Policing the pandemic: let us know your views
Members are being given the opportunity to express their views on policing the pandemic in a new nationwide survey.
South Wales Police Federation chair Steve Treharne is encouraging as many officers as possible to complete this year’s Demand, Capacity and Welfare Survey to help shape the Federation’s policy on a range of issues.
Steve said: “This is an important survey whichcaptures your views on the demands and pressures they face and gives a critical insight into your welfare.
“This year’s survey includes specific questions around policing the pandemic and will help us better understand the real impact Covid-19 has had on officers.
“The results will shape future Federation and the more officers who complete it, the stronger our voice will be when representing you to policing leaders and to Government both in Westminster and the Senedd.
“Please have your say.”
This year’s is the third Demand, Capacity and Welfare Survey conducted by the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW).
It is designed to provide a fuller picture of the main challenges currently facing policing and includes bespoke questions around officers’ experiences of working during the pandemic, and the plan to recruit 20,000 more officers by 2023.
Other topics covered include resilience within the police service, the day-to-day demands facing officers and the stress and impact on their mental health and welfare.
The results will allow the Federation to make meaningful comparison with the data gathered in 2018 and 2016 and to identify trends.
The last Demand, Capacity and Welfare Survey found that in South Wales the average job satisfaction rating was 4/10, 63 per cent of respondents reported frequent single crewing and 55 per cent reported never or rarely taking their full rest break entitlement.
Of the respondents, 69 per cent said their workload was too high, 84 per cent said there weren’t enough officers to do the job and 82 per cent indicated they had experienced difficulties with their health and wellbeing over the previous 12 months.
PFEW vice-chair and mental health lead Ché Donald said: “We greatly appreciate members taking the time to support the service by filling in this survey, and the information provided will be used to inform our policy development and help us to support and represent colleagues.
“It is critical their voices are heard to keep people at the highest levels of policing informed of the reality of policing to build awareness, influence and most importantly initiate action and positive change for the greater good of our members.”
Contact the Federation office if you have not received a link to the survey.