West Yorkshire Police Federation

02/11/2026

Oscar Kilo launch New police family support resource during International Stress Awareness Week...
.. bringing together information, advice and support in one place.

It provides guidance on topics including mental health, trauma, burnout, bereavement, resilience, self-care and supporting children through difficult conversations.

https://oscarkilo.org.uk/news/new-police-family-support-resource-launches-during-international-stress-awareness-week

31/10/2026

Remembering Sgt John Speed, of West Yorkshire Police, who was murdered on duty on this day in 1984

27/10/2026

92% of West Yorkshire Police officers do not feel fairly paid for the stresses and strains of the job, and 73% are dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with their overall pay and allowances, new figures show.

According to the 2026 Police Federation of England and Wales Pay and Morale Report, 25% of officers frequently cannot meet their household’s financial needs.

58% say their workload is too high or much too high, and 49% have had at least one rest day cancelled in the past 12 months.

24% say they are satisfied with their job, and 24% intend to resign from the service either within the next two years or as soon as they can.

The survey also showed that 74% do not feel valued in the police and 74% would not recommend joining the service.

60% of respondents are not confident in their force's ability to resource appropriately for day-to-day operational demands, and 40% say their team has been fully staffed on very few or no shifts in the past three months.

69% say their force relies heavily on officer goodwill to meet routine operational demands, and 56% have felt unsafe on duty because of staffing levels in the past three months.

And 71% of officers who responded to the survey are too fatigued to carry out their duties. In West Yorkshire, 47% of officers have been physically attacked by a member of the public in the past 12 months, and 82% do not have access to double crewing at all times while on duty.

Mark Claxton, Vice-Chair of West Yorkshire Police Federation, said: “These results clearly show that a high number of officers are still struggling to make ends meet each month after receiving their pay packet.

“The number of officers intending to leave – whether that is through the low pay or excessive workloads they carry and ever-increasing demands on them – goes to show there is still much to be done to secure better pay and conditions for our members.

“All they are asking for is a better work-life balance with enough staff to be able to provide the service the public expect and deserve.

“But in turn the Government needs to acknowledge that officers deserve the right support and staffing levels to do their job. Their wages should be in line with the cost of living and in line with recommendations made by the PRRB.

“It does nothing for officer morale when the Government completely ignores their recommendations and underpays those who keep the streets safe every day without fear or favour.

“What officers ask for is not too much and most certainly not unreasonable for what they do.”

The survey also showed that 80% of respondents had experienced stress, low mood or anxiety in the past 12 months, and 41% find their job very or extremely stressful.

50% have sought help for stress, low mood, anxiety or other mental health difficulties, and 69% rate their force's support for officers and their wellbeing as inadequate or requiring improvement.

The survey also showed the effect that policing has on officers’ personal lives. In West Yorkshire, 30% of officers often or always pressured to work long hours and 59% had annual leave requests refused.

78% of respondents say they have been so fatigued that it has interfered with their family or social life in the past month, and 56% have had to cancel personal plans due to last-minute work requirements in the past 12 months.

36% have worked during annual leave to catch up, 21% have had at least one free day cancelled in the past 12 months and 8% have had their roster changed more than 10 times in the past 12 months.

For the first time, the survey asked about how policing affects parents and carers, with 74% of mothers and 53% of fathers in West Yorkshire saying they have had to change job roles or teams to meet their obligations as a parent.

The survey is based on 592 responses received from West Yorkshire Police officers.

24/10/2026

Remembering PC Mark Goodlad, of West Yorkshire Police, who was killed on duty on this day in 2011.

23/10/2026

Conduct investigations that could be completed in six months should not drag on for two to three years, West Yorkshire Police Federation has said.

Vice-Chair Mark Claxton was speaking at the Police Federation of England and Wales conference, which was held in London this week.

“The misconduct situation needs to be balanced and to be fairer. Some investigations and accountability for open-and-shut cases are going on far too long. They need to stop being dragged on for months and years. There needs to be a cut-off point where decisions need to be made.

“Two years and three years for something that can be sorted out in six months is just not right to our members. It has serious wellbeing and mental health consequences for those officers who quite often don't even want to return to policing when they've been dragged through the mud for simply doing their job.”

Mark also said it was disappointing that no members of the Government attended conference, although Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch did give a speech to delegates.

He said: “It's quite annoying again to see that, two years running, there's been no physical attendance by the Home Secretary or Policing Minister. It has been really good though to see Kemi Badenoch attend in person, who addressed several issues.

“She expressed that she wanted to do more to assist policing and asked those officers who are at the end of the tether or may be considering leaving not to do so.

“She mentioned that she goes on a ride-along with officers on a regular basis and sees how it ruins the lives of cops when they constantly get their rest days cancelled, they're constantly assisting in the civil unrest, constantly assisting policing the protests in and around the country.”

Mark also highlighted the Protect The Protectors: Stop Racism Against Police campaign, which West Yorkshire Police Federation is backing.

He said: “In the year 2025 to 2026, 787 reported hate crimes were recorded against West Yorkshire Police officers. This is 787 too many and it's on the rise.

