Warwickshire Police are struggling to recruit and hold onto police officers and other staff

THE county’s police force is struggling to recruit and hold onto police officers and other staff.

In his annual report for 2021-2022, Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe says Warwickshire Police recruited 41 officers and funding for a further 55 officers is available next year.

It says the aim is to increase officer numbers in the county to more than 1,100.

But the report admits Warwickshire Police is dealing with a number of problems including ongoing uncertainty in the UK economy, rising inflation supply chain shortages for some goods and ‘challenges in recruiting police officers and also in filling some key vacancies’.

The government has pledged to recruit 20,000 police officers nationally over a three-year period and Mr Seccombe’s report says recruitment of police officers ‘continues to be a key driver’.

Across the region, the report reveals 2,800 officers have been recruited onto either the police constable degree apprenticeship course or the degree holder entry programme.

But Home Office figures tell a different story, revealing that in June this year there were 1,036 police officers in Warwickshire – 39 less than in July 2021, when there were 1,075.

The Police Federation, which represents police officers, says police forces are ‘struggling due to low officer numbers and high attrition rates’.

It says the government’s target to take on an extra 20,000 officers across the country falls way short of the 50,000 needed to get back to the same levels as in 2010.

It warns officers are leaving the force either through retirement, illness or other reasons at a rate of 6,000 a year.

The Police Federation also says the ‘knock-on effect’ of rapid recruitment means there are many inexperienced and new officers in the job, and claims policing is in ‘crisis’.

It blames poor pay and work conditions for low recruitment and retention rates and says a ‘concerning number’ of recruits leave within months of starting policing careers.

Low morale and exceptionally heavy casefiles are also causing longer-serving, experienced officers to quit, it claims.

• A councillor has been told that nothing can be done about a blip in the system that allows Warwickshire’s student police officers to study for a ‘free’ degree and then leave the force without penalty.

With the first cohort of police constable degree apprentices about to complete their studies, Cllr Clare Golby (Con, Arbury) said it was wrong that the taxpayer should be paying for the education of people who could then just walk away.

Speaking at the Warwickshire’s police and crime panel, she asked why nothing was in place to claw back the costs.

Mr Seccombe said his hands were tied by government rules.
He explained: “I have asked the question in various meetings including with the Home Secretary but it would be illegal for us to claim it back.”