Financial pressures could drive young police officers out of the service in Norfolk
17% of officers who have served between one and five years, are considering leaving the profession
A new survey of 10,000 police officers and staff reveals that financial pressures are driving officers out of the service, with 51.7% of young police officers in Norfolk saying they have financial concerns.
The report by police family finance specialists, Metfriendly, reveals 17.2% of officers in the county who have served between one and five years, are considering leaving the profession.
One in five (19.8%) officers in this group in Norfolk are also considering taking second jobs.
Nationally nearly a quarter (24%) of young officers are contemplating leaving, with financial stress and workplace pressures among the main reasons.
"Losing their optimism"
Andy Rhodes, the service director at the National Police Wellbeing Service, tells Greatest Hits Radio this is down to many "losing their optimism".
"I've seen people coming into policing really positive, wanting to make a difference and the nature of the job sometimes can take the edge off that for you.
"You can lose your optimism because you're dealing with tough things that don't change, you can lose your purpose.
"But we can remind people if we recognise what they do, value what they do, listen to them, that they are making a difference everyday of the week and it doesn't need to be the case that we see that drop-off."
Over 50% of Norfolk officers with one to five years experience say they have financial concerns, and more than half say it's affecting their mental wellbeing.
Mr Rhodes says these figures are a real red flag:
"Financial stress is really difficult for organisations like ours to get under the skin of because it's stigmatised. We're not hearing people's views about financial stress which is a problem.
Mr Rhodes says it's "extremely important" to "talk openly and early" when you're struggling and recommends reaching out to services like theirs, or Metfriendly.
He adds: "The other thing is to weave awareness of the support that is out there into everyday conversations within the organisation. Line managers must know where you can access this support."
Annette Petchey, Chief Executive Officer at Metfriendly, said: “The pressures facing the police force today go beyond just financial concerns. Officers are dealing with immense workloads, rising demands, and the emotional toll of the job.
"Policing should not be treated as a short-term numbers game - we must focus on retaining these new recruits in the medium to long term, ensuring they have the financial stability, job satisfaction, and well-being support needed to build lasting careers.
“Failing to do so will have significant financial consequences.
"The cost of recruiting, training, and paying a new officer exceeds £100,000 in their first two years, meaning any rise in leavers will put further strain on an already cash-strapped service.
"Without meaningful investment in retention, we face serious challenges for UK policing, not only in terms of officer numbers but also in ensuring value for money for the taxpayer. If we do not act now, we risk not only losing talented officers but also discouraging future recruits from joining the force.”