Force's police officers owed 19,000 rest days

Andy Symonds, chairman of Norfolk Police Federation, said officers had had rest days cancelled in order to be deployed to disorder and riots

Police officers in one force are owed about 19,000 rest days, a Freedom of Information request has revealed.

Norfolk Police Federation said officers ranking from police constables to chief inspectors were owed a total of 152,395 hours - the equivalent of 17 years - which it put down to rest days being cancelled over the summer due to disorder and riots.

Andy Symonds, chairman of the Norfolk Police Federation, called on Norfolk Police to ensure rest days were "swiftly" re-rostered.

In response, the force said it was working with staff networks to support and look after the wellbeing of all its officers and staff.

Rest days, typically equating to an eight-hour shift, may be cancelled for an "exigency of the service" if this cannot be avoided, but regulations state they should be rearranged four days after they have been cancelled.

"We've seen a number of officers deployed to police riots this year, so many officers have had their rest days cancelled," said Mr Symonds.

"This has been going on for the past few years where we've seen quite a number of officers needing their rest days to be re-rostered as a result of demand.

"The force often doesn't have enough officers on duty to police events safely and they have to use officers who are on their rest period."

'Incredibly grateful'

He said detectives and officers working in roads and armed policing found it particularly difficult to re-roster rest days, and inspectors and chief inspectors needed to use these days within 12 months before they expired.

Failing to take rest days, he said, could lead to burnout and "exacerbated" mental health conditions.

A spokesperson for Norfolk Police said: "As a force, we are incredibly grateful for all the work our officers have done and continue to do, to help the country through a difficult period.

"It is imperative that officers are able to rest and recuperate. We are working with the Police Federation to ensure that this happens.

"This includes the extension of the policy for taking accrued rest days.

"We will continue to work with staff support networks, such as the Police Federation, to support and look after the wellbeing of all our officers and staff."