Introduction
In recent years, the UK government has repeatedly claimed that it is committed to bolstering the police force by recruiting more officers.
However, these statements have become increasingly questionable, as they appear to ignore the significant number of experienced officers leaving and retiring from the force.
This article delves into the disparity between the government’s claims and the reality on the ground, as highlighted by the Police Federation of England and Wales and Peter Stefanovic from the Communications Union.
Questionable Government Claims
The UK government has consistently boasted about recruiting an additional 20,000 police officers to strengthen the force.
However, the Police Federation of England and Wales has challenged these claims, citing the need for at least 50,000 officers to match 2010 levels.
In a recent tweet, the Federation stated:
“There is a need for at least 50,000 officers to match 2010 levels if you consider population growth of more than 3.5 million over the last decade and the annual attrition of 6,000 officers.
“The Uplift Programme, if achieved, delivers 4,000 not 20,000. #ProtectTheProtectors”
This statement raises concerns about the government’s need for more transparency and accuracy regarding the number of police officers recruited.
As the tweet suggests, the Uplift Programme is only expected to deliver 4,000 new officers, a far cry from the purported 20,000.
Ignoring the Attrition Rate
Another critical aspect that the government’s claims overlook is the attrition rate among police officers.
With 6,000 officers retiring or leaving the force annually, the number of recruits needed to maintain and grow the force is significantly higher than what the government claims to be delivering.
Peter Stefanovic’s Exposé
Adding further weight to these concerns, Peter Stefanovic from the Communications Union recently published a video on Twitter (scroll down for the video) that highlights the vast discrepancy between the information provided by the government and the reality.
The video is captioned:
“Hang on to your seats for the Governments latest CON on police numbers! Never underestimate just how thick this government thinks we all are.”
This video serves to underline the importance of critically evaluating the government’s statements and promises, as they may not always align with the facts on the ground.
Conclusion
The UK government’s questionable statements regarding police recruitment numbers have raised concerns among the public and those within the police force.
It is essential to hold the government accountable for its promises and ensure that it is transparent in its claims.
The Police Federation of England and Wales and Peter Stefanovic have provided valuable insights that challenge the government’s narrative, reminding us all to scrutinise official statements and seek the truth behind the headlines.
Join our WhatsApp community!
ESN is now on WhatsApp, and we want you to join our communities.
To join, you need to have WhatsApp on your device. All you need to do is click the link and press 'Join community'.
No one will be able to see who is signed up, and no one can send messages except the ESN team.
Joining our WhatsApp channel is a great way to help support our work and best of all, it is free!
If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community, click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Before you read or leave a comment...
In an age where mainstream media often overlooks the sacrifices made by our emergency services personnel, Emergency Services News is a critical voice you can trust
While we persist in our mission, we need your help to continue. Your donation directly enables us to produce high-quality content that elevates the stories and challenges faced by the men and women who serve, stories that are often ignored elsewhere.
We deeply appreciate your support. Your contribution empowers us to keep shining a light on the remarkable, yet often overlooked, individuals who serve our communities every day. Thank you for standing with us.
You can support emergency services news from as little as £1. It only takes a minute. Every contribution, however big or small, is vital for our future.
Please help us to continue to highlight the life-saving work of the emergency services, NHS and armed forces by becoming a supporter.
Our local police, Hampshire, Waterlooville, don’t investigate “minor crime” as they “don’t have the resources”.
Dog should “ALWAYS” be on a lead in a public place.
The college of Policing at Bramshill has ruled that all new officers must be graduates. Put another way, indoctrinated, woke snowflakes with no real life experience whatsoever. This works perfectly until the first taxi queue punchup, whereupon the career choice is rapidly re-evaluated.
A lot of coppers joined from the forces where they had accumulated not only real life experience but also discipline, command skills, diplomatic and cultural skills when serving in foreign climes. That avenue has been closed off.
There was a story here about a raid on a cannabis farm where a female officer had her head opened by someone wielding a half brick. What will happen to that thug? Not a lot. What will happen to the cannabis farmers? Even less. Yes, they will lose the crop which will be annoying for them, but there is every good chance they will get a cannabis warning.
Such a warning was devised to scare someone holding a spliff, not as a punishment for someone running a plantation of drugs worth hundreds of thousands.
Cops will always face injury. It goes with the job in that they are having to deal with some extremely unpleasant people who will do anything to avoid arrest. In days gone by, if an officer was injured, the perpetrator would face a really serious punishment which in turn was a real deterrent. Look at the uniform 40 or even 30 years ago. Tunic, trousers and boots. The only weapon was the truncheon and that was all that was needed.
Since then, as punishment has got weaker and weaker, so criminals have become bolder and bolder. Now cops wear stab vests, carry an asp, gas, handcuffs and increasingly, tasers and even real fire arms. I really dislike seeing a British police officer wandering around with a gun. It is not our way. It is, however, absolutely essential.
Unless and until we deport foreign criminals and jail domestic ones, life will just get worse. The cry will go up from the civil rights brigade that deporting them back to their country of origin will result in the regime being beastly to them. In that case, behave yourself in your new home or face being kicked out. It really is that simple.