Recruitment and Officers leaving the MPS From 2018 To 2023

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.24.033649

I note you seek access to the following information:

It is apparent from recent media reporting over the last year or more that the Metropolitan Police Service is currently experiencing an acute recruitment and attention problem. Please can you provide me with the following information for the last five years, 2018 to 2023.

1. Total number of police officers that the MPS are allowed to have for each year (presumably declared by the Home Office).
2. Total numbers of police officers actually in employment by the MPS each year.
3. Total number of all new police officers that have joined each year.
4. Total number of police officers that have joined from other positions within the MPS for each year.
5. Total cost for each year of any incentives that have been offered to personnel in other police roles within the MPS that have taken up your monetary incentive to become a police officer.
6. Total number of police officers for each year that have level transferred to the MPS from another Home Office police force.
7. Total cost for each year of any monetary incentives given to police officers that have level transferred to the MPS from another Home Office police force.  
8. Total number of police officers for each year that have level transferred out of the MPS and into another Home Office police force.
9. Total numbers of police officers that have left the MPS each year for any reason.
10. Total number of police officers that have left the MPS each year due to retirement at their end of service.
11. Total number of police officers that have left the MPS each year on early retirement or medical retirement grounds together with a breakdown of these numbers.
12. Total number of police officers that have left the MPS each year on a voluntary basis.
13. Total number of police officers that have left the MPS each year on a voluntary basis that were still in their probationary period.
14. Total number of police officers in their probationary period that have been discharged under Regulation 13 each year.
15. Total number of police officers each year that have left the MPS due to being sacked for alleged misconduct reasons.
16. Total numbers of police officers for each year that have left by a voluntary process that were subject to misconduct investigation that may ultimately have resulted in them being sacked.
17. I understand that there is an exit interview process. Please can you advise it has been identified if there is a common reason for police officers leaving on a voluntary basis.
18. Also please can you advise if a common reason has been identified for the increase in the number of officers leaving on a voluntary basis in recent years. I understand that you will not have a year- end figure for the current year, therefore could you please provide data for this year up until October.2023.

Decision

I have today decided to disclose the located information to you in full.

Please find below information pursuant to your request above.