The two things police are most worried about this Christmas in Sheffield

The South Yorkshire branch of the Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers, said they are becoming ‘psychologically and physically fatigued’ from policing during the Covid-19 pandemic.

With England’s lockdown set to end tomorrow and South Yorkshire to be placed back under Tier 3 rules, which are the strictest restrictions, there are fears for the impact on officers who have to enforce them.

The Police Federation said with Christmas on the horizon, when demand traditionally increases, there could also be a rise in reports of Covid breaches as families enjoy a five-day respite from restrictions.

Chairman Steve Kent said: “We are dealing with crime and other incidents, but Covid is a big cloud that’s above us, so there’s still a fair bit of nervousness out there.

“I think officers, just as much as the public, are psychologically as well as physically fatigued from this now. They’re fed up of the grind of it. They’re expected to work long hours, really hard, but without the ability to let off steam anywhere else or go to meet their friends and families. It’s a very difficult situation.”

He said officers are a ‘resilient bunch’ who are beginning to see ‘the light at the end of the tunnel’ but they are worried about policing over the Christmas period.

“There were two worries about Christmas. There’s the worry about increased demand around Christmas, especially with people having parties and domestics, that kind of thing. But there’s also the fact that the majority of officers on the frontline will probably miss out on having that little window where they might be able to see close family and friends, because they’re going to be here,” Mr Kent said.

“That’s a shame, and I don’t think it has really been recognised. It’s another testament to the selfless acts that officers do.”

Ché Donald, National Vice Chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said: “Police officers are human beings who are doing an extraordinary job in extraordinary circumstances. However, a short-term relaxation of Covid-19 regulations and a return to the tier system represents a unique challenge and will be next to impossible to police.”