More than 1,800 police officers recruited as part of Tory pledge to boost numbers have already QUIT

More than 1,800 police officers recruited as part of the Tory manifesto pledge to boost numbers have already quit, it has emerged.

Ahead of the 2019 general election, former prime minister Boris Johnson promised to recruit 20,000 new police officers.

A deadline of March next year has been set for the Government to reach that target under the Police Uplift Programme.

Latest figures show 15,343 additional officers have so far been recruited in England and Wales – which is 77 per cent of the target with three months left to go.

But data obtained via Freedom of Information requests by the i newspaper revealed at least 1,837 of those officers who joined under the scheme have already voluntarily resigned.

It was suggested the true figure is likely to be much higher, as 19 of the 43 forces in England and Wales failed to provide data, including London’s Metropolitan Police. 

Greater Manchester Police lost 206 recruits, West Midlands Police lost 173, Thames Valley Police lost 160, Surrey Police lost 129 and Hampshire Police lost 124.

There has been criticism of the phasing out of traditional entry routes and the new requirement for recruits to complete an apprenticeship, a degree or a diploma while undertaking on-the-job training. 

More than 1,800 police officers recruited as part of the Tory manifesto pledge to boost numbers have already quit 

Ahead of the 2019 general election, former prime minister Boris Johnson promised to recruit 20,000 new police officers

Sarah Charman, a professor of criminology at the University of Portsmouth, is leading a research project to understand why people are leaving police services.

She said several new recruits highlighted struggling to juggle academic learning on top of police training.

‘They were talking about the pressure of uni work alongside training and a full-time job,’ Professor Charman told the newspaper.

‘Some found it rushed, some mentioned the attitude of tutors.

‘The ones that came out quite quickly talked about it not being the job that they thought it was going to be. They found it too challenging trying to study and do the job at the same time.

‘For a few of them, they were doing training to be a police officer during the dark days of the lockdown and a lot of it moved online, which was difficult.

‘I think the attitude of the police service has been to concentrate on recruitment and less so on retention.’

The Home Office insisted the retention of police officers was a ‘priority’ and said that voluntary resignation rates, at 2.5 per cent, were low compared to other sectors.

A survey of almost 3,500 police recruits showed job satisfaction at 90 per cent among those who joined as part of the Police Uplift Programme, while 81 per cent said they intended to continue as police officers for the rest of their working lives.

A Home Office spokesperson said: ‘Policing is a career like no other and now more than ever we need dedicated and talented officers to keep communities safe and cut crime.

‘The overwhelming majority of new recruits recently surveyed report positive job satisfaction and want to remain officers for the rest of their working lives.

‘The Police Uplift Programme is on track, with 15,343 additional officers already recruited, ensuring police have the support and training they need to bear down on crime.’