'Cuts have consequences': chair reacts to high resignation figures

13 August 2024

‘Cuts continue to have consequences,’ says Nottinghamshire Police Federation chair Simon Riley as new figures reveal record numbers of officers are resigning from policing.

Simon said the retention crisis in policing will continue until police pay is restored and there’s investment in training, infrastructure and equipment.

Simon was commenting after new government figures revealed that 9,080 officers left the service in England and Wales the year ending 31 March 2024, the second highest in a financial year. Of those, 43 per cent (3,964) had less than five years’ service.

The most common reason for leaving was voluntary resignation (56 per cent of leavers). The leaver rate for police officer voluntary resignations was the highest on record at 3.4 per cent, and similar to the previous year (3.3 per cent). Voluntary resignations have been on a general upward trend since the year ending March 2012 when it was as low as 0.8 per cent.

Of police officers leaving via voluntary resignation in the year ending 31 March 2024, 72 per cent had less than five years’ service and a further 10 per cent had between five and 10 years’ service, the Home Office said.

In the past year, 9,479 officers joined the service, a decrease of 6,848 on the previous year when 16,328 officers joined. At 31 March 2024, there were 147,746 officers, a 0.2 per cent increase from 147,434 on the previous year.

Revolving door

Simon said: “It’s like a revolving door with so many new recruits leaving the service and it’s really frustrating because it costs the public purse a significant sum to recruit and train officers.

“We’ve always said that cuts have consequences, and that continues to be the case when what we need is investment in our people and the things that support them in doing their job effectively.

“There’s a real danger that the Police Uplift Programme will be undone if all we’re doing is seeing those new officers leave, and somethings need to change.”

This year’s pay and morale survey found that 11 per cent of respondents intended to resign from Nottinghamshire Police. The most frequently cited reasons was morale (81 per cent) how the police are treated by the former government (70 per cent), the impact of the job on their mental health (68 per cent).

Voluntary resignation

The Home Office figures show that in the year to 31 March 2024, the number of police officers in Nottinghamshire actually increased by 19 (0.8 per cent) to 2,419.

However, of the 129 who left the Force (excluding transfers), 56.5 per cent were through voluntary resignation.

Simon said: “Officers have had their pay cut by more than 20 per cent in real terms in the past 15 years and while the news this week of a 4.75 per cent rise is welcome it’s still a long way off.

“Our members are busier than ever, dealing with more complex crime than ever, and they don’t feel valued for the great work they do.

“And until we have pay restoration and investment in training, equipment, estates, the things that allow them to do their job, then I’m worried the retention crisis will get worse.”

READ MORE: Hard work and dedication of officers acknowledged.