Residents have 'increased confidence" in South Yorkshire Police

Figures show that 67.5 per cent of respondents who took part in a neighbourhoodalert.co.uk survey said they had increased confidence in South Yorkshire Police, the highest in the country.

This was ahead of constabularies such as Durham, West Midlands and Derbyshire who followed behind.

Around 4,200 South Yorkshire people took part in the survey - only force areas with more than 900 respondents were included in the final results.

Out of 26 forces that were included in the result, Metropolitan Police in London came bottom with 49.5 per cent.

Results were published where more than 900 people responded - 4,200 people in South Yorkshire took part.

The news has been welcomed by South Yorkshire Police Chief Constable Stephen Watson who shared the news at a recent Police & Crime Commissioner Public Accountability Board.

“Of the 26 forces reported on, SYP is at the very top and in the last 12 months, there has been a 67.5 per cent increase in the number of people who said the confidence in the police had increased,” Chf Con Watson said.

“This is a huge pat on the back predominantly for our neighbourhood policing teams but actually for everybody else in the force because this ultimately is the lifeblood of policing.

“This is an extraordinary outturn - we don’t want to become complacent about and we will continue to try and do more to keep this going.”