South Yorkshire Police

[Bert Jr.]

Would anyone care to explain the absurd police presence at the match today? Lining both sides of the street going down Bramall Lane before the match, doubled upon exit, never mind the metal barrier which I assume was to enforce segregation between the fans. For want of sounding ignorant, why exactly did South Yorkshire Police enact this enormous operation? From Bramall Lane all the way past Decathlon, policemen in riot gear, with helmets, mounted police, riot vans etc. Isn't this an enormous waste of money?

Here's an interesting article I found in the New Statesman, highlighting police methodology when dealing with fans.

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2014/02/everyones-equal-eyes-law-unless-you-are-football-fan

 

[SwissBlade]

Seems to be a big reaction to being embarrassed after the Forest game. They're clearly making a point and will no doubt say that this year they've had to take extra measures to deal with trouble makers!

Certainly seems over the top and let's hope that this isn't the new norm for games with attendances over 20,000!

Personally I think the police and the clubs should be doing more to encourage fans to mix pre and post match rather than segregating more and more

 

[SwissBlade]

And whilst I'm at it, I though that the club also missed a trick making the fan zone today a Blades only fan zone. Shouldn't this be a chance to interact with other fans. Especially as there was a chance for the younger generation of blades / wolves to see the family club in action!

 

[lawlessdan]

And whilst I'm at it, I though that the club also missed a trick making the fan zone today a Blades only fan zone. Shouldn't this be a chance to interact with other fans. Especially as there was a chance for the younger generation of blades / wolves to see the family club in action!

There were a few Wolves fan knocking about in there, I had a pint with some

 

[puppet]

Not to mention the stupid POLICE CORDON metal fences blocking the end of John Street!!! Ridiculous

 

[Punk Blade]

I saw some Blades and Wolves having a kick about near John St before the match - need more of that kind of thing.

Wasn't the kick off time originally moved on police advice too?

 

[Gibbo89]

Just a question but does anyone know if there is a regulatory body that oversees police spending who we could complain to? For some time now council tax has been pegged in Sheffield but every year the additional police bill to tax payers has gone up. SYP seem to love overkill at games like todays and the Charlton game. Is it all necessary?

 

[highpeakblade]

I'm not saying I am right but it wouldn't surprise me if all of this has arisen due to what happened at the forest game in the cup. South Yorkshire Police received a great amount of criticism that day for numerous things that happened both inside and outside of the ground, some of which were serious and right under the noses of officers who for whatever reason didn't deal with it.

Since that game I have noticed an increased presence at the lane and the metal barriers are obviously back .

 

[Bladesway]

And whilst I'm at it, I though that the club also missed a trick making the fan zone today a Blades only fan zone. Shouldn't this be a chance to interact with other fans. Especially as there was a chance for the younger generation of blades / wolves to see the family club in action!

On Police advice it will soon be illegal for fans of opposing teams to be seen together in public. At any time.

 

[yuley82]

There just full on pricks end of!!

 

[highpeakblade]

There just full on pricks end of!!

Whether you think they are pricks or not we would be fucked without em.

 

[yuley82]

Whether you think they are pricks or not we would be fucked without em.

Not saying we wouldn't but there very over active at the mo, an very under active when they were actually needed or are needed!

 

[Bert Jr.]

Maybe it's just a question of gauging the atmosphere, predicting the interactions between the fans, history and so on... but SYP got it totally wrong today. Disregarding the insult, surely this was enacted at a huge cost?

 

[Foxy]

The barriers made far more sense today than the Charlton match, given that it's usually a little tasty when we play Wolves.

Still a pain in the arse though, given I wanted to get that way out of John Street.

Wonder if they'll continue the trend for certain fixtures?

 

[zablade]

Hard to believe as it is but the current policy of SY Police is that the Match Day commander should NOT be football fan themselves.

Their reasoning is that it aids impartiality when making 'policing decisions' on the day.

And no... I don't understand what that means either.

 

[Ballinpigpubs13]

Is the answer to OP " a set of turds" ?

 

[Fulwood Blade]

The time has come for Blades to start putting pressure on the Club to come clean over what the issues and the ABSURD situation that we now have with the Police in and around Bramall Lane.

We seem to be singled out in Yorkshire - are we the only one this is done to?

Are the club cow towing to the police?

The Blanked off seats for "big" games is just a joke is someone in Sheffield shit scared of another H'boro?

There has to be some serious dialog on this - why are the majority treat as fucking kids - just arrest the fucking idiots and get them out of our way instead of this liberal mamby pamby approach. Put the idiots in FUCKING prison and leave the normal people to just get on with normality.

Rant Over

UTB

 

[Foxy]

The time has come for Blades to start putting pressure on the Club to come clean over what the issues and the ABSURD situation that we now have with the Police in and around Bramall Lane.

We seem to be singled out in Yorkshire - are we the only one this is done to?

