West Yorkshire police on 12 hour shifts after riots

Hundreds of police officers in Yorkshire are working more than 12 hours a day in response to the recent disorders as officers express fears about how cuts in police numbers will allow them to cope with riots in future.

Response-based officers with West Yorkshire Police are continuing to work the extended shift patterns brought in to combat last week’s unrest, which required the force to bring in officers from neighbouring divisions as well as from its own training school.

The number of people arrested in connection with the disorder in the force’s area has risen to 52, while more than 1,179 people have already appeared before the courts across England.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In London, where Scotland Yard has promised a “substantial police presence” this week, the number of people charged in relation to rioting and looting reached a total of 940 last night, with total arrests at 1,635.

The new shift patterns in West Yorkshire are being reviewed on a daily basis, as the force’s Assistant Chief Constable Jawaid Akhtar admitted the cost of the overtime involved would be “significant”.

Simon Gelder, secretary of the West Yorkshire Police Federation representing rank and file officers, warned that planned cuts to force numbers would mean that police forces across the country would be able to respond far less effectively to any future disorder.

Mr Gelder said: “Police officers are very realistic people and at times like this we know that we need all hands to the pump.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Some of our officers are working 16, 18, even 20 hour days and then coming in the next day. They are just getting on with it. However in three or four years’ time we are likely have 16,000 less officers in the country, and will be in less of a position to protect the public.

“We will be trying again to impress upon politicians the need for a rethink and that police officers are needed to keep the public safe.”

Assistant Chief Constable Akhtar praised his officers’ response to the disorder, which initially came after the fatal shooting of a man in Leeds, and was then followed by sporadic incidents in Leeds and Huddersfield.

He told the Yorkshire Post that officers had shown “real commitment” in sacrificing their own personal plans to ensure a professional and appropriate response.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He added: “Policing is unpredictable, meaning that work patterns have to be rescheduled, often at short notice and we appreciate the support we’ve had from the Police Federation, Unison and GMB in communicating the message to their staff.

“It was vital to provide the support and reassurance our communities needed and to have the necessary teams available to thoroughly investigate what happened, bring those responsible to justice and prevent further disorder.

“The extremely positive and supportive feedback we have had, along with the arrest and charging of a number of individuals, show that was the right approach.”

Meanwhile Prime Minister David Cameron has declared an “all-out war” on gangs and dismissed any link between the violence and his Government’s austerity measures. Mr Cameron said mending the “broken society” was now at the top of his priority list and stressed police had already been given greater powers to help them, such as discretion to demand that masks are removed.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg will say today in a speech that those involved in the rioting should be forced to “look their victims in the eye” and be made to clean up the damage they caused.

But Labour leader Ed Miliband has accused the Government of offering “knee jerk” solutions, and warned that “finger-pointing” by Ministers was undermining senior police officers.

BUSINESSES OFFERED £10M FUND AID

Small businesses that suffered as a result of last week’s riots and looting will be able to take out loans from a £10m fund set up by Royal Bank of Scotland.

The bank is offering interest and fee-free loans of up to £25,000 to directly affected businesses across the country.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The relief fund is designed to give the banking giant’s customers short-term assistance to get back on their feet and resume trading while they wait for financial support from the Government or insurers.

After six months, the businesses should either repay the loans from the payouts or transfer to other loan products offered by the bank.