Survey highlights reality of low morale amongst North Wales Police officers

85 per cent of respondents in a recent survey described morale within North Wales Police as low, whilst 10 per cent said they had an intention to leave the force within the next two years.

The results have been revealed as part of a study carried out by the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) into satisfaction with pay and morale amongst officers.

446 responses were received from North Wales Police, representing a response rate of around 28 per cent.

The survey has illustrated the increasing dissatisfaction with remuneration in policing, with 81 per cent of North Wales Police officers reporting that they are dissatisfied with their pay. This is up from 64 per in 2020.

Additionally, 74 per cent feel that they are financially worse off than they were five years ago, and 12 per cent are concerned that they do not have sufficient funds to last from one month to the next.

Other findings highlight low morale within North Wales Police with 94 per cent saying they are not paid fairly for the stresses and strains of the job, and 88 per cent do not feel fairly paid for the hazards that officers face.

66 per cent of respondents from North Wales Police said that they would not recommend joining the police to others whilst 95 per cent said they do not feel respected by the government.

10 per cent of North Wales Police officers confirmed that they intend to leave the force within the next two years, with reasons including the impact on family life (58 per cent), morale (85 per cent) and the impact of the job on their psychological health and well being (83 per cent)

The survey also evidences a growing crisis in the wellbeing and mental health of those who head towards danger. 63 per cent of respondents from North Wales declared that they are suffering from low morale, this is higher than the national average; and 85 per cent feel that the morale of the Force is low – an increase from 53 per cent in 2020.

Reasons cited for low morale include pay (87 per cent), workload and responsibilities (64 per cent), work life balance (54 per cent) and the covid-19 pandemic (74 per cent).

Mark Jones, General Secretary of the North Wales Police Federation said there is “quite evidently a growing crisis in the wellbeing and mental health of those who head towards danger and a defined link between these issues and the diminishing pay packet.”

Mr Jones said: “Police officers are realistic professionals who fully understand the public purse is not a bottomless pit. But the sheer unfairness of being snubbed for a deserved pay rise, added to rising inflation, the effects of austerity cuts and the pandemic, plus of course the forthcoming impact of the National Insurance increase, will not be forgotten by our 130,000 plus members across England and Wales.

“The entire service is underfunded, and police officers have been totally undervalued by this government, and therefore the relationship between those responsible for the public purse and those who serve the public has been damaged almost beyond repair.

“The Government has lost the trust of colleagues, and its wilfully negligent attitude towards pay and funding has been devastating to morale and could impact on the service’s capability for decades to come.

“There can be little doubt police officers more than stepped up during the pandemic, when they faced rising levels of assaults and almost unenforceable legislation. The Government then saw fit to ‘reward’ colleagues with a zero per cent pay increase, utilising an inherently unfair pay review process which ignored detailed PFEW representations and was biased against rank-and-file officers.

“People are our biggest and most valuable asset, and those in power need to realise if they continue to take police officers for granted the service will become less and less attractive as a worthwhile career.

“It is unprecedented so many of our members want to resign before they have completed their full service, and for the future of policing this crisis needs to be urgently addressed through better pay and a new focus on the wellbeing of colleagues.”