'Increasing crime, decreasing officers - something has to change'
Police Federation of England and Wales
Steve White, Chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said: “The Federation has been saying for years that the true extent of the changing nature of crime was being ignored. Whichever way you look at it, today’s figures are deeply worrying and disappointing.
“The continued increase in police recorded crime, and inclusion of cyber-crime and fraud figures, clearly shows on-going and rising demand on the police service. This, at a time when officer numbers continue falling; highlighted in today's Workforce Data statistics, showing the service lost more than 3,000 officers last year.
“The increased demand is taking its toll. The figures highlight increased levels of sickness across officers in England and Wales, illustrating the intense pressures they face. This cannot be allowed to continue.
“At a time when safety and security of the public is at the top of the political agenda, it is time to refocus priorities and invest further in the police.
“Our members want to deliver the best service they can, but they need the right support in place to do this. The Government, the National Police Chiefs’ Council and Police and Crime Commissioners must now work with the service, including the Police Federation of England and Wales, to continue to ensure it has sufficient staff and sufficient resources to keep the British public safe.
“This is the time we, as a country, should be investing in the police service. With threats against them, the public will rightly expect police resourcing to be increasing, not decreasing, potentially leaving us all more vulnerable to attack.”
