Police force where 1 in 21 officers is on long sick leave
SOUTH Wales Police and Gwent Police have the highest levels of long-term sick leave of any police force across Wales and England, figures have revealed.
Data shows that at one point almost 5% of South Wales Police (SWP) officers were on long-term sick leave.
SWP said that fewer officer numbers means they are under “greater strain than ever before” and that police work can put “emotional strain” on officers.
In order for sickness to be classed as long-term, an officer must be off for at least 28 working days.
As of March 31, 2017, there were 138 police officers on long-term sick leave in south Wales, which works out as 4.7% of the total 2,908 officers or one officer in every 21.
The figure is the highest proportion across England and Wales and is also the highest proportion during the past five years.
In 2015 the force had 0.7% of police officers, or one in every 142, on long-term sick leave.
SWP Assistant Chief Constable Richard Lewis said: “While officers are proud and professional in the way in which they serve the communities of south Wales, fewer officer numbers means they are under greater strain than ever before.
“Additionally, the reductions have meant we have focused on our frontline resilience, which means there are fewer non-operational posts for officers to return into if they are not fit for operational duty.”
He added: “Police work can be extremely challenging and at times puts emotional strain on individuals. The impact of this work can sometimes go unnoticed or may not be fully appreciated.
“Officers are called upon to deal with aggressive or violent offenders and occasionally suffer injuries in the performance of their duties.”
SWP added that they look after the health and wellbeing of their officers, and have a range of support options if needed.
Figures also show that Gwent police had the second-highest proportion across England and Wales.
In 2017, there was one officer on long-term sickness absence for every 27 employed by the force, or 44 officers out of 1,178.
The highest rate was recorded in 2016, when 3.8%, or one officer for every 26, was absent due to longterm sick leave.
Neil Lewis from Gwent Police said: “We recognise the unique and challenging role our officers and staff undertake and are fully committed to protecting their health and wellbeing. We offer significant support to all our staff through a number of services and invest significantly in this area. In 2016-17 we reduced the number of days lost due to sickness absence by over a quarter. We are continuing to see reductions based on our ongoing work in this area.”
Among all the 43 police forces across England and Wales, there was a police officer on long-term sick leave for every 52, or 1.9%.
In 2017, there were 2,358 police officers on long-term sickness absence out of a total of 123,142.
The proportion remains the same compared to 2016 and during the past five years, 2017 and 2016 saw the highest percentages.
Data from 2013 and 2014 saw the lowest, with 1.4% of police officers on long-term sick leave.