Officers quitting police service in record numbers

27 July 2023

New Home Office figures have revealed that record numbers of police officers are quitting their jobs across England and Wales.

The data shows a total of 4,668 officers left the service through voluntary resignation between April 2022 and March 2023.

This is the highest number since comparable records began 16 years ago and shows a 32 per cent increase on the 3,533 who left the service in 2021/22.

Nottinghamshire Police lost 65 officers through voluntary resignations in the 12 months to last March, according to the figures.

A further eight retired on medical grounds during the same period and 73 took normal retirement - broadly in line with previous years.

Some 20 officers transferred to another force while four officers were dismissed,  taking the  total number of leavers to 170.

Record numbers of officers have turned their back on policing

Nottinghamshire Police Federation secretary Tom Hill said the figures should come as no surprise.

“Too many good, experienced officers are choosing to leave the police service,” he said.

“There are a number of reasons for that but for most officers it boils down to pay and conditions and the added pressures of the job which has a massive impact on morale.

“And unless the crisis in policing is addressed we are going to see more and more people leaving the Force.”

Simon said Home Office statistics showing record numbers of officers as a result of the Police Uplift Programme were misleading.

“Uplift has simply replaced the hundreds of experienced officers we have lost since funding cuts began 13 years ago and the number looking to quit the service continues to grow,” he said.

“The Force must now make sure all the new officers are properly looked after and that starts with fair pay and conditions.

“We have always said that recruitment was only half the battle and that keeping hold of young officers would be a challenge.”

Revised Home Office figures show Nottinghamshire Police had a total of 2,400 officers as of March 31.

The Force was told to take on an extra 357 officers when the Police Uplift Programme was launched in 2019 but exceeded that figure by 61 to bring in 418 new recruits under the scheme.