Top cop vows 'policing in Sheffield will continue come what may' despite coronavirus

Chf Con Stephen Watson has spoken out in a bid to reassure residents concerned about the impact the coronavirus will have on day-to-day life in South Yorkshire.

HEALTH: Coronavirus fears grow as scientists predict 250,000 deaths in UK

The county’s most senior ranking officer said: “These are very uncertain times and it's difficult to know what lies ahead.

“In these circumstances, we must draw on our own experience to assess and determine the best approach.

“On this basis, I look back over more than 30 years in policing and I feel reassured. I have seen many challenges and crises in my career and what I see as a thread through each of these is the good it brings out in people.

“The vast majority will be sensible, compassionate and considerate. Yes, a few will see opportunity. They may look to exploit some of those opportunities for criminal gain. My officers are acutely aware of this and are well prepared for the challenge.“Policing will continue come what may. Your police officers will not withdraw, they will remain at the fore to ensure your safety wherever possible.”

LATEST: Sheffield Cineworld, Odeon and Picturehouse to shut until further notice

He added: “This is the difference between a job and the discharge of duty. South Yorkshire Police officers will embrace the duty expected of them, not because they perceive duty as an obligation, but because it defines who they are as individuals.

“Our officers will put themselves out there accepting the risks for the benefit of others. We will not distance ourselves from you, our communities.“I want to reassure you that South Yorkshire Police are here for you now and we'll be here for you whatever the future holds.”

Chf Con Watson said: “Police officers will continue to respond to incidents, they will continue to patrol communities and continue to prevent and detect crime.“The way in which we engage with our communities may change as more and more events are cancelled, but there are many ways you can contact us.

“The direct phone numbers of your local neighbourhood policing team are available on our website. We are sharing regular updates on local issues and our work to address these issues on SYPAlerts.co.uk.

“If you register, for free, you will receive regular updates via email, text message or automated phone call on the work of your local police.“We have detailed and robust plans in place which we exercise and test regularly for a whole host of issues including pandemic flu.

“I accept that this virus is far more significant than flu but our plans are scalable. We can adjust and adapt to meet the challenge. With every challenge, we debrief and update our plans to embed any new learning. We work extensively with our partner agencies to ensure our plans benefit everyone. We support each other in order to support you.”

He continued: “As it stands, we have not yet seen an increase in demand or crime. We know this demand will change and possibly increase but so will our determination to protect our communities in any way we can.“I'd like to thank each of you for supporting us by taking heed of the NHS and Public Health England advice; this helps us to keep the majority well and for using our 101 service responsibly.

“Our call handlers work incredibly hard to provide the right response to you. We need to ensure they have as many resources as possible available to deploy to those who need us most.“I'd also like to take this opportunity to thank the families of South Yorkshire Police officers and staff. Whilst many of them did not sign up for the duty I mentioned, they too adapt and adjust to allow their loved ones to come to work despite daily risks. Without them our frontline would not be what it is today.”

As of yesterday the coronavirus death toll in the UK stood at 55.

Scientists are warning that there could be as many as 250,000 deaths unless more draconian measures are taken to curb the spread of it.