Experienced NSW police leaving the force in record numbers

NSW Police is facing a crisis with experienced sergeants leaving the force in record numbers. Find out who’s quitting.

Experienced sergeants who are the workhorses of the NSW Police frontline are fleeing the force in record numbers along with hundreds of constables, according to latest figures.

So far this year, 286 sergeants, 59 inspectors and 919 constables - both senior and probationary - have quit as the total number of officers leaving has doubled in just four years to 1287.

The Daily Telegraph revealed last month that police numbers were in danger of going backwards but the breakdown in the ranks of those quitting has raised serious concerns about less experienced officers being left behind.

“People are being promoted to fill the spots, some who are very able but others have much less experience which is a worry,” a source said.

With only 221 recruits currently in the training process and 55 in the eligibility pool - where there used to be around 2000 - Labor’s police spokesman Paul Scully has accused the government of letting down the public.

Experienced sergeants are leaving the force in record numbers.

Total police numbers fell by 234 between November 2021 and the end of July 2022 – from 17,759 sworn police officers down to 17,525.

Even if the government makes good on its election promise of 1500 new recruits, that would still leave a yawning gap of 403 short, the figures show.

“The government’s own recruitment figures prove that they will fall around 400 recruits short of their election promise - even if they meet all their current targets,” Mr Scully said.

“But with too few recruits in training right now, it is likely the government‘s broken promise will fall even shorter.”

Police Attrition by Rank

Since 2019, a total of 707 sergeants and 2483 constables have quit. In 2019, 133 sergeants and 451 constables left, a number that has steadily grown.

In the middle of a recruitment campaign, Police Commissioner Karen Webb has flagged she may consider paying trainees amid reports new recruits are on the decline with prospective cops earning nothing but having to pay up about $17,000 during their recruitment and training.

NSW Police Force Commissioner Karen Webb. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

Police Minister Paul Toole. Picture Scott Powick

Police Minister Paul Toole told budget estimates that the government was on track to recruit ‘the remaining 550’ from its promised 1500 but that would still leave police numbers at 18,075, an increase of just 1097 since the last election, Mr Scully said.

“Not only will the Perrottet Government fail to meet its election commitment, police numbers are actually going backwards with 234 fewer police in NSW now than at the end of last year,” Mr Scully said.

Minister Toole blamed the Optional Discharge Scheme (ODS), which began this year, for some of the losses. The scheme allows officers with a minimum of 10 years’ service to retire with a payout and is designed to allow some of the more senior officers aged in their 50s – many of whom are “burnt-out’ – to leave without having to go through costly examinations to prove they are medically unfit for service.

He disputed the figures showing the numbers are falling, stating the government was instead delivering the “biggest increase in police numbers across the state in more than 30 years to increase the ranks of sworn officers to more than 18,000”.’

“The global labour shortage has caused challenges to policing across all jurisdictions, as well as other industries and sectors, but the NSW Police Force has ramped up its recruitment drive through the ‘You Should be A Cop’ campaign to attract the best candidates, in sufficient numbers,” Mr Toole said.

He said the percentage of people leaving the force has ranged from 4 per cent to 5.7 per cent over the past three years excluding those who exited from the ODS.