Policing on the Side: Explosion in Second Employment Among Cleveland Police Officers Exposed

What a near 500% Rise in Police Officers on Teesside taking on Second Jobs Tells Us About the State of Policing in the region...

20th December 2025

Cleveland Police is facing further criticism following the revelation that a huge number of its officers are now working second jobs, raising questions as to whether their priorities are now towards their day job funded by the Tax Payer.

A recent response to a Freedom of Information request has revealed a significant and accelerating increase in the number of police officers applying for secondary employment, prompting renewed concerns about, conflicts of interest, and the overall resilience of frontline policing.

The Freedom of Information request by a member of the public sought data on the number of applications made by police officers for second employment or declaring they had other business interests, along with the number of applications which were approved & The number refused..

The request also attempted to obtain a breakdown by officer rank, from Police Constable to Inspector.

What Cleveland Police Admitted It Holds...

Cleveland Police confirmed it does not record officer rank in relation to secondary employment applications and does not record refusals. The only data held relates to the total number of applications made per year.

According to the FOI response, the number of officers applying for secondary employment has risen sharply:

• 2019: 23 applications

• 2020: 61 applications

• 2021: 64 applications

• 2022: 80 applications

• 2023: 134 applications

• 2024: 120 applications (most recent full year available)

  
  

In just four years, applications increased by over 480%, peaking in 2023.

Cleveland Police also confirmed that all applications recorded were approved, while stating that it does not hold information on any refusals.

It paints a worrying picture as to where officers priorities lie...

Secondary employment by police officers is not inherently unlawful. Police Forces around the country permit the activity under strict business interest and vetting policies to prevent conflicts of interest or reputational damage. However, the scale and speed of this increase has several legitimate public concerns with the sharp rise in second jobs strongly suggesting worsening financial pressures among officers, likely driven by inflation, pay restraint, and rising living costs.

What's concerning to some, is the force’s admission that it does not record refusals or rank data. Without this information, the public cannot assess whether junior officers are disproportionately affected, whether senior officers are engaging in outside business interests & whether any applications are ever rejected at all.

Critics claim that even approved secondary employment can pose a series of ethical risks, depending on the nature of the work. Without transparency around refusals or safeguards, the public is left to trust internal processes that cannot be independently scrutinised, something that has been significantly criticised at Cleveland Police especially in the wake of numerous misconduct scandals.

Rather than being a lifestyle choice, its claimed the surge in second employment applications may actually be a warning sign that policing on Teesside is under unsustainable strain.

The FOI response exposes more than just numbers—It signifies a deeper problem within Cleveland Police. When over a hundred officers in a single year feel compelled to seek second jobs, the question members of the public should be asking is not why officers are applying for second jobs, but why there seems to be an need to take a second job in the first place.