the riots, where we saw the importance of a visible policing presence, I think people really appreciate how wrong-headed this decision to go ahead with the cuts is.”