The latest survey conducted by the Police Federation shows that Hertfordshire Police has the lowest morale of any force in the country.
Recently selected Liberal Democrat Police & Crime Commissioner candidate, Sam North is calling for urgent action to address this problem.
Sam says, “As a former police officer, I know the strain that the police are currently under and the difficulties that both officers and staff face. This survey demonstrates with absolute clarity that change must come to Hertfordshire Police, and it must start at the very top. It is no longer good enough to overlook the needs of the officers and staff who work tirelessly, risking their lives daily to protect ours.”
The survey found that ‘across England and Wales, 59% of those polled would not advocate joining the police, amid a national recruitment drive to hire 20,000 officers.’
Sam comments: “This is incredibly worrying and very difficult reading. In late 2019 I personally told the Home Secretary Priti Patel that much more needed to be done than just recruiting 20,000 officers. The public rely on the police to maintain law and order and ensure the safety and security of each and every one of us. While I have every faith that Hertfordshire will be able to recruit the officers needed, retention of those officers is going to be an enormous challenge particularly when 1 in 6 officers are already looking to leave.”
Sam continues: “One positive first step would be to give front line Police officers and staff access to the COVID vaccine and I have joined the Police Federation in calling on the government to prioritise emergency service workers for the vaccine. But we must do far more, we need to provide our officers with the training that they need, the opportunities that they desire and the credit that they deserve. We need to pay our officers fairly, give them equipment that works and much more which I have already set out in my manifesto. I look forward to working closely with the Police Federation to make the significant changes that are required should I be elected in May.”