NEWS


POLICING ON THE BRINK


Recently released official statistics show a shrinking police service; recruitment stalls, retention collapses and volunteers shoulder more risk while ministers dither and communities pay the price


The Home Office’s official police workforce data for England and Wales, released on 28 January for those in post as on 30 September 2025, lays bare a stark reality: police officer numbers have fallen from their post-2010 peaks and the service is struggling to replace leavers at scale. The dataset shows declines across many forces in England and Wales, with neighbourhood policing roles and experienced officers particularly affected. This is not a marginal problem. The


statistics reveal fewer frontline officers available to answer 999 calls, to patrol highharm neighbourhoods and to


12 | POLICE | FEBRUARY | 2026


sustain the longterm intelligence work that prevents crime. The gap between demand and capacity is now visible in daily policing: longer response times, fewer


• Pay and real terms erosion: Years of constrained pay settlements have left


Attrition is not caused by a single factor. Instead, it is the cumulative effect of:


“We are losing skilled and valuable colleagues faster than we can replace them. That isn’t just a workforce problem, it’s a public-safety problem.”


proactive patrols and a heavier reliance on overtime and temporary measures.


WHY OFFICERS ARE LEAVING: A STACKED SET OF FAILURES


many officers feeling undervalued compared with the risks and


• Workload and burnout: Officers report relentless demand, with fewer


responsibilities they shoulder.


• Career frustration and stalled progression: Recruitment drives have


colleagues to share the burden; many cite repeated exposure to traumatic incidents and inadequate recovery time.


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