South Yorkshire Police praised for response to rioting but told it must improve investigations
Official body HMICFRS has released a report looking into the performance of our local force
Last updated 24th Jul 2025
South Yorkshire Police has been praised for its response to financial challenges and the rioting in Rotherham last year, but told it must get better at investigating crime.
Official body His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) graded the force across eight different areas - finding it was 'good' in one, 'adequate' five and requiring improvement in two.
The force has been praised for its proactive work to prevent crime, including working with vulnerable people and a digital advertising campaign targeting burglary hotspots.
However HMICFRS found the amount of cases officers needed to look at often led to key evidence being missed and victims of crime not being kept up to date with investigations.
The number of cases ending in a charge or summons to court has almost halved over the past year.
Similarly, workforce challenges had led to additional pressures on staff, with the force's occupational health department not meeting targets to see officers who are struggling.
Inspectors found South Yorkshire Police made good use of stop and search, but more data could be recorded on the use of force to enable greater transparency.
His Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary Michelle Skeer said: “I am pleased with some aspects of the performance of South Yorkshire Police in keeping people safe, reducing crime and providing victims with an effective service.
"I recognise the efforts of individual officers and staff who are clearly working hard to manage high workloads and to help victims.
“We found the force particularly good at preventing and deterring crime, with a clear commitment to neighbourhood policing.
"The force also answers 999 calls more quickly but doesn’t always respond to calls for service as quickly as it should. While the force has tried to address this issue, it needs to do more to meet the public’s needs.
“The funding it receives isn’t bringing about a good service for the public in some important areas, such as investigating and solving crimes.
"It also must do more to support, build and protect its workforce, particularly on those facing high demand and workloads. It needs to make sure it is providing consistent well-being support for officers.
“The force has faced significant challenges, including experiencing significant disorder following the tragic Southport murders and financial issues reported by the South Yorkshire Mayor last year.
"They have carried out work to address this and we are encouraged by the preparations and planning already made.
“I will be monitoring the force’s progress closely and I hope that changes made will result in improvements that help it better meet the public’s needs.”
Deputy Chief Constable Sarah Poolman of South Yorkshire Police said: “As the public’s expectations of policing increase, so to do the expectations of His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services, and rightly so if we are to provide efficient and effective policing services which evolve alongside society."
“Some gradings have lowered. This is not a sign that we are holding ourselves to lower standards than before but rather that a new higher bar has been set by HMICFRS prior to this round of inspections and that we need to address our outstanding challenges and embed some recently identified innovative practices into our ways of working.
“We are thankful to the inspectors for the time they spent in force and on this report to help inform our focusses for the coming years. Based on their findings, work is already underway to develop an action plan to improve the service we are delivering to South Yorkshire.
“We are also thankful for the recognition that some of our work is promising and innovative.
“Whilst we face some challenges in the investigation of crime and in building, supporting, and protecting the workforce – posed by demand, the financial deficit, and shortage of detectives, we commit to continue being an ambitious force which aims to be the best we can be at preventing crime and disorder, responding to the needs of victims and communities, and focussing on those who cause the most harm."