140 police quit force
More than 140 West Midlands Police officers have quit the job in the last year as morale in the service plummets. More than 140 West Midlands Police officers have quit the job in the last year as morale in the service plummets. Nationally, 2,700 officers resigned in 2006 – and the figure reaches 6,000 when the previous two years are taken into account. Declining morale is one reason suggested for the number of officers leaving. The figures emerged in a survey of all British forces, including transport police and those in Scotland and Northern Ireland, carried out by the journal Police Review. Last year, 363 officers quit the Metropolitan Police while the Police Service of Northern Ireland saw 330 resign and Greater Manchester lost 209. In the West Midlands 527 officers left last year. Of those 225 retired, 111 resigned and 160 transferred to other forces. A total of 31 left for other reasons. Read the full story in the Express & Star.
Nationally, 2,700 officers resigned in 2006 – and the figure reaches 6,000 when the previous two years are taken into account. Declining morale is one reason suggested for the number of officers leaving.
The figures emerged in a survey of all British forces, including transport police and those in Scotland and Northern Ireland, carried out by the journal Police Review.
Last year, 363 officers quit the Metropolitan Police while the Police Service of Northern Ireland saw 330 resign and Greater Manchester lost 209.
In the West Midlands 527 officers left last year. Of those 225 retired, 111 resigned and 160 transferred to other forces. A total of 31 left for other reasons.
Norman Brennan, from the Protect The Protectors group, said: "Morale gets worse year in and year out."
But Paul Tonks, chairman of the West Midlands Police Federation, said the num-bers for the force – which employs around 8,400 officers – appeared to be "quite healthy."
He said: "I don't subscribe to the sweeping view that it's down to morale.
"I don't perceive that morale is that bad. I think the biggest strike to morale is bureaucracy. It seems to be a perennial thing that nobody can do anything about."
Staffordshire Police said that 28 officers resigned in 2006 and that it believed the number was falling year on year.
A Home Office spokesman said: "Staffing levels across the police service are at a record high with over 223,000 people working hard each day to cut crime.
"We continue to ensure that the public are reassured with a high number of frontline officers.
"Any increase in overall numbers will inevitably lead to higher numbers leaving the service."
