‘We need greater investment in policing’

4 May 2022

Hertfordshire Police Federation chair Geoff Bardell says the Government’s recruitment programme won’t undo the damage of austerity on its own as he called for greater investment in policing.

His comments came as new Home Office figures show that Hertfordshire Police is on track to meet its target in the Government’s Police Uplift Programme.

Hertfordshire Police currently has 2,269 officers, an increase of 192 officers since the start of the recruitment programme.

The Force was allocated 182 officers in the first two years, with a final allocation of 122 by March 2023.

But it needs to recruit 400 officers this year if it is to achieve its targets and it is starting to see a slowing in the recruitment processes due to other job vacancies and the closing down of some of the previous routes into policing.

“The difficulties are being recognised within the chief officer team and much more is going on to attract more applications,” says Geoff.

The Federation chair has welcomed the increase in officer numbers in Hertfordshire, but said the Government needs to recognise the financial difficulties facing many officers as he renewed the Federation’s call for a pay increase.

He added that the cuts of austerity had “gutted policing” and would take time and investment to put right.

Geoff said: “It’s pleasing to see the Force is on track with its recruitment drive. We welcome any increase in officer numbers and more feet on the ground to serve and protect the public. We wish our new colleagues well in their careers.

“But this programme in itself won’t put right the damage of austerity, which gutted policing.

“We’ve lost a lot of experienced officers over the last decade, and only now are we trying to replace their knowledge and expertise, but that will take time, training, and development.

“We also need investment in the infrastructure, so we have the support staff, the buildings and the equipment needed to do the job.

“But most importantly officers have had a 20 per cent pay cut in real terms since the start of austerity.

“You only have to look at the results of our recent pay and morale survey to see that many are now struggling to make ends meet.

“That can’t be right. We need the Government to recognise the unique role we perform, the challenges we face, and to reward officers with a decent pay rise.”

Nationally, there were 142,526 police officers in England and Wales as at 31 March. That’s an increase of 13,576 towards the target of 20,000 extra officers by March 2023.