Rank and file police officers have expressed “grave concern” at being asked to cover ambulance workers during strikes this month, at a time when they say law enforcement is already facing unprecedented pressure.
Steve Hartshorn, the chair of the Police Federation, has issued a strongly worded warning to the government that requiring police to drive ambulances would push over-burdened officers “closer towards a tipping point”.
He said: “At a time when the thin blue line is overstretched and under pressure like never before, this request gives me grave concern for the welfare of our members.
“It shouldn’t need saying, but police are not ambulance drivers or qualified paramedics.”
Tuesday’s statement stops just short of instructing officers to refuse to fill in for striking ambulance crews but it warned that if they do, law enforcement would suffer.
Hartshorn said: “Whilst we acknowledge the request for police to drive ambulances and have not ruled this out entirely, first and foremost it is our duty to ensure we have the capability to deliver our core service, something that at present is a struggle across all forces.”
Health services are bracing for ambulance strikes due to take place on 21 and 28 December. Last week the National Police Chiefs’ Council, representing law enforcement’s leadership, warned that requests to drive ambulances could be rebuffed. Ultimately the decision on whether to cover the strikes will be up to each of the 43 local forces across England and Wales, which are operationally independent.
Hartshorn expressed sympathy with unions taking strike action and suggested morale in the police force was low due to their own concerns about pay and underfunding.
“Perhaps more than most we appreciate current frustrations with pay offers, poor working conditions and minimal resources – police officers have suffered a real terms pay cut of between 25 to 30% since 2010,” he said.
“The great difference for police officers up and down the country though, is that we, uniquely, are unable to express our own frustrations through strike action, even though we step in as a last resort to ensure public safety when others strike.”
Hartshorn added: “Too much police time is being spent doing work that is not traditional police work.”
He said that covering strikes raised a legal problem if patients were to die under police care. “Should a patient die in the presence of a police officer, or within a period of time of being with a police officer, that officer is referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct for investigation.”
He added: “The physical strain, mental pressures and legal worries are real world concerns for all our members, and it is my responsibility to give voice to these concerns whilst allowing members the freedom to make their own decisions.”
Hartshorn warned the government that the current wave of industrial unrest would have a significant impact on policing. He said: “This impact is perhaps to face its biggest challenge to date as a level of strikes unseen for 30 years are set to take place over the coming months.
“We will always uphold the law, but as the law evolves to deal with such action, our responsibilities are changed, often increased, perhaps without sufficient government oversight into supporting these increased responsibilities.”
