Detectives in focus

6 January 2021

A shortage of detectives means that many are working excessive hours, giving up rest days, missing time with their families and still having to deal with some of the most traumatic investigations, says West Midlands Police Federation chair Jon Nott.

Jon, who is also deputy secretary of the Police Federation’s National Detectives’ Forum (PFNDF), spent much of his career as a detective before becoming a full-time Federation official in November 2019.

He explained: “Detectives are under huge pressure and the decade of cuts to police budgets hit them hard given that despite the fall in officer numbers there was no corresponding drop in crime. The Government mantra at the time seemed to be that you could do more with less but that simply was not true.

“Officers across the board struggled to meet increased demand with reduced resources and they were run ragged. Despite the current recruitment campaign, it is going to take a while for us to get back to where we were pre-cuts. Detectives investigate the most horrendous crimes, supporting the families of victims of crimes and juggling heavy caseloads. Working excessive hours, missing rest days and just not having time to relax, all take their toll and, of course, with the pandemic many will have not had the opportunity to go away on a holiday to try to relax and recharge.”

Jon’s comments come as the national Federation launches a month-long focus on the role of detectives.

As part of this, Glyn Pattinson, PFNDF chair, says more need to be done to recognise the demands and personal impact of dealing with serious and disturbing crime.

In a blog published on the national Police Federation’s website, Glyn says: “Unsurprisingly, policing can be very grim at times. No officer I know signed up thinking it will be easy but, while we embrace what we face with pride and the overwhelming will to protect the public we serve, it shouldn’t come with the expectation that we can all cope with anything and everything. We can’t. No one can.

“Recognition must be given to officers and staff throughout policing for the constant commendable work they do and their unwavering nerve – particularly throughout the pandemic. My PFNDF colleagues and I want to bring to light the challenges detectives face; the unrelenting volume of serious and complex criminal investigations, with little or no respite.

“Every detective I know wants to do the best job possible but there simply are not enough of us. Demand is outstripping resources and colleagues are working excessive hours, forgoing rest days, sacrificing time with their families and simply not getting enough rest.

“The sad thing is that this is a normal working week for most, severely impacting on physical and mental wellbeing. It’s hard enough trying to process and cope with traumatic criminal investigations, but this is in addition to supporting scared and distressed victims, working with partner agencies, the Crown Prosecution Service, and seeing a number of legal processes through to completion to bring some form of closure for those affected.”

Glyn says officers tend to put their own welfare last with many people under the misconception that they can forget what they have seen once a case has finished and swiftly move onto the next or juggle several cases at once. But this only adds to the strain, with a cumulative impact that lasts a lifetime.

He called on officers to help each other but also wants to see a cultural shift.
“We need to get better at supporting each other – recognise when we are struggling, talk more openly about wellbeing and listen. There are sources of support out there but we need to see cultural change and we all have a role to play in that,” he explained

“Throughout this month, we will be sharing personal stories from officers who have sought support, officers who have helped colleagues, and we will shine a light on the fantastic detective work that goes on day in and day out.

“We are all finding it tough right now, in every force, in every discipline and if now isn’t the time to recognise the signs and show simple acts of kindness, I don’t know when is.”