Devon and Cornwall officers in financial strain, survey suggests

About 68% of respondents to a survey said they would not recommend joining the police to others

Almost one in five Devon and Cornwall police officers who responded to a survey have said they "never" or "almost never" have enough money to cover all their essentials.

The report from the Police Federation of England and Wales also suggested 82% of the force's officers felt "worse off" financially than five years ago.

It said 60% of respondents said they did not feel valued in the survey.

Acting Chief Constable Jim Colwell said he was "committed" to helping officers.

The report said 16% of Devon and Cornwall officers who responded to the survey said they intended to resign from the police service either "within the next two years" or "as soon as [they] can".

It said 68% of respondents said they would not recommend joining the police to others.

'Sobering read'

According to the survey based on 1,065 responses from 3,600 officers surveyed, 17% of the force's officers "never" or "almost never" have enough money to cover all their essentials.

Nick Jones, chairman of Devon and Cornwall Police Federation, said the survey was a "sobering read".

"Members across this force are really feeling the pinch, whether that's an overwhelming feeling of stress and anxiety attempting to deal with increasing demands and workload pressures, or an unrelenting ability to find the funds to cover the essentials due to living cost increases," he said.

Mr Colwell said he had had "constructive discussions" with the federation about the findings "and what more the force can do to address the issues highlighted".

"Every single day I see evidence of their dedication and it's a privilege to work alongside them," he said.

"This survey highlights some of the difficulties they face on a day to day basis and I remain committed to doing what I can to address such difficulties."