Fifth of Thames Valley Police planning to quit, survey suggests

The Thames Valley Police force area covers Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire

One fifth of a force's police officers intend to resign in the near future, new figures suggest.

About 20% of Thames Valley Police (TVP) officers said they would leave the service either "within the next two years" or "as soon as [they] can", according to responses given to a Police Federation Pay & Morale report.

More than half of officers also said they were experiencing low morale.

TVP said it was committed to addressing the concerns raised by its force.

The survey, which is based on 917 responses received from Thames Valley Police officers, revealed 85% of those surveyed had experienced feelings of stress, low mood, anxiety, or other wellbeing concerns over the last 12 months.

About 65% felt their workload was too high, with the same number saying they did not feel valued within the service.

In addition, more than 90% of those who responded felt they were not respected by the government and over 65% said they would not recommend joining the police to others.

Aileen O'Connor said police officers should be paid more

The survey covered other topics such as pay, showing about 75% of officers were dissatisfied with their salary.

Thames Valley Police Federation, which provides support and advice to officers, said that while police received a 7% pay rise in 2023, they had still seen a 16% real-terms pay cut over the past 12 years.

Aileen O'Connor, the federation's acting chair, said she was "increasingly concerned about the continuing cost of living crisis" faced by police.

"My members are extraordinary people who do an extraordinary job day every single day," she said.

"They deserve to be properly remunerated for the work they do and the dangerous situations the face every minute of every day.

"Unless the current government or indeed any future government truly see the value the role officers do up and down the country and more importantly in Thames Valley, we will continue to see a rise in workloads, low morale, officers struggling to make ends meet every month and offers leaving Thames Valley in their droves."

A spokesperson for the Home Office said police officer retention was a "priority for the government".

The survey results highlighted a number of challenges, according to TVP's Deputy Chief Constable Ben Snuggs.

"At a local level we have worked hard to address frontline operational workload pressures and I am pleased that many colleagues have seen a positive impact," he said.

"We continue to make the case for better officer pay that takes into account several years of below inflation pay settlements, current inflation, and the unique nature of policing."

He added that he greatly appreciated the dedication, professionalism and courage of the workforce.

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