In a frank warning to Chief Constable Peter Fahy, the chairman elect of the local branch of the Police Federation, Ian Hanson, says: “Officers are working well beyond maintainable limits and they cannot sustain this pressure much longer.”
He adds that he believes GMP's leaders are demonstrating that they are 'out of touch' with front line officers by simply telling them 'times are tough'.
Mr Hanson in a Facebook exchange with Mr Fahy says: “Response teams are barely able to function on a normal day and then when an incident occurs they are stretched well beyond capacity.
“Officers are only human beings and human beings have their limits. We are now reaching that point. They are exhausted and feel that their leaders have lost touch with them.”
Mr Hanson adds: “Officers are seeing their numbers depleted and, despite what some local commanders may tell force command, things are starting to come apart.”
Rank and file officers are 'desperate' to see somebody standing up for them on a public platform, says Mr Hanson.
He warns that this year has the potential to be 'the most difficult year in history for the police service' with the Olympics and the potential for yet more disorder.
He says: “The government expect a demoralised and weary police service to step to the fore. I am sure they will do their best, however they are only human.”
His warning was prompted by Mr Fahy's response to a letter by a serving GMP sergeant.
The sergeant had said he felt 'let down, disappointed, and betrayed' by Mr Fahy's response to cuts in the police service.
The officer said: “Every time I see you on television, I hear that GMP can provide the same or better service without the loss of front line staff or the increase of crime.
“What utter rubbish. I have been in the service for the last eight years and in that time have seen officer numbers fall on response, on some nights I have known eight staff policing a whole division.”
In his reply to the officer Mr Fahy said: “There is no point in pretending that morale is good at the moment in the police service or indeed anywhere in the public service.
“There is a serious assault on living standards, staff are being asked to do more and we feel that the public and politicians do not recognise the value of what we do.”
He adds: “I believe the majority of police officers are realistic about the financial situation the country and ordinary people out there are in and are grateful for having a job they love doing.” Tweet
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Well the copper I saw on his chatting on his mobile phone whilst diving very slowly didn't seem that much at full capacity.
best not dampen morale even further by not paying 1700 officers there overtime this month then. oops.........too late
yep hes defo out of touch with his officers and not "living the dream" he is living in a dream
The Federation are setting out the real clear accurate description of the current state of GMP.
Many officers I know are totally de moralised by the Government`s political attack on the police which has been supported by ACPO ( Police Leaders) who seem devoted to their political bosses.
The front line are stretched like never before and GMP continues to haemorrhage police officers and quality support staff.
For those of you who dislike the police you no doubt will say that the cops are rubbish and overpaid etc but be warned if you think GMP dont perform now stand by for a rough few years as officers collapse under the pressure and workload.
Frontlines ARE being reduced.i
Don't know what lucky division had 8 officers on duty, I heard of one evening where the city centre had 6 officers on one Saturday night.
The police morale is at complete rock bottom, they've just been told they can't charge their personal mobiles at work, even though it costs mere pennies!
mr fahy and all the other acpo ranks are out of touch. They have no idea how pushed the average cops on the street are. Many dont get dinner etc and are bombarded from one place to the next.
The cop haters on here will say so what..... I pay my council tax and have to ask why GMP needs so many officers on the top floor? why do we need to send officers on foreign trips?
Its about time Mr fahy and the rest of the circus stand up and think for themselves....Is this what I joined the police for?? I m sure in their hearts they d reply no.
But the world we live in I dont hold much hope.......
It's not realistic as the promotion system levies jobs for the boys. So after the rank of inspector there are no effective ways of selecting the best person for the job, just one where if you're well in, the jobs yours.
These people above the rank of inspector are the ones that run a division or department, and the very same that run up the ranks after 2 mins in the job. And promoted if you cock up.
The officers you see on the streets have badly managed idiots running the force and until those idiots retire soon, there'll be little in the way of improvements.
That is until a similar situation as the riots makes Camerons Government realise what they have done to the Police Forces in this country.
Just who would want to be a police officer, 10 hour shifts, no breaks, no federation backing you, min 35 years service for a full pension, retained on duty for no pay. It'll happen sooner than you think!
Don't become a cop, become a politician, then you'll get looked after.
NEPOTISM rules.
Not as demoralised as 127,000 Police Federation members paying over £200 each a year in subs, only to find a Police Federation who accept 10 of the 18 Windsor recommendations, accept slight changes on 5 and have 3 deferred till later in the year. Anyone remember the pay increase cut a few years ago? Where was The Federation then? On the golf course I think.
My divisional rep has been on cushy numbers for years and currently occupies a Monday to friday 8 - half three ish administration role. How does he know how many are on nights? He's not missed many "Deal or no Deals" having his tea at home for a few years... Except for the footy overtime that is!
Is the all expenses paid golf weekend in plush surroundings for fed rep's still on this year? Has that been cut? And you've increased our subs... All around the scare mongering of "What will happen if you get arrested... we'll send you a solicitor." Well, I'll get the duty, I'm cancelling my subs and I know many more are thinking of doing so.
You're as bad as anyone Mr Anson, you and you elitest funny handshake crew.
We only hear from you all when you want voting back in.
