‘Cleveland Police May Not Cope With Possible Middlesbrough Promotion’
Middlesbrough FC are third in the Championship with 18 games to go.
Middlesbrough FC are third in the Championship with 18 games to go.
Paul Brown from the Police Federation is worried that Cleveland Police will be stretched to breaking point if Boro are promoted to the Premier League.
He says the force have already lost 400 officers in the past few years: “It’s just one more thing that Cleveland Police would have to deal with.
“You’re going to have higher profile football matches, bigger crowds, there’s the threat of disorder and potential increase in alcohol and domestic related incidents.
“Dealing with traffic incidents and escorting fans to and from the grounds. The demands on policing are going to be increased.”
Cleveland Police released this statement: “We are currently assessing the potential impact should there be any movement between leagues by either Middlesbrough or Hartlepool Football Clubs.
“Any football match deemed to have an increased requirement in terms of police input will be policed appropriately. This would place additional demands upon the police service and its employees however it is obviously impossible to state to what extent at this stage and without knowledge of the exact details.”