Officers Need To Speak Up Against Poor Pay And Burnout

SOUTH Yorkshire Police Federation is in talks with the force and local MPs after 90% of officers said there was low morale within the force, and 84% were dissatisfied with their remuneration.

In addition, 58% of respondents from South Yorkshire Police told the Police Federation of England and Wales 2022 Pay and Morale Survey that their morale was currently ‘low’ or ‘very low’, which compares poorly to other forces around the country.

South Yorkshire Police Federation Chair Steve Kent said: “We were bottom of the Morale Survey when it came to officers working excessive hours, and we need to drastically reduce enforced overtime in our force. The burnout suffered by officers working longer hours every day, or at least once a week, has a catastrophic effect.

“Credit where it’s due, I have seen a reduction in this and the force are now aware of this problem.

“There is a light at the end of the tunnel, because the new recruits will start to bed in. But we’re still going to have a period where we are all hands to the pump. Officers are tired, they’re fed up of seeing their pay pretty much frozen, in real terms, and they’re fed up with being lambasted by everybody. It’s massively detrimental.”

Steve said he was speaking to local MPs about police pay and conditions, and he also encouraged officers to write to their MPs about their personal experiences.

He added: “We need to raise awareness and bring this to the doors of the MPs and the people who can actually have some influence. I would implore everyone to write to their MP individually and outline the difficulties they’re facing.”