Page 12 - WMPF Federation Oct-Nov2017 Final_Neat

West Midlands own budgets.

“Officers do not want to let the public
down but they are feeling the strain; their
mental and physical health is suffering as
morale among they try to do more with less and at the same
time they feel undervalued by the
Government which, while voicing support for
the police in the wake of major incidents, has
lowest in country generally failed to get behind the police
service.”

The Force also featured in the top five
when respondents were asked if they would
recommend joining the police to others
– with 74.9 per cent saying they wouldn’t.
And over three quarters (77.5 per cent) say
they did not feel valued in the police service.
This compares to a national average of 68 per
cent of respondents who said they did not
feel valued.
Another concerning area was fairness
– with just 27.3 per cent of respondents from
West Midlands Police agreeing that they
were treated fairly and 37.4 per cent saying
they are not. This ranks the Force fourth out
of 43 forces for this indicator; there are 39
forces with a smaller proportion of
respondents who do not feel fairly treated.
A majority of 53.6 per cent said that
decisions that affected them were not
usually made in a fair way – leaving the Force
in second place nationwide.
And 43 per cent said that the people they
worked with were not fairly treated,
he morale of officers at West Midlands years ago. compared to 24.4 per cent who said they
Police is among the worst in the And an overwhelming majority (88 per were.
Tcountry - according to the findings of cent) of respondents said they do not feel The survey also highlighted a four per
a pay and morale survey. they are paid fairly for the stresses and cent increase in the number of officers who
Two thirds (66.3 per cent) of respondents strains of their job - ranking the Force 10th. are intending to leave the service.
from the Force said they were suffering from Furthermore, 75.6 per cent said they are This year, 13.8 per cent of those who took
low personal morale – putting the Force in dissatisfied with their overall remuneration part in the survey said they intended to leave
the top three. And 96 per cent said Force (including basic pay and allowances) and 66 within two years – compared to 9.8 per cent
morale was low. This puts the Force fifth in per cent said they are dissatisfied with their in 2016. And, a further 20.6 per cent said they
this category – with 38 forces with a smaller pensions, ranking the Force seventh and currently do not know what their intentions
proportion of respondents who feel that eighth respectively in these two categories. are with regards to staying in or leaving the
morale within their force is low. Steve Grange, secretary of West Midlands police.
The survey is carried out nationwide Police Federation, said the results of the Reasons for intending to leave include:
annually by the Police Federation of England survey were of major concern but did not l Personal morale – 85.2 per cent
and Wales. really come as a surprise. l How the police as a whole are treated
Reasons given for low morale by West “We have been saying for some time that – 73.4 per cent
Midlands Police Federation members were: police officers are feeling demoralised,” Steve l The impact of the job on health and
l How the police are treated as a whole, explains, “The cuts to Force budgets have wellbeing – 67.2 per cent.
90.4 per cent meant officer numbers have been severely A total of 1,082 responses were received
l Pay and benefits, including pension, 74.1 hit. We have lost 2,000 officers in the last from West Midlands officers, representing a
per cent seven years. With fewer officers to go around, response rate of around 16 per cent, the
l Health and wellbeing, 66.9 per cent we are finding that our members are run national response rate for the survey, which
l Work-life balance, 64.7 per cent ragged as they try to do the job they joined is carried out annually and is used as
l Opportunities for development and to do – fighting crime, keeping the peace and evidence in the Federation’s submission to
promotion, 62.6 per cent protecting our communities. the Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB),
l Workload and responsibilities, 57.7 per “Despite a fall in our numbers, we have was 25 per cent.
cent seen no corresponding decline in demand for “While the response rate is quite low, I
l Treatment by senior managers, 56.2 per our help – in fact we have seen the opposite. think that the results do represent the views
cent As well as trying to tackle traditional crimes, of the majority of our members,” says Steve,
l Day to day job role, 50.2 per cent. we are trying to rise to the challenge of “Sadly, I think officers are feeling so
The survey results revealed that 72 per newer offences and a surge in cyber-crime disheartened and demoralised that they are
cent of West Midlands officers felt their while responding to the ongoing threat of not even filling out these surveys because
workload had increased in the last year, terrorism. As the service of first and last they do not feel that their views will be taken
with 63.5 per cent saying their workload resort, we never say no and find ourselves into account.”
was too high. Almost 74 per cent said they picking up the pieces when other agencies
were worse off financially compared to five are unable to respond due to cuts to their

12 federation October/November 2017 www.westmidspolfed.com