It doesn't get any better

On Monday you gave us the cheery news that South Yorkshire Police were the fourth worst in the country for solving burglaries, then today you tell us that when a break-in and theft occurred in Meersbrook, accompanied by thousands of pounds of damage, there were no police available to deal with it for at least two days as they were apparently all busy rounding up criminals in Rotherham.

I have to wonder if having more football matches is not the answer, because I notice whenever United or Wednesday are at home there seems to be busloads of them on every street corner, so there can’t be anything else for them to do on those days, can there?

Once upon a time, when British bobbies were the best in the world, they came armed with a whistle, notebook, and truncheon, walked their neighbourhood beat and seemed to handle anything that came their way. Now they come out as highly trained pairs with body armour, radios, and Tazers in high speed patrol cars, yet struggle to cover the same ground or be half as effective.

Shouldn’t that tell whoever’s in charge that the current system just isn’t working?

We need more neighbourhood bobbies talking to litter louts and dogfoulers, keeping their eyes peeled for anything suspicious and being a moment away from any crime.

Sheffield police should not be in Rotherham. They should not be on operation this that or the other focusing on drugs or racism to the exclusion of all else.

All crime should be dealt with as it happens because all crime is serious to its victims.

Anne Johnson

by email