Federation: How can we carry on policing the demand ?

17 October 2024

Report reveals Surrey Police has 11 Bobbies on the beat per 100,000 residents. 190 officers per 100,000 people

"The figures are shocking," said Darren Pemble, Chair of Surrey Police Federation.

"11 Surrey Police officers on the beat per 100,000 & 190 officers performing a number of roles per 100,000.

"It is worrying that we are having to protect the public with so few officers. Experience is leaving policing & new joiners need time to learn how to police.

"It is unfair on them to have to jump into a job that is relentless and challenging like no other. When we factor in how accountable we are as a police service it makes it even harder to encourage people to join the police service. 

"We need to pay our Police more & provide better working conditions. Police stations are falling down & we need IT to be state of the art at least less than a decade old.

"Our recruitment and retention needs to improve with only 208 new officers joining Surrey in the last year with 144 officers leaving the organisation. 

"How can we carry on policing the demand?

"Other parts of Europe & the world have significant superior numbers of officers per captia. The European Commissions research shows how the UK is lagging behind & we are in a crisis. How is it that parts of Europe have so many more officers?

"Policing is challenging and a profession like no other, we need to show how police officers belong and that they are wanted and needed. 

"This starts with fair pay we cannot keep asking and not being listened too. Police officers will walk and if this happens who will protect the public and make our communities safe?

"Government and Chief officers need to recognise the troubling situation we are now facing in policing as we need reform."

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13894079/Death-England-Wales-police-officer-area-map.html