Police forces in Yorkshire spent approximately 3.73 million on recruiting temporary staff to fill gaps in their ranks last year, reports the Yorkshire Post. This figure was up by more than £2 million compared to 2012. West Yorkshire Police saw the biggest amount spent on agency and temporary staff with £2.4 million spent in 2017, up from 1.6 million in 2016. However, the number of temporary and agency staff roles filled in 2017 stood at 1,954, less than 2016’s figure of 2,054. Craig Grandison, vice chairman of the West Yorkshire Police Federation, which represents officers, said the boom in agency staff among forces was “symptomatic” of cuts to policing budgets. Grandison added that forces were struggling to attract suitable applicants for some posts because of uncertainty surrounding job security.