A financially struggling police force had to spend £500,000 to control an English Defence League protest over false rumours a pub was being turned into a mosque.
South Yorkshire Police drafted in 1200 officers from 15 different forces in order prevent the risk of disorder as right-wing protesters gathered in Sheffield.
The force is having to make budget cuts of £42 million over the next four years but had to foot the bill for keeping the EDL and anti-EDL protesters apart.
The march took place between the deprived areas of Page Hall and Parson Cross – even though the old pub was actually going to become a KFC.
The revelations are made in a new BBC2 documentary – Police Under Pressure, being screened tonight – looking at how the Government’s budget cuts are biting into our overstretched forces.
The programme makers followed officers as they went about their work on the street, and in the station, last summer.
It shows how the force is struggling to rebuild a reputation tainted by the tragedy of Hillsborough and some of the worst crime figures in Britain.
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Deputy Chief constable Andy Holt, who has to try and balance the books, tells the programme that over the next few years they will lose 300 police officers, 100 PSO”s – almost a third of what they are now – and a further 350 police staff – in addition to the hundreds of police staff that they have already lost.
He said: “It would be naive of me to say that we are able to deliver the same standard of policing with the level of cuts that we face.”
The show also focuses on rising tensions as more and more Roma families move into the Page Hall area – causing friction with the local Pakistani community.
Ahead of the show Supt Shaun Morley, from South Yorkshire Police, said: “A huge amount of work has been carried out in the Page Hall area since the documentary was made.
“At the time of the filming, this was an emerging situation due to the influx of migrants into a densely populated area and cultural differences between new residents and the established community.
“We now have a dedicated policing team in the area made up of nine officers. They are building up a good rapport in the community and a broad understanding of the issues.”
Regarding the cuts in funding he said: “Budget issues are also a feature in the documentary. It is a well known fact that central budgets are being cut and police forces need to do more with fewer resources.
“We allocate budgets where there is a need to do so and Page Hall is one of the areas where resources are being allocated and ensure we can continue our positive work in the community.”
Police Under Pressure is on this evening at 9pm on BBC2.
