Force has second lowest morale in the country
11 January 2023
More than 90 per cent of West Mercia Police Federation members believe morale across the Force is low or very low, according to a new report.
The findings of the Federation’s annual pay and morale survey were published today and highlight record levels of dissatisfaction across the Force.
The survey revealed that 93 per cent of respondents felt morale was low or very low and that almost two thirds (64 per cent) said their own morale was either low or very low.
This placed West Mercia second on the list of forces with the lowest personal morale with only Dorset Police showing a higher percentage of dissatisfied officers.
West Mercia Police Federation chair Sarah Cooper said: “Unfortunately, I am not surprised by the results of the survey. There is a really tangible lack of morale in policing at the moment and the survey provides an insight into the reasons for this.
“Policing is an incredibly tough and challenging career at the best of the times, but years of real-term pay cuts, poor working conditions and constant criticism in the media takes its toll.
“I genuinely believe that the warnings given to the Government all those years ago are now coming to fruition and my colleagues and the public are paying a high price as a result. The Government needs to wake up and start listening. There is an urgent need to address the concerns around pay and conditions.
“Losing experienced officers who have simply had enough is becoming the norm and I hear numerous accounts of new recruits leaving the service to return to the better paid jobs they left to join the police. The issues that forces are facing in relation to recruitment speak for themselves.
“I really fear for the future of policing if something is not done urgently. Put simply, our members want and deserve to be adequately paid for the difficult and stressful jobs they do and have their dedication, professionalism and courage to be properly acknowledged rather than dismissed.”
The West Mercia survey results also revealed:
- 95 per cent did not feel respected by the Government
- 79 per cent would not recommend joining the police to others
- 74 per cent did not feel valued within the Force
- 17 per cent intend to resign within the next two years or as soon as they can
Pay and conditions remain a top concern for most West Mercia Police Federation members with 85 per cent saying that they were either dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with their overall remuneration, including basic pay and allowances.
Nearly all respondents (98 per cent) reported that their cost of living had shot up in the last month with soaring food prices being the main reason for the increase.
Almost nine out of ten (86 per cent) felt that they were worse off financially than they were five years ago and one in five (19 per cent) admitted they were struggling to make ends meet and never or almost never had enough money to cover all their essentials.
Around half (49 per cent) found their job very or extremely stressful but more than eight in ten (83 per cent) indicated they had experienced feelings of stress, low mood, anxiety, or other difficulties with their health and wellbeing over the last 12 months.
Sarah explained: “We should all be incredibly concerned about the number of officers reporting that they are suffering with symptoms associated with poor mental health. The reasons for this need to be recognised, acknowledged and acted upon. My view is that we need to tackle the root cause of this and be proactive in providing adequate care for our officers.
“Workloads, the impact of shift changes and cancelled rest days, insufficient resources, poor IT and occupational health services that are stretched to breaking point are all issues that are raised with me regularly and I am working with the Force on trying to find solutions.
“Unfortunately, this brings us back round to a shocking and devastating underinvestment in policing by the Government and the cost to our workforce and the public should not be underestimated. Poor morale is shown as being the greatest factor in officers leaving the police and we need to acknowledge the damage that is being caused.
“The Force is working hard to understand the ongoing issue with violence against our officers and this report highlights why this work is needed. It is unacceptable that officers are reporting such high levels of verbal and physical abuse and I would once again make a plea to the Government to ensure that the justice system is robust in bringing these offenders to justice.”
The Police Federation received 722 responses from West Mercia Police Federation members, representing a response rate of around 31 per cent.
The survey findings will be presented to chief constables, ministers and other stakeholders as part of the Federation’s campaign for better pay and conditions and further improvements to the police service.
