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Low morale was cited as one of the main reasons, according to survey

A quarter of officers plan to leave Thames Valley Police within two years, or are actively looking for jobs elsewhere, new figures reveal.

The Police Federation of England and Wales said police officers are reaching "breaking point" and leaving the service due to pay and work conditions.

Of Thames Valley Police officers who said they were planning to leave the job, the main reasons cited were morale (82%), the impact of the job on their mental health and wellbeing (76%) and their pay (72%).

Low morale and pay have been cited by police officers as reasons for wanting to leave the job

Additionally, 92% said they do not feel the government respects them and 73% said they do not feel respected by the public.

The PFEW's pay and morale survey, carried out in September and October last year, shows 24% of the 1,253 officers in Thames Valley Police who responded, said they were planning to leave the service.

About 8% said they intended to resign from the force within the next two years and 16% stated they are already looking for other employment.

Altogether, the rate is double that in the previous survey in 2021, when 12% of officers said they were planning to resign.

Nationally, 18% of respondents said they intended to resign within two years or as soon as they could.

Steve Hartshorn, PFEW national chair, said: “Police officers are reaching breaking point and leaving the service in their droves as every element of their pay and conditions has been gradually eroded in the space of a decade."

Mr Hartshorn added over 8,000 police officers left the service in England and Wales in the year ending March 2022 – the highest number since comparable records began.

Mr Hartshorn said: “To rebuild the broken thin blue line, police officers need a pay award that acknowledges the cost-of-living crisis, their unique responsibilities and the restrictions imposed on their industrial rights.

A Home Office spokesman said: “Policing is a career like no other and we need officers to keep communities safe and cut crime. We are injecting record funds into policing and giving officers the support, training and powers they need to crack down on crime.

“The government remains on track to deliver its pledge to recruit 20,000 police officers by March 2023. ”