Police Federation Warns Detectives Are Quitting Over Unsustainable Workloads

Markdown # Police Federation Warns Detectives Are Quitting Over Unsustainable Workloads

LONDON, 27 October 2026: The Police Federation of England and Wales has warned that experienced detectives are retiring early as overwhelming caseloads, staff shortages and exhausting shifts threaten criminal investigations and leave victims fearing they have been forgotten.

The warning accompanies the second My Last Set campaign film, part of the Federation’s wider Copped Enough campaign. According to the Police Federation, actors voice the experiences of serving detectives whose identities have been protected.

Detectives Describe Exhausting Shifts and Growing Backlogs

One detective with 24 years of service said they had decided to retire early because policing no longer felt sustainable. The officer described working more than 60 hours across one set of shifts while managing prisoners, high-risk offenders and complex investigations.

The detective also described the constant fear of overlooking critical evidence while handling competing demands. Such pressures extend beyond individual workloads because unfinished investigations remain with teams already struggling to replace experienced colleagues.

Another investigator described a department carrying more than 900 live investigations alongside substantial vacancies. The officer reported checking work emails on rest days and lying awake at night, worried that victims might feel forgotten while waiting for progress.

The account illustrates how investigative pressure continues beyond scheduled working hours. Detectives remain responsible for complex cases even when staffing shortages make it harder to give each investigation the attention required.

Child Protection Teams Struggle With Staff Shortages

A detective with 25 years of service described child protection teams operating with only a fraction of the officers they should have. Those remaining were responsible for investigating serious offences involving vulnerable children while managing heavy workloads.

“These aren’t numbers. They’re children,” the detective said.

The officer had also chosen early retirement after spending a career protecting vulnerable victims. Their account raises concerns about the loss of specialist experience from teams handling some of policing’s most sensitive investigations.

The Federation warned that each departure removes years of investigative knowledge. Remaining detectives must absorb additional responsibilities, increasing the pressure on teams already facing vacancies and growing demand.

Police Federation Calls for Better Pay and Support

Ben Hudson, chair of the Police Federation’s National Detectives Forum, warned that excessive workloads and insufficient resources were damaging detective retention and threatening the quality of criminal investigations.

Hudson said detective resources had repeatedly been used to absorb wider organisational pressures rather than concentrate on serious and complex crime. He argued that this had left investigators with workloads that were neither reasonable nor sustainable.

The Federation is calling for fair pay and proper support, alongside working conditions that protect detectives’ health, family lives and wellbeing. Hudson warned that policing must recognise the specialist skills investigators bring before further experience is lost.

“The role must be properly valued before lasting damage is done,” Hudson said.

The campaign places victim protection at the centre of the retention debate. With experienced officers leaving and remaining teams facing mounting investigations, the Federation wants police leaders to address the working conditions driving detectives out of the profession.