Mr. Fahy must be deluded if he can't see that the force is overstretched. Yes, cuts are needed, but the fact is that GMP have cut too deeply too quickly and in the wrong areas when divisions are left with only 8 officers on duty. Where will he make his cuts when regionalisation hits the force?
Dare I suggest that while the Police arrest the scum, they are back out on the streets through the revolving door of the courts, only to be caught and arrested again etc etc. Well, lawyers and judges have to make a good living don't they?
The situation is just crazy and the solution - on my division at least - is so simple. PMIT divided everyone into small little units, each with their own remit, and all unwilling to assist other departments. This is in stark contrast to just a few years back when response (or section as it was then) was working at out posts, speaking daily with area bobbies and had dog handlers and traffic officers on division. We knew pretty much what was going on in our beats and who to target.
Thanks to the weak promotion system, full of nepotism, leaders are all clones trying to impress their own boss by saying 'yes' as much as possible.
Let's turn the clock back a few years when we genuinely had more on the streets, it's the only way to start winning public confidence back - after all it's no surprise crime drops at major events like political conferences when the streets are full of cops is it??
We need more support for our police. They do a great job.
Police Officers and Police Staff alike - not just GMP but all similar jobs - too few staff, too much work - high stress levels, totally demoralised - too busy for job satisfaction and too tired and poorly paid for a private life AND no way out...
I'm waiting for some police chief to give a reply on television; whats the betting they will say "community" every other sentence, will be wearing a new bright yellow jacket with a hat two sizes too big and a smug grin. Oh, I forgot they will promise increased police patrols in the "community".
Many officers complain about the Police Federation for a variety of reasons, many of them good reasons.
But let's applaud Ian Hanson. He is filling a void, speaking out about unfairness and inefficiency. He is representing the view of most police officers, that morale is low and pretence of being able to provide the same service with less is just plain stupid.
Ian is the Chair Elect. When he assume the roll full time I predict a much more robust performance from the Greater Manchester Police Federation and, for once, I foresee to be proud to be part of it.
PS - I am not Ian Hanson!
The police are not alone. Nurses, doctors and teachers are all suffering from the same thing - bullying management who are deaf and blind to all problems except their own inflated pay packets. I worked in teaching and had to leave because we simply couldn't cope any more with political demands and huge management increases. I went to work for the NHS. Talk about frying pan and fire.
No money for crime initiatives, no overtime to combat areas of high level crime hot spots, staff being made redundant and the lowest morale I have ever known in 27 years service.
However it's not all bad is it, there is still money in the pot to send GMP officers on European football trips with our two clubs, oh and don't forget the pre visit before the actual event. How on earth can we justify paying for GMP officers travelling to Europe for football matches when we are putting people out of work and struggling to police Manchester. Incompetence Mr Fahy....you can only hide it for so long.
This isn't new, it's why I left several years ago. Best move I ever made.
Daniel Chrapkowski and Thomas Lane.............Fahy's spawning's.
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The A**e doesnt know what the elbow is doing! We just lurch from one new way of working to the other, neither of which seems to address the basic need of more cop's on the frontline.
Got news for you boss.... not all crime is comitted between 8am - 4pm Monday to Friday.
Lots of cops ive known for years are now past caring.
Your get out line of 'just be grateful you've got a job' is not aceptable, policing is not like any other line of work.
Despite what the hoards of cop haters may think.
the police may well be stretched but so is every other sector ,, no one will ever admit to having an easy time,,Mr fahy can and will call the shots,, its his job thats on the line,, he knows its a very well paid job with the best pension avalable,,,the police budget takes up a Hugh a mount of public monny,, people and government want to see belts tightened,, not only in the police but every other sector,,, theres always the option to leave,,, but how many leave of there own accord ? a job for life is difficult to through away
I've seen this sort of thing happen whilst serving in the Army. Undermanning mixed with leave/sickness/training and you then get managers trying to balance rotas like spinning plates! This situation with GMP is ridiculous. If Mr Fahy is hearing dissatisfaction from within via public means, instead of giving the generic politician response of "can provide the same or better service without the loss of front line staff or the increase of crime" then as a leader of a large organisation, he needs to wake up! The uphold of law and order with Manchester can't be balanced against 'austerity measures' and a recession. It makes me wonder just who is holding the GMP purse strings. Priority should be given to front line services.
No doubt there are many over worked cops, but I would ask the Chief Constable to visit the city centre area such as piccadilly and watch his officers walking around with not a care in the world whilst crime is taking place right under their noses but they just completely ignore this. Time and time again I have pointed out drug dealing, selling of counterfeit goods etc and the cops just nod and smile and wonder off in the opposite direction. Is it any wonder that people don't support the cops anymore?
Many of them are the laziest bunch of people you could ever wish to meet, they along with Councillors, MPS' and Lawyers are all the same happy to have a very well paid job for doing nothing most of the time. And then complain when you ask them to do something constructive.
Sack the lot of them and start again with a reasonable salary for cops as they get 30k after maybe 10 years in the job not bad for walking around for 10 per cent of your time and 90 per cent inside drinking tea.
Perhaps they shouldn't chase petty crime then.
Chase the big boys.
"the anti police are out to play".....sung to the tune of you haven't got a clue!