Are the club cow towing to the police?

The club can't stage a match without the safety advisory approval. Nor can they overrule South Yorkshire Police. All they can do is give feedback.

It's been talked about, but we're at the mercy of what the SAG and SYP wish to inflict. People lobbing smoke bombs does little to help that, nor does scrapping with Forest fans on Bramall Lane.

The Blanked off seats for "big" games is just a joke is someone in Sheffield shit scared of another H'boro?

Certainly has some sway yes. Not necessarily in that context, but sadly, it hangs over.

 

[felix]

I'd hardly call erecting a huge metal barrier across the street "liberal". A denial of our right to walk along one of our own city streets is what I'd call it. For some veteran cops it probably brought back memories of preventing people from Yorkshire travelling into Nottinghamshire without having to go through border checks during the Miners' Strike.

South Yorkshire Police are in for a well-deserved hammering (albeit 25 years late) when the second Hillsborough inquiry begins, which might account for the overkill today. Be interested to know where the enormous fence came from, mind, and who paid for it too. It's bad enough we can't choose which way to walk home without having to foot the bill as well.

 

[Ivanhoe]

Police budgets run from April to April, they are merely spending the rest of the annual budget for this year, similarly Council budgets are the same, hence all of the road works, rather than road repairs.. IMO..

 

[MightyBlades]

South Yorkshire Police = Scum, Wankers, Twats!!

 

[sitwell]

I thought it was kicking off big time on Bramall Lane at about 1.20 as loads of coppers ran towards the lane. It had started raining and they were getting under shelter at the petrol station ,jessies.

 

[Hartley Hare]

I wonder if one of those "freedom of information" (FOI) requests / letter to SYP would provide some insight?

To request details of policing costs, numbers of police on duty, horses, vehicles etc and charges to the club?

HH

 

[eggblade]

I always assumed the change of kick off time/ day was instigated by SYP towards the end of the season games, so they could claim overtime for their summer hols. Does anyone know if this ever happens to The Others at Swillsborough?

 

[Golden badger]

For me; I thought the increased police presence today only increased anger within the fans that walked past them. Many of us were stating this as we walked past, the intimidation factor isn't taken into account by SYP when throwing ridiculous amounts of resource at games such as this which to be honest even with how Wolves behaved on the pitch was still always a friendly atmosphere. One thing which SYP could change (and isn't rocket science), why have the entrances/exits wide open onto Bramall lane after the final whistle? Keep them behind as it was an early kick off anyway and most of the extra police wouldn't be required!

Very annoyed by this yesterday.

 

[William Large]

South Yorkshire Police = Scum, Wankers, Twats!!

Crikey, that's a bit of an over reaction to increased police presence! Had your collar felt?

 

[grafikhaus]

Ok. I'm no fan of the police but after the game yesterday, I walked in the St. Mary's Gate underpass with lots of Blades and Wolves fans mingling. The police were out in numbers and there was no trouble at all.

Many of you will have come away from Molineaux and had to use a certain underpass. No coppers to be seen and a notorious 'ambush' area for away fans.

Know which I prefer.

One thing which SYP could change (and isn't rocket science), why have the entrances/exits wide open onto Bramall lane after the final whistle? Keep them behind as it was an early kick off anyway and most of the extra police wouldn't be required!

Very annoyed by this yesterday.

Absolutely. Letting known violent cunts like Forest straight out is an invitation for trouble/more arrests and overtime.

Of course they'll spout Elf & Safety as the reason why they do this.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

Just a question but does anyone know if there is a regulatory body that oversees police spending who we could complain to? For some time now council tax has been pegged in Sheffield but every year the additional police bill to tax payers has gone up. SYP seem to love overkill at games like todays and the Charlton game. Is it all necessary?

Who's picking up the bill for shipping in Northumberland and Leicestershire cops?

Having seen their vehicles no doubt some other constabularies will have been making a killing on the back of the Sheffield rate payer.

Have the Tory's cut our forces budget back so much that they can't actually police us?

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

Not to mention the stupid POLICE CORDON metal fences blocking the end of John Street!!! Ridiculous

And when asking the police stood at the cordon if the Cricketers had been closed so I didn't waste my time walking over 1/2 a mile out of my way to somewhere that's 200yds away in the rain I was informed:

"No idea, now get on yer way"

Thanks a lot but no doubt the fortnight in the Canaries on the over time will come in handy.

 

[Bert Jr.]

And when asking the police stood at the cordon if the Cricketers had been closed so I didn't waste my time walking over 1/2 a mile out of my way to somewhere that's 200yds away in the rain I was informed:

"No idea, now get on yer way"

Thanks a lot but no doubt the fortnight in the Canaries on the over time will come in handy.

Similarly, as I was walking down Bramall Lane an exasperated man was asking a somewhat baffled-looking policeman what he though of it all; he didn't even get a reply.