Federation defends officers after ‘zero arrests’ claims

15 September 2026

North Yorkshire Police Federation secretary Tony Barnes described reports two in five police officers did not make an arrest in the past year as ‘incredibly misleading’.

Tony said the figures reported by The Sun failed to recognise the huge range of roles undertaken by officers, and the fact that making an arrest is only one part of the job.

He said: “It is incredibly misleading to suggest an officer who has not made an arrest during a particular year has not been doing their job.

“Police officers do far more than arrest people.

Emergencies

“They respond to emergencies, protect vulnerable people, investigate offences, gather evidence, deal with victims, prevent crime, attend road collisions, carry out safeguarding work and spend countless hours dealing with complex incidents and investigations.

“An officer could spend an entire shift dealing with a vulnerable missing person, supporting a victim of domestic abuse or investigating a serious crime without making an arrest.

“To say they have not been productive is simply wrong.”

The newspaper report claimed two in five police officers failed to make an arrest during the last year, based on Freedom of Information responses from 16 of the 43 police forces in England and Wales.

 

Branch secretary Tony Barnes

 

Home Office figures show there were 754,046 arrests in England and Wales in the year ending March 2025, an increase of five per cent on the previous year.

Tony said other outcomes of police activity included cautions, warnings, community resolutions and summonses, as well as arrests.

He said the Federation was concerned simplistic comparisons could put officers under inappropriate pressure to arrest unnecessarily.

“An arrest is a serious use of police powers and it should never become a so an officer can add a number to a spreadsheet,” he said.

Arrest

“Officers have to use their professional judgement and act proportionately and lawfully.

“Sometimes an arrest is absolutely necessary. Sometimes other options are more appropriate.

“What matters is that officers make the right decision based on the circumstances in front of them.”

Tony also warned that headlines which suggest officers are failing because they have not made an arrest can impact morale and wellbeing at a time when policing is already facing significant pressures.

Officers are routinely dealing with traumatic incidents, high workloads, staff shortages and increasingly complex cases, often while working long hours and under intense public and media scrutiny.

Pressure

He said: “Our members are working under enormous pressure

“Every day they deal with some of the most difficult and distressing situations imaginable, and that can take a toll on their wellbeing.

“Officers need to feel valued and supported if we expect them to continue delivering the service the public rightly deserves.

“They should not have to read headlines suggesting that they are somehow failing because they have not hit an arbitrary arrest figure.”

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