‘Officers are being pushed beyond their limits and given no choice’

1 May 2025

Rates of Dyfed Powys Police officers intending to leave the Force have increased in the last 12 months, according to a recent survey.

The latest Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) Pay and Morale Survey results revealed that 19 per cent of officers plan on resigning from the police service either ‘within the next two years’ or ‘as soon as they can’.

Although this fell below the average throughout England and Wales of 23 per cent, it was a jump on the local rate of 15 per cent seen in the previous survey for the same finding,

Reasons for this, could include officer stress, with 47 per cent of participants saying their job was ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ stressful, or excessive workloads, where for the second year running, three quarters of Dyfed Powys respondents felt their workloads were currently either ‘too high’ or ‘much too high’.

 

Branch chair Delme Rees.

 

Commenting on these latest results, branch chair Delme Rees said: “I’m concerned that the number of Dyfed Powys Police Officers intending to quit in the next two years, is on the rise.

“However, this is a trend I wouldn’t be surprised to see continue, until we see real change in the profession.

“Our members are being pushed beyond their limits and given no choice but to turn their back on the profession. Poor pay, insufficient working conditions, increasing pressure and ongoing demands, are all accountable.”

Anxiety

Elsewhere in the survey, three quarters of those who responded admitted to experiencing feelings of stress, low mood, anxiety and similar difficulties in the last 12 months.

“Perhaps our members are beginning to prioritise their wellbeing, which is leading to more officers changing their career,” said Delme, adding: “And while I don’t blame them whatsoever for doing that, it is still very disappointing to know that we’re losing these officers.

“Of course, I will be using these fresh findings to help inform the Federation’s fight for your rights and fair treatment, and I can assure members I will not hesitate to point towards some of these specific figures when explaining how the demands of policing are making so many of you feel.”

Other results from the survey include:

• 57 per cent said they are ‘dissatisfied’ or ‘very dissatisfied’ with their overall remuneration package, including basic pay and allowances

• 74 per cent feel worse off financially than they were five years ago

• 84 per cent said their cost of living had increased in the last month

• 70 per cent said they would not recommend joining the police to others

• 91 per cent said they do not feel respected by the Government

The release of these results come on the same day as the launch of Copped Enough: What the Police Take Home is Criminal. 

Led by PFEW, the campaign is calling for immediate action around the fair treatment of police officers in England and Wales.

Copped Enough sets out three areas for change:

1. Restore police pay

• Urgent and fully-funded pay restoration

• Introduce a ‘P-Factor’ allowance to reflect the unique demands and risks of policing

• A binding, independent pay review system, free from political interference

2. Stop the exodus of experienced officers

• Develop retention packages for skilled officers

• Implement a national workforce strategy focused on experience, not just recruitment numbers

• Improve work-life balance with better parental leave, protected rest days, and career transition support

3. Protect Frontline Officers

• Enforce tougher sentencing for those who assault police

• Centralised funding for police treatment centres

• Mandatory national recording of suicides and suicide attempts in the service, with dedicated mental health support

Delme ended: “Police officers deserve so much better. With Copped Enough now live, hopefully it can give us more momentum as we continue the fight for true fairness – so people can stop feeling pushed out of the job they once loved.”

As part of the campaign, the public is being urged to stand with police and their families by joining a digital picket line at www.polfed.org/campaigns/copped-enough

Read the full Dyfed Powys Pay and Morale Report.