The summer will bring huge challenges but officer welfare must remain the priority

12 April 2021

Surrey Police Federation says the welfare of members is a priority as they prepare for some huge challenges ahead.

With the public now letting off steam in reopened pubs and bars, other events placing demands on already exhausted officers are coming to the boil.

Officers in Surrey will be expected to police The Derby horse race in June, be on high alert to deal with any ‘Kill the Bill’ protests, the Euros 21 football tournament and be ready to offer mutual aid to other forces where high-profile summits such as the G7 are taking place.

With a hectic few months ahead, the force has decided to suspend annual leave as it attempts to plan for and deploy officers across the multiple demands being placed on it.

Surrey Police Federation Chair Mel Warnes said the Federation will be there for officers throughout what is promising to be extremely challenging times ahead.

“Surrey officers like many across the country are tired and worn out from a long year of policing through the pandemic, and with unlocking lockdown looming, leave embargoes are in place,” she said.

“The summer is a busy time of year for policing in general with The Derby at the start of June for Surrey officers, alongside the G7 event running at the same time.”

Volunteers are being asked for to send to Devon & Cornwall Police for Mutual Aid for the summit, Mel said, but it will come to a point where some officers will be told they are needed, and others used to backfill those who are away and busy with other events.

“Some events we can’t plan for, and some are dealt with as business as usual but impact officers just as much,” Mel said.

“This all comes just at a time when many officers want to take leave to spend time with their family during the summer - many of them were unable to take their leave last year.”

The Surrey force is trying to plan in advance for many of these events hence the leave embargo, Mel added.

That should reduce the number of cancelled rest days, although that remains a source of frustration for officers.

“As the Surrey Federation, we are attending planning meetings and are ensuring as much as we can that officer wellbeing is a priority and that officers are being given as much notice as possible to changes to their shifts and/ or being stood down from leave embargoes as soon as possible,” Mel said.

“That cannot always be the case when minimal notice is given for a protest taking place or changes in intelligence at an event, as well as national events such as the G7 where resourcing is out of local hands.

“We are preparing as much as possible, but officers will be stretched.”