Hampshire Police Federation Open Meeting hears concerns from officers

16 May 2024

Police Officers in Hampshire feel the most pressured in any force to work long hours, the Federation’s 2024 Open Meeting has heard.

Chair Zoë Wakefield said 77% of officers from the force had told the PFEW Pay and Morale survey that their workload was high or much too high – the most of any force in England and Wales.

The ability for officers to take leave, PPE, mental health and wellbeing of colleagues and the responsibilities of inspectors and chief inspectors were all discussed at the meeting.

Attendees at the event – including officers, Chief Constable Scott Chilton and PCC Donna Jones – heard that one detective on the Isle of Wight is currently dealing with 27 cases; several of them rape cases.

In addition, neighbourhood officers are frequently expected to carry legacy crimes that they can’t complete enquiries on, and many have more than 20 cases at any one time.

Zoë said: “Officers are breaking. Chief Constable, policing is challenging work and we have always been busy, but you can’t ignore these figures. How are you going to reduce officer’s workloads to a manageable level and change the culture that makes officers feel pressurised to work long hours?”

Compounding the issue, Zoë said many officers are having difficulty getting annual leave authorised; with sergeants unable to take time off because of a lack of PCs, and inspectors also having to cover for sergeants. She called on the force to make better plans for busy summer and bank holiday periods.

The meeting also heard that there has been an increase in officer sickness – with some taking annual leave instead of sick leave to mask their illness. Zoë also pointed to the fact that 85% of officers told the Pay and Morale survey that they had experienced feelings of stress, low mood, anxiety, or other difficulties.

Zoë also warned that the “pendulum had swung” too far on officer misconduct.

She warned that lengthy conduct investigations are leading officers to leave the force altogether – citing the example of an experienced sergeant who retired early while under an investigation that ultimately found there should be no further action.

She also flagged up the grievance procedure, saying the force is struggling to meet its timelines in these cases – sometimes not responding to these cases for months.

The meeting heard that 56% of Hampshire officers told the Pay and Morale survey that their morale was low or very low, with 18% intending to leave the force within the next two years.

Zoë said: “Too many good, experienced officers are resigning. Another 18% are intending to leave within the next 2 years. Chief Constable, what would you say to an officer to persuade them to stay?”

Pay was a huge factor for officers, she added, which did not reflect the level of risk and responsibility on officers.

She said: “We know the government does not care about police officers and is influencing and contributing to the anti-police rhetoric that we see in the media every day. Chief Constable, what are you doing to influence pay and renumeration for police officers at a national level?”

Finally, Zoë acknowledged the good working relationship between the Federation and the force, adding: “We hope that we can continue this positive working relationship to resolve some of the issues highlighted today.”