We are seeing a remarkable turnaround in workforce retention in Bedfordshire Police compared to where we were just three years ago.
I recently discussed attrition, retention, retirement and dismissal figures with Chief Constable Trevor Rodenhurst as part of our regular catch-up.
When I was elected in May 2021, recruitment and retention were key areas of interest to me as Police and Crime Commissioner.
The government’s welcomed investment in recruiting 20,000 police officers was much needed, however, it would have been a wasted opportunity for transform policing if we were losing staff as quickly as we were recruiting them.
In 2021, I asked for an analysis of what it costs taxpayers when we lose a new officer in their first and second year. The figures were staggering, amounting to approximately £100,000 in the first year and £70,000 in the second year of service.
Having looked at more data, it soon became clear in 2022 that Bedfordshire had one of the highest rates of attrition out of 43 police forces in the country.
Losing officers
We had one of the youngest age profiles and young in-service workforces too. Retirements were also high. We were basically losing one too many officers soon after they were recruited, and experienced officers were leaving at a much higher rate also.
The financial and operational impact of this on the force, let alone public confidence in our police force was significant.
Fast forward to 2023, and thanks to a focused commitment to improving the culture in the organisation, more investment in supporting our workforce, equipping officers with more of the tools they need and backing to do their job, good leadership and consistent scrutiny.
Bedfordshire has jumped from bottom of the pile to 18 out of 43 forces on attrition over the last 12 months, percentage of resignations as a proportion of leavers has seen a big reduction.
Bedfordshire Police now has the third lowest retirement rate in the last 12 months. Naturally, some of the leavers were due to dismissals or termination of contract. We will not keep unsuitable officers in a job just to meet a recruitment or retention target.
Extraordinary turnaround
In short, we are retaining more officers overall, and significantly keeping more of our experienced workforce.
While we still have one of the youngest age profiles and in-service workforce in England and Wales and recognise this dynamic as a great opportunity for Bedfordshire Police, I see a very good foundation being established here, if it is sustained. I plan to do just that.
Achieving this turnaround in under two years is extraordinary and I give credit to our Chief Constable and his team. As Police and Crime Commissioner, I am delighted to see my plan for our force starting to come to life.
But there is clearly more to do in backing our officers to make Bedfordshire safer, keep improving the culture of our organisation, and increase public confidence in policing.
This is a monthly guest column provided by Festus Akinbusoye,
Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner (Conservative).
It is published unedited and does not reflect
the views of the Bedford Independent.
