PSA President Nick Smart has responded to government announcements on plans to enhance neighbourhood policing and increase police officers numbers (5.12.24):

"It’s encouraging to hear the government’s plans to bolster policing and to move forward on their promise of 13,000 new officers. It’s clear from the huge amount of data and evidence available to government, that policing is under-funded and under-resourced to respond to rising, complex demand. We are working in a financial deficit of billions. 
 
"The detail around the 13,000 remains unclear. We do not know when these extra people will be active within forces, nor how they will be funded. It is disappointing however, to know that only 3000 of this number will be new police officers. It’s right that we require a blended workforce mix, with a diverse range of skills and powers, but more police officers are essential to deliver what is expected of us. We also need strategic thinking to get this right. We will always welcome and require new officers, but the issues we face are more complex than simply upping numbers. This is only one part of the picture. For example, we must explore the structures we work in, including community safety partnerships, and mandate responsibilities so non-police work does not fall to police. 

"Let’s also look inward at the people we already have. We have a growing proportion of the workforce that has less than 5 years’ service, a morale and wellbeing crisis and rising attrition rates. We look forward to welcoming new recruits of course, but the people who already serve their communities deserve better support, better understanding and better pay.

"This is a positive step forward and a commitment to supporting policing, which is welcomed. But again, we ask that government leaders engage with the workforce – the ones delivering policing – to discuss how best to do this."