A POLICEMAN'S lot in Avon and Somerset is not a happy lot if a recent survey is anything to go by.

An astonishing 94 per cent of rank and file officers who took part in the 2016 Police Pay and Moral Survey felt morale within the force is currently low.

The findings from the survey undertaken by the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) had the biggest response rate to date with 45,000 officers nationally, equivalent to 35 per cent of all federated ranks taking part.

Over 47 per cent of officers in Avon and Somerset took part.

Results showed that the biggest reason for the low level of morale (82.7 per cent) was as a result of how the police are treated as a whole.

And 67.8 per cent consider the pay and benefits associated with the job do not match the risks and hazards faced on a daily basis.

Vince Howard, chairman of the Avon and Somerset Police Federation, said: "It is important that police officers feel valued.

"The work they do is tough, demanding, and relentless.

"With budgets cuts have come fewer officers, diminished resources, and ever increasing crime.

"Our members are feeling the strain and want to be adequately rewarded and recognised."

The local results also found that over two-thirds of respondents (64.7 per cent) said their morale was low because of the lack of work life balance.

Vince Howard said: “In a 'more with less' society, where the police service is constantly under the highest degree of scrutiny, officers find it increasingly difficult to achieve this balance.

“We know many communities have encouraging and valuable interactions with police officers every day, and we would ask them to speak up – our #BelieveinBlue is one way to tell officers, and the wider public how they value what Police do.”

The spokesman said the survey is an important source of evidence to help the Pay Review Board understand the impact that changes to pay and conditions have on officers.

Other headline statistics from the survey which effects officer morale include.

  • Workload and responsibilities 64.2 per cent.
  • Development opportunties 50.9 per cent.
  • Health and wellbeing 61.2 per cent.