Police officers take second jobs to pay the bills

Police officers in Sussex are taking on second jobs to make ends meet, according to the latest data released by the Sussex Police Federation.

Raffaele Cioffi, chair of the federation, said the data showed officers living in "one of the most expensive counties outside of London are struggling to survive on a police officer's wage".

Sussex Police latest figures show that 126 officers were registered as having a second job in May 2025.

Adrian Rutherford, director of people services for Surrey and Sussex Police, said: "We recognise the tough financial climate that our officers and staff are living within. This is coupled with the tight financial position that all forces face across the country."

Mr Cioffi said: "We face some of society's most distressing incidents and regularly put ourselves in harm's way, yet some of us are forced to take on second jobs just to make ends meet in the communities we serve."

Nationally, more than 4,000 officers secured approval for secondary employment in 2024, double the number recorded in 2019.

The Police Federation of England and Wales describes this trend as a "damning indictment" of how far police pay has fallen and is calling on the government to take action.

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