UK Police Exodus Threatens Planned Expansion as Morale Plummets

The Labour party's ambitious initiative to add 13,000 extra police officers to the streets of Britain is reportedly "unobtainable." This is due to the fact that police officers are resigning in record numbers, according to The Telegraph.

Record Resignations Among Police Officers

Tiff Lynch, the acting chairwoman of the Police Federation, describes the situation as dire. Home Office statistics reveal that voluntary resignations among police officers have reached an unprecedented high. Over 5,000 officers quit last year, which equates to 3.4% of the workforce. This is more than double the rate from just four years prior. A Federation survey also found that 20% of officers plan to leave within the next two years or sooner, which could result in nearly 29,000 officers leaving the force. Lynch stated, "They have suffered an almost 20 per cent pay cut in real terms since 2010. How can this be fair?" She pointed out that this year’s 4.75% pay rise fell far short of the 6% recommended by the National Police Chiefs’ Council. Adding to the discontent is the fact that many other public sector workers received more generous pay increases.

Government's Policing Priorities

"The Government has made very clear its current policing priority is taking back our streets, through investment in extra neighbourhood police officers, to drive down the crimes blighting our local communities including antisocial behaviour and shocking levels of shoplifting," Lynch said. She added, "In its own words, ‘victims are being let down’. The only way to achieve this is through a sustained recruitment and retention programme. But I am concerned with the current track record in attrition rates, it seems unobtainable."

Demands for Collective Pay Bargaining

The Federation, which represents officers up to the rank of chief inspector, is demanding the reinstatement of collective pay bargaining. This system allowed officers to negotiate pay directly with their employers. However, since 2014, the Police Remuneration Review Body has set pay levels without any means for officers to negotiate or arbitrate when disputes arise. The Federation has boycotted this body since 2021. Lynch warned that if the government doesn’t agree to reinstate collective bargaining, the Federation will ballot its 150,000 members on whether they want to seek the right to take industrial action.

Consequences of the Pay Dispute

The effects of this pay dispute are already visible. In the year leading up to March 2024, 9,080 officers left the force, which is 6.2% of the workforce and the second highest on record. While recruitment efforts have managed to offset some of these losses, with overall police numbers rising by 0.2% to 147,746, Lynch asserts that without a sustained recruitment-and-retention strategy, Labour’s target of 13,000 extra neighbourhood police is simply unobtainable. The report indicates that morale among the police force is at an all-time low. A Home Office spokesman responded by saying, "This Government will work collaboratively with policing to address challenges and ensure officers have the right support, resources and recognition – and to improve standards. As part of our mission to deliver safer streets, we will restore neighbourhood policing and support forces to rebuild relationships with their local communities." However, many frontline officers feel that these promises are too little, too late. Unless significant change occurs soon, the exodus of officers will continue, potentially jeopardizing the restoration of neighbourhood policing.

Bottom Line

The current situation of the UK police force is indeed alarming. With morale at an all-time low and resignations at an all-time high, the planned expansion of the force seems increasingly unattainable. The government's response and future actions will be critical in addressing these challenges and determining the future of neighbourhood policing in the UK. What are your thoughts on this issue? Feel free to share this article with your friends and discuss. Don't forget to sign up for the Daily Briefing, available every day at 6pm.