A survey of the wellbeing of UK police officers with less than five years experience of doing the job

• In Event: Improving the wellbeing and resilience of police personnel

Abstract

Policing is a challenging occupation that often results in adverse mental health outcomes for those involved. While much is known about the negative effects on mental health and the roles and administrative burdens contributing to these wellbeing issues for police officers in general, there is limited understanding of the experiences of new recruits and those with less than five years experience of being a police officer. It is crucial to explore how their journey into policing and initial years of service influences their ability to cope with potentially traumatic and stressful situations during their first five years of service. This presentation delves into the wellbeing of new recruits, presenting emerging evidence from a survey comprising 280 UK police recruits within their first five years of service. The findings specifically highlight critical points in a recruit's journey when negative factors can impact their wellbeing. Furthermore, this study explores whether the professionalisation of police entry programmes in the UK, including apprenticeships, university pathways, and direct entry routes, are associated with better or worse wellbeing outcomes for officers. It is crucial that we fully understand the wellbeing of new and relatively inexperienced officers, to inform current recruitment and retention initiatives and strategies for UK policing.

Authors

• Ashley Cartwright, Crime and Policing Research Centre, University of Huddersfield

• Jason Roach, University of Huddersfield