POLICE chiefs in South Yorkshire are spending £20,000 a year to have a force band - which critics say could be better spent fighting crime.
Figures disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that South Yorkshire Police has spent £180,000 since the year 2000 buying musical instruments, band uniforms and paying overtime to members representing the force at events.
Nationally,
forces are believed to have spend around £1 million funding brass bands over the eight year period.
The Taxpayers' Alliance, a national body which monitors the spending habits of public organisations, criticised the amount of money spent on a non-policing function.
A spokesman said: "Traditions are worth keeping alive. But this is a large amount of money to spend at a time when there's not enough money to pay front-line police officers their promised pay increase.
"The public would prefer this money to be spent on fighting crime."
But Med Hughes, Chief Cons-table of South Yorkshire Police, defended the amount of money his force spends on the band.
He said: "South Yorkshire Police spends around £20,000 per annum as part of its marketing and public relations initiatives in supporting the force band.
"This represents less than half of the cost of a police officer per year.
"The band members are excellent ambassadors for the force and give freely of their own time and carry out many engagements at their own expense.
"They are often used for many civic engagements and charity fund-raising concerts."
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