Sussex Police Officers Tell Government: "Deal With Pay Crisis You Have Created"

A new survey of police pay and morale conducted by the profession's statutory representative body, claims 17% of Sussex officers intend to resign within two years.

The figure, released this morning, is one of the findings of the Police Federation of England and Wales' annual Pay and Morale Report.

Police Federation leaders also say, of those who responded to the call for opinions, 84% of Sussex Police officers feel ‘worse off’ financially now than they were five years ago and 17% ‘never’ or ‘almost never’ have enough money to cover all their essentials.

The report's authors state that, although police officers received a 7% pay rise in 2023, they have still seen a pay cut, in real terms, of 16% over the past 12 years. 

Officers are also struggling with low morale and lack of support, the survey found.

83% of respondents from Sussex Police indicated that they had experienced feelings of stress, low mood, anxiety, or other difficulties with their health and wellbeing over the last 12 months, and 45% said that they find their job ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ stressful.

92% of officers said they do not feel respected by the Government, and 53% said they were experiencing low morale.

69% of respondents from Sussex Police said that they would not recommend joining the police to others.

69% said they do not feel valued within the service.

For the latest survey, conducted in 2023, there were 1,214 responses from Sussex Police officers.

Additionally, the report stated that officers are coming under attack from the public, with 17% having suffered one or more injuries that required medical attention as a result of work-related violence in the last year.

Only 17% of officers who responded reported having access to double crewing at all times whilst on duty.

67% of respondents from Sussex Police said that over the last 12 months, their workload has been ‘too high’ or ‘much too high’.

5% of officers said that they have ‘never’ or ‘rarely’ been able to take an 11-hour break between shifts in the last 12 months and 37% said they feel ‘always’ or ‘often’ feel pressured into working long hours.

On receiving advance information about this survey's results, More Radio has invited Sussex Police to give its comments, which will be reported here.

Meanwhile, Raffaele Cioffi, Chair of Sussex Police Federation, said:

"Our profession is under attack by the very people that are meant to support us in delivering our main function.

"Government, it is time to step up and deal with the pay crisis that you have created.

"Our members are struggling. The Government are demanding more and more for less. This cannot continue.

"Meaningful funding for Policing is required… otherwise you set us up to fail.

"Our members are doing one of the most difficult jobs within the community and deserve the appropriate renumeration to stay within the profession.

"It is time to make the Police Pay Review Body truly independent and allow them to implement the pay review based on evidence and not political agenda.”