Police officers across the country could soon be gearing up for their first strike in over a century, and officers in Lincolnshire are backing the action.

Over the past few months, rail and tube workers, teachers, university staff, junior doctors, nurses and even civil servants have all staged walkouts, advocating for fairer wages amid the ongoing cost of living crisis.

In June, the Police Federation of England & Wales voted to ballot its members on whether it should pursue acquiring industrial rights.

The move was initiated by the West Midlands branch of the federation and could pave the way for officers to legally strike for the first time since 1919.

A spokesperson from the organisation said: "At the National Council meeting held on 20 June 2023, the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) voted to ballot members on whether the organisation should pursue industrial rights on behalf of our membership.

"The National Board is now exploring what industrial rights could mean for our members."

The ballot would ask current members of the Police Federation whether or not they want to seek strike action. It is not a vote on imminent industrial action.

Leaders within the police community are increasingly alarmed by the dwindling number of officers, with many attributing this to unfair pay and challenging work conditions.

A similar campaign to gain the right to strike was made in 2013 but fell short as only a third of eligible officers across England & Wales supported the move.

However, there's a sense of renewed hope this time, especially among officers from Lincolnshire who believe the outcome could be different.

Under the alias PC Peter Lodd, a police officer originally from Lincolnshire who is currently serving with West Midlands Police, voiced his support for the potential industrial action.

He said: "We are the uniform service that is routinely overlooked when it comes to pay rises in line with inflation."

Highlighting the strain on his force, he added: "West Midlands Police is the busiest force in the country, we have more jobs in a shift per individual officer than any other in the country.

"You'll start with a hot lunch and by the time you actually get to eat your first forkful it could already be stone cold because you've just not had time to even think about it. It's a slight tangent, but it just highlights how we are constantly working ourselves to death."

With this heavy workload in mind, PC Lodd notes that his pay is well below the national average. He continued: "I need paying more, I live in a world of a cost of living crisis too and I am struggling."

Lodd also believes that the current pay scale and working conditions are hampering recruitment efforts, adding: "Potentially fantastic police officers will never join because it's just not competitive enough in pay.

"The conditions we work under just don't balance out and that's purely because we have been betrayed by the government that we serve."

Another officer echoed his comments. He said: "Everybody seems to be allowed to strike except us.

"I understand we're an essential service and our position is difficult to fill. But we do a difficult and dangerous job and I feel like we deserve to be paid more."

When approached for comments, both the Lincolnshire Police and the Lincolnshire Police & Crime Commissioner Marc Jones declined to comment at this stage.