Concerns raised over policing of Boro matches if team are promoted to Premier League

Cleveland Police is already stretched beyond its limits and will not have the manpower to protect the public if Boro are promoted, it was warned today.

The force has seen a reduction of 400 officers since 2010 and the chairman of its Police Federation Paul Brown said “the public should be frightened” because there are not enough officers on the ground.

And if Middlesbrough FC reaches the Premiership next season, the situation will only get worse, he warned.

“What we would find is bigger crowds, more high profile football matches, more people out drinking which increases the risk of public order and domestic-related incidents and you have also got the traffic implications.

“The result is that police officers’ rest days will get cancelled an awful lot more than they do now.

“I do have sympathy for the force as there is no plan B. It’s not the fault of the police force, it’s the people who manage the budgets.”

The claim came as it emerged that all officers’ rest days had been cancelled ahead of Boro’s home clash with Leeds on February 21.

The match is classed as category C plus in policing terms - meaning there is a high possibility of criminal behaviour.

Mr Brown said the public is already being put at risk due to a shortage of officers.

“The public is being put at risk and they are not getting the service they deserve,” he said.

“My colleagues tell me regularly that there is no-one available to respond to incidents. The cupboard is bare.

“Morale is absolutely rock bottom. They are being put at risk because corners are having to be cut.

“They are working excessive hours, they can’t get days off, they are not getting breaks. Their health and safety and wellbeing is being neglected.

“A lot of them are on the sick with psychological illness.”

Cleveland Police saw the highest percentage rise in the numbers of sick days for mental illness between 2010 and 2013 - up by 257%.

In response to the concerns, a spokeswoman for Cleveland Police said: “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.”