Southampton vs Portsmouth derby ends safely but at what cost.

Your article on policing and security for Sunday’s football rivalry between Southampton and Portsmouth indicates that hundreds of police officers from Hampshire and nearby counties were sent in.

An coordinated bus convoy was arranged to transport Portsmouth supporters, and fan segregation included screening and road closures.

Traffic on the M27 was halted to allow fans from Portsmouth to pass. Police patrols included the use of police dogs and horses, and dispersal orders were issued in St Mary’s, Woolston, and Bitterne.

Apparently, this massive police operation prevented serious incidents, but at what cost?

Perhaps the financial costs of the police operation can be mentioned (in millions?), but the people of Southampton are well aware of the expenses of interruption, delay, and curtailed liberty, and retailers must be aware of the losses in terms of lost revenue.

I know families who purposefully and intelligently avoided Southampton’s city core on Sunday. Not everyone in Southampton is a football fan and agrees with the disruption to city life.

Perhaps playing the football game behind closed doors would ensure public safety and access while incurring little costs to the public purse.