Police service ‘needs clear rank structure’
THE police service must have a rank structure so it is clear who is in charge, the Chairman of South Yorkshire Police Federation has said.
Neil Bowles was speaking after it emerged that chief constables have concluded there is no compelling case to support sudden changes to the police rank structure.
The recommendation to do away with police ranks came in the College of Policing’s leadership review.
And Mr Bowles said he did not initially think they were serious.
“I thought somebody was pulling my leg when I heard about the college’s ideas on the rank structure – it’s a joke,” he said.
“Any Police Force or Service is a disciplined one just like the Army; the difference being that more constables make far more decisions than privates.
“There has to be a clear rank structure and hierarchy; so that it is plain to all within and outside the force who is in charge.”
Mr Bowles said that police cuts to have meant that more and more responsibility now rests with federated ranks, saying that sergeants today now carry out work that was the responsibility of a chief inspector 10 years ago.
He said: “Due to austerity we have lost a larger proportion of middle managers than Constables, for very good reasons obviously such as at least trying to maintain front line services.
“However, it is easy to see that there is now a huge strain on management and command resilience.
“Superintendents