Working conditions described as unsafe and understaffed in response officer survey

5 May 2026

New research from the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) has revealed that more than nine in 10 response officers do not feel safe in their working conditions and believe they are operating in understaffed teams.

Nearly 2,000 frontline personnel from all 43 police forces across England and Wales took part in the survey. The findings were released during last week’s Response Policing Week.

Branch chair Luke Mitchell said the results reflect the mood among response officers locally in Hertfordshire.

He said: “Unfortunately, these findings come as no surprise to me. I know that so many of our branch members feel they are operating at their absolute limit at the moment - and those on response are no exception.

“These figures paint a picture of a policing area in crisis, where demand is rising while resources and working conditions are moving in the opposite direction.

“This is further confirmation that urgent action is needed to reform and strengthen the frontline before both officers and the public they serve are placed at even greater risk.”

Only six per cent of respondents felt response policing is ‘working well’, while a third said that travel distances and the size of the areas covered by understaffed teams are affecting their ability to respond effectively to incidents.

Other commonly reported issues included being ‘constantly pushed onto the next incident’, frequently working single-crewed, and entire shifts being ‘wiped out by the first job of the day’.

Luke added: “For these circumstances to be the reality for so many respondents is a real cause for concern.

Response policing

“It is one thing for an officer to feel overwhelmed by the inherent pressures of response policing, but to be overwhelmed by external, controllable factors is unacceptable.

“Our response officers are the public’s first line of defence against crime. Every time they begin a shift, they are making a significant personal sacrifice to provide that protection. The least they deserve is to be fully supported by their force - not the opposite.”

He also pledged that the Federation would continue to support members in their response roles.

“Your dedication to serving the public should never be taken for granted, and we are determined to help change the current situation,” he continued.

“We will continue to advocate for the changes needed to ensure you can carry out your vital role safely and effectively.

Thank you

“On behalf of the Federation, I thank you for everything you do on the frontline and remind you that your work does not go unnoticed.”

Alongside the survey, PFEW has launched a new film, My Last Set, as part of its wider ‘Copped Enough’ campaign. The film uses actors to portray real testimonies from officers, highlighting recent shifts characterised by long hours, high exposure to trauma, and insufficient rest.

Together, the survey and film highlight:

Teams operating below safe staffing levels
Officers regularly working more than 60 hours per week
Frequent exposure to serious incidents, including suicides, stabbings, and mental health crises
Officers missing rest days and starting shifts already fatigued

PFEW deputy national chair Brian Booth said the findings show officers are ‘immersed in the blood, sweat and tears of emergency incidents every day’. He added that they are working within what he described as a broken system, held together only by the commitment and resilience of frontline staff.