Police force whose cops were caught dodgem-riding whilst on duty took an average of EIGHT sick days each last year
Almost one in three of the 1,622 cops in Humberside took time off ill during 2016/17 which costed the taxpayer £2.6million
A POLICE force whose bobbies rode dodgems on duty saw its cops take an average of eight days off sick last year.
The total at scandal-hit Humberside Police was almost twice the average in the general UK workforce.
It amounted to 13,131 days of lost policing and cost taxpayers an estimated £2.6 million.
Officers on the force have moaned about cuts leaving them overstretched. Yet we told yesterday how 21 who were meant to be on patrol at Hull Fair instead descended on the dodgems — with 18 of them taking the bumper cars for a spin.
Film of the antics caused fury among some crime-plagued locals.
Sickie rates on the force were revealed by a Sun freedom of information request.
Almost a third of its 1,622 cops were ill during 2016/17 — with 144 on long-term sick leave.
Humberside police Chief Constable Lee Freeman defended his officers’ actions at the funfair, which saw 500,000 visitors and just four arrests.
He said: “Our community policing teams listened, engaged and protected visitors over 8 days at Hull Fair. Context is everything & they have my support.”
Earlier this week, The Sun revealed the Metropolitan Police - Britain’s largest force - is planning on ignoring crimes including burglary and theft unless they have leads. The force needs to make £400 million of budget cuts.
