Most police officers 'feel undervalued and overworked', new survey shows

A new study has claimed that police officers in the UK feel ‘undervalued and under pressure’ as they go about protecting the nation every day.

The research, which came from an annual study by the Police Federation, found that nearly two thirds of officers suffer from lower personal morale – a rise of more than five percent from last year.

Steve White, the Chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said: ‘Officers do a heroic job as evidenced by the events of the past year, yet they feel undervalued and under pressure.

‘We know that officers enjoy tremendous support from the British public as a whole, which is a source of enormous pride for them.

‘But something has to give, and unfortunately the evidence shows that it is these officers’ personal welfare, as they struggle to meet rising demand with dwindling resources and 21,000 officers fewer than 2010.’

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The study also found that cuts to police pay are proving to be particularly harsh – with one in 10 police officers admitting that they cannot afford essential items – after pay dropped by around 15 percent since 2010.

‘At a time when we have never needed the police more, with heightened threats almost weekly, we have many officers who are finding it hard to put food on the table for their families and are resorting to welfare schemes’, White added.

‘In real terms, pay has dropped by around 15% since 2010. If the pay cap was to continue for another four years, that would represent a 23% overall drop. No wonder officers are demoralised and despondent.’

He added: ‘Policing has always adapted to changing demands. But the struggle to meet these demands in recent years has changed the outlook for many officers.

‘It is encouraging to see that – in another recent PFEW survey – four in five new recruits (83.3%) say they intend to stay in the police service until pension age, but the challenge is now supporting and nurturing that enthusiasm so they feel motivated to continue with their chosen career in the years to come.’