Officers Deserve ‘Drastic’ Pay Rise

Police officers need an ‘inflation-busting’ pay rise, according to South Yorkshire Police Federation.

Steve Kent was commenting after suggestions that another benefit such as additional annual leave or a council tax rebate could be given to officers instead.

PFEW Vice-Chair Ché Donald took to Twitter to ask officers the questions: “Thinking outside the box this Sunday. If you can’t get an inflation busting pay rise, what could be done to improve your situation? Extra Days Annual Leave? Council Tax Rebate? Reaching max leave entitlement sooner?”

Responses from officers included suggestions such as 100% funded Open University degrees for serving officers, health club membership, and a reduction in pension contributions.

Steve said: “For me, it’s got to be the inflation-busting pay rise, or at least inflation-equalling pay rise, because everybody would like more leave. But let’s be frank, it’s very difficult for officers to get leave as it stands at the minute anyway. That, for me, seems to be the wrong way about doing things.

“A council tax rebate would be a financial incentive, so that would sit alongside the pay increase, but what would that do in terms of the perception of us in the public eye? That could be very divisive.

“It’s quite a simple one. There’s nothing wrong with asking the question and it’s a great thing to brainstorm about, but for me, we have to see a drastic pay rise to reflect what we’ve done in the past couple of years, to reflect the ridiculous rise in living costs, and to start reversing some of the pay damage and the neglect that’s been going on in policing for so long now.”