POLICE officers in West Yorkshire are being forced to use food banks amid low wages and pay cuts, the vice-chairman of West Yorkshire Police Federation says.
Craig Nicholls is calling for more support for officers, who he added are suffering from mental health problems and are regularly being assaulted at work.
He said a large real-terms pay cut over the last decade meant some police officers were struggling to feed themselves and their families.
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“Where we are at the moment is quite worrying”, he said.
“The fact that officers are using food banks is a sorry state of affairs.
“We have officers who are planning to leave. There just isn’t enough money for them.
“The starting salary for new officers is around £21,600. They are putting their lives on the line for just above minimum wage.”
Mr Nicholls has almost 19 years’ experience in policing and has worked on the frontline across different districts in West Yorkshire.
In 2016, he was one of the officers who arrested Thomas Mair, the man who murdered MP Jo Cox, and was awarded a Queen’s Gallantry Medal (QGM) for his efforts.
He said that many officers have experienced mental health problems after some of the things they have seen at work.
“An average person might experience half a dozen traumatic incidents in their lifetime, but for police officers that number is between 400 and 600”, he said.
“That has an effect on anybody. When officers leave their loved ones for the day, they have no idea when they’re going to come home.
“Once you’ve been assaulted, that stays with you and causes stress for your family too.
“Officers are assaulted in many ways, from kicking to biting. During the pandemic, people weaponised Covid and spat and coughed at officers.
“We are also understaffed on every response team. This all has a knock-on effect and officers end up working longer hours.”
Mr Nicholls added that he believes the police have been “let down” by the Government and that solutions need to be explored.
“I think an independent pay review body needs to be set up. That would also attract more people to the job”, he said.
“There needs to be more investment in policing, which would free up more officers to be able to respond to more calls.
“We’re in a tough situation and I find it quite concerning.”
Osman Khan, Assistant Chief Constable at West Yorkshire Police, responded to Mr Nicholls' comments by agreeing that officers often experience some “appalling situations” while at work.
“Policing is by its nature a tough and highly demanding job”, he said.
“West Yorkshire Police is fully aware of the strain it places on officers, particularly those on the front line.
“Officers and staff will also be affected by the growing increases in the cost of living which are affecting the finances of so many people across the country.
“We speak regularly with the West Yorkshire Police Federation about the very significant pressures officers and staff face in their roles and what the force can do to help.
“Police officers are human beings who have to deal with some of the most appalling situations and are affected by what they see, as any of us would be.
“They can also, sadly, continue to face the prospect of physical harm and assault while carrying out their duties.
“The force has been very clear that being assaulted is not ‘part of the job’ and worked closely with the CPS to make sure assaults on police are properly recorded and offenders are properly prosecuted.
“We also have a wide range of support mechanisms in place for colleagues including peer support and an Employee Assistance Programme. This provides one-stop access to counselling and guidance on a whole range of issues which might affect them, including household debt.
“Police officers and staff in West Yorkshire work extremely hard, as shown by the force being judged as one of the best in the country in the last inspection by Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS).
“On top of our normal recruitment, West Yorkshire Police is recruiting more officers as part of the Government’s Uplift programme to invest in policing nationally.
“The force clearly always welcomes investment in additional police officers for West Yorkshire.”
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