Long hours culture of inspectors “needs to be tackled”

THE Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police has agreed to consider an Inspecting ranks ‘contract’ that would allow officers to take back some of the ‘over contract’ hours they work.

Tim Mitchell, chairman of the Federation’s Inspectors’ Branch Board, (pictured) said CC David Crompton will consider a Working Time Agreement to help tackle the long hours culture among the force’s inspecting ranks.

All inspectors and chief inspectors were reminded to record their working hours.

On 25 October the Chief Constable attended an extraordinary meeting of the South Yorkshire Inspectors Branch Board to discuss the findings of the recent Working Time and Well-being survey.

Mr Mitchell said the survey, conducted in February this year and analysed by the Cardiff University Business School, “revealed some quite startling evidence of a damaging long hours culture and poor morale among Inspecting ranks in South Yorkshire.”

Results showed that 90% of inspectors and chief inspectors regularly worked longer than 40 hours per week, 29% regularly work 50 hours or more per week, 74% do not feel valued by the organisation and 84% do not trust the organisation to look out for their interests.

The survey also revealed that 89% felt that work had adversely impacted on their home life in the past 12 months and that 65% of inspectors and chief inspectors in South Yorkshire Police stated that work had adversely impacted on their health.

Mr Mitchell added: “The survey provided compelling evidence of officers being unwilling to challenge demands and expectations to work and long excessive hours due to concerns about it being seen as a sign of weakness or it being detrimental to promotion or development prospects.

“At the meeting, the chief constable agreed that a long hours culture does exist in South Yorkshire and that further work is required to ascertain how that situation has come about.”

Mr Mitchell said the force will require the co-operation of chief inspectors and inspectors and commitment “to achieve improvements and protection of our working conditions.”

As well as the chief considering an Inspecting ranks ‘contract’, Mr Mitchell said working hours for inspectors and chief inspectors – including time working from home or whilst on call – should now be recorded the force’s Global Rostering System.

He also said inspecting ranks will be offered health checks in the workplace, likely to comprise of basic health screening such as blood pressure, cholesterol and Body Mass Index – advice will also be given on nutrition, fitness and stress management.