Copped Enough: Wiltshire Police Federation Calls for Urgent Action on Police Pay and Welfare

2 May 2025

Today, on International Workers’ Day, Wiltshire Police Federation is backing the national launch of Copped Enough: What the Police Take Home is Criminal — a hard-hitting campaign exposing the crisis in policing that is endangering officers' lives and putting public safety at risk.

This is a day that celebrates the dignity of labour and the right of every worker to fair pay and safe conditions — yet police officers in Wiltshire have while faced spiralling  trauma, violence and risk while losing a fifth of their pay in real terms since 2010.

The campaign calls on the public to support police and their families by joining a “digital picket line” in protest at www.polfed.org/campaigns/copped-enough

The Reality for Our Officers:

• Nationally, 10,000 officers will resign every year by 2027 — forcing the government to spend £9.9 billion recruiting and training their replacements just to stand still.
• 35% of police officers in England and Wales have five or less year’s experience today, a third more than in 2020.
• 91 per cent of respondents from Wiltshire Police felt that morale within the force is currently ‘low’ or ‘very low’. This is slightly higher than the national statistic for low force morale, which is recorded at 88 per cent this year
• 65 per cent of respondents from Wiltshire Police said that over the last 12 months, their workload has been ‘too high’ or ‘much too high’. This is slightly higher than the national average who said the same, which was 63 per cent of overall respondents.

Locally, Wiltshire Federation warns the crisis is deepening, with recruitment and retention issues already impacting policing in our communities.

Phil Matthews-Dawson, Chair of Wiltshire Police Federation, said:
"Our officers are overworked, underpaid and under threat while their real income continues to shrink. We have officers using food banks, struggling with mental health, and feeling forced to leave the job they love.

Police Officers put up with more than most but too many have just Copped Enough. Without urgent action to restore fair pay and protect welfare, we face a dangerous loss of experience and a direct threat to the safety of our communities."

The Campaign Calls for Immediate Action on Three Key Areas:

1. Restore Police Pay

• Urgent, fully-funded action on fair pay
• Full recognition of an army-style “P-Factor” allowance recognising the unique risks of policing
• Implement a binding, independent pay review system to remove political interference

2. Stop the Mass Exodus of Experienced Officers

• Provide a retention package to keep skilled officers in policing
• Develop a workforce plan focused on retention, not just recruitment
• Support work-life balance, including protecting rest days, improved parental leave and transition support

3. Protect Officers on the Frontline

• Enforce stronger sentencing for assaults on police officers
• Fund police treatment centres centrally
• Provide robust mental health support, including mandatory national recording of suicides and attempted suicides

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Wiltshire Police Federation stands united with the national campaign and calls on local MPs, chief officers, and community leaders to back police officers by delivering the fair pay and support they urgently need.

For further information, interviews or case studies, please contact:
Phil Matthews-Dawson. Branch Chair
Phil.Matthews-Dawson@wilts.polfed.org

07927 211935