“I urge all our officers to make sure that you don't stay silent, you don't think it's part of the job, you don't think that no one's interested. You must record and report the hate crimes. Your colleagues must investigate them and they must push with CPS to make sure that this is looked at in the true light that it deserves and that offenders are brought to justice for doing it.”

22/10/2026

PC Sharon Beshenivsky killer jailed over underworld guns operation

Faisal Razzaq, 45, started selling fi****ms to criminals after he was released from his life sentence for the manslaughter of the West Yorkshire Police officer, who was shot dead while responding to an armed robbery.

22/10/2026

West Yorkshire detective Suzanne Hall named PFNDF Detective of the Year

Detective Inspector Suzanne Hall from West Yorkshire Police has won the PFNDF Detective of the Year Award for her exceptional leadership and commitment to securing justice for victims and their families.

Presented at Annual Conference 2026 and sponsored by Quick Mortgages, the award recognises her work leading complex major crime investigations while supporting colleagues through demanding enquiries.

As Senior Investigating Officer for Operation Penyard, DI Hall led an attempted murder investigation following a shooting and stabbing in March 2025. Despite limited resources, her focused investigative strategies helped secure the convictions of both attackers and a third person who assisted an offender.

Several team members received judges’ commendations, with prosecution barrister Conor Quinn praising the thoroughness of the investigation as critical to securing the convictions.

As Deputy Senior Investigating Officer for Operation Plowdenbay, DI Hall helped lead the urgent search for a man who murdered his wife on a Bradford street. He was arrested before he could leave the country.

She also helped build evidence of the domestic abuse, stalking and harassment preceding the killing, which was crucial to the prosecution. The offender received a life sentence in June 2025.

During Operation Pasquill, another murder investigation, DI Hall’s investigative strategies helped secure the swift arrest and charge of the victim’s boyfriend, who later received a life sentence. She also ensured colleagues working in distressing circumstances received welfare support.

Alongside these achievements, DI Hall mentors’ investigators, develops future leaders and champions improvements in investigative practice, including a dedicated CCTV team using video analytics technology.

Her award recognises an outstanding investigator whose determination, compassion and leadership have made a lasting difference to victims, families and colleagues.

Congratulations to DI Suzanne Hall and thank you to Quick Mortgages for sponsoring both PFNDF Detective award categories.

21/10/2026

Additional responsibility in policing is too often carried out without additional recompense, the Police Federation of England and Wales Conference heard today as calls were made for collective bargaining and binding arbitration.

"Exploitation is built into the way policing operates," delegates were told, as Acting General Secretary Mel Warnes said "Pay is about whether people join, stay... and whether experienced officers think it is still worth it."

“What do we get for giving up our rights?” she questioned, adding that the status quo was not sustainable.

Currently there are no binding rules on police pay, and this year the Government ignored the recommendation of the Police Remuneration Review Body – awarding a 3.5% increase instead of the recommended 3.9%.

Reiterating that the PFEW would continue to lobby for collective bargaining and binding arbitration, Mel said: “Officers just want to be paid fairly, have their rest protected, have their experience valued and finish a shift with enough energy for their home life.

“Pay is not simply about what is in your bank account – it is about whether officers decide if policing is worth it

“We are not asking police officers to walk away from their responsibility – we are asking the Government to look after the people who look after the public.”

She also called for fair time limits for officers under misconduct investigations, pointing out the disparity between the standards expected from police and the IOPC. Currently police officers must respond to allegations within 15 days but the same restriction does not apply to the IOPC.

Mel said: “Time limits in investigations must be reviewed, too many officers are being put through hearings where there is little realistic prospect of the case proceeding.

“Officers should be held accountable but this must be fair, timely and proportionate.”

Mark Claxton, Vice Chair of West Yorkshire Police Federation, said "The current process is unfair and unbalanced - it needs to be looked at to stop the overwhelming stress officers are under during the lengthy process of being investigated and then taken to a hearing often in excess of a year or more later.

"This does nothing for their wellbeing."

18/10/2026

West Yorkshire Police Federation sends its best wishes to our colleague from Nottinghamshire Police who was injured in the line of duty.

We wish them a speedy and full recovery and are thinking of them, their family and colleagues at this time.

A fi***rm has been recovered by officers after a man and a woman fled the scene, detectives say.

17/10/2026

One of PC Sharon Beshenivsky’s killers sold guns after prison release

Faisal Razzaq was jailed in 2006 for manslaughter, having acted as the getaway driver in a robbery which ended in PC Beshenivsky being shot dead in Bradford, West Yorkshire.

He was released on parole in 2017 after serving 11 years, and started obtaining guns and selling them to criminal customers while living in Edgware, north London.

He is one of six people to be sentenced later this month at Harrow Crown Court for involvement in a fi****ms conspiracy.

Mark Claxton, Vice Chair of West Yorkshire Police Federation said: "This man has a total disregard for the law and clearly has not shown any remorse for his actions, which saw a much loved police officer losing her life and another being seriously injured.

"Our thoughts as always are with Sharon's family, friends and close colleagues who will be as distressed - as we all are - that this man was roaming the streets to perpetrate more despicable crimes."

Faisal Razzaq sells guns after finishing a sentence for his involvement in the 2005 murder of a police officer.