There is just one police officer for every 500 citizens in West Yorkshire, it’s been revealed.
West Yorkshire Police has published statistics which convey the strain officers are facing amidst cuts, a rising population and the ever present threats of terrorism and cyber crime.
And Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Burns-Williamson has galled on the government to put more money into policing in order to cope.
Numbers show the population in West Yorkshire rose by 6% in the past 10 years, but the number of officers has been slashed by 19%.
There are currently 493 people to each officer, a rise of 30% from 379 since 2006.
The number of officers totalled 5,687 in 2006, but plummeted to 4,624 last year.
Chief Cons Dee Collins has said she is “extremely concerned” about the figures, particularly in light of recent terror attacks in London and Manchester.
She said: “Put simply, the greater the ratio of officers to citizens, the higher the demand. While many people in our communities have little interaction with the police, we will always have to tackle criminality and provide support and reassurance to the vulnerable. People need the reassurance that we are there when they need us.
“The significant and increasingly complex challenges of everything from cyber crime to child sexual exploitation is putting a further added strain on resources, as of course is the ever present threat of terrorism.”
West Yorkshire Police have called on the government to listen to emergency services and the pressures they’re facing.
Chief Cons Collins added: “Terrorist incidents in recent weeks have highlighted now much communities need our support and reassurance.
“I am extremely proud of my officers and staff, many of who are exhausted, having worked incredibly long hours to meet demand and manage large scale incidents in the past few months.
“However, our resources will only stretch so far and my concern is just how sustainable this in the long term, without an uplift in funding and resources.”
Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Burns-Williamson said there needed to be more investment, with the government currently providing around 80 per cent of West Yorkshire Police’s budget.
He said: “I am now calling on the government with others to urgently review the funding arrangements for policing as a whole, not just counter terrorism policing, to ensure we have a long-term plan and sustainable police service in West Yorkshire that can respond to the current and growing challenges ahead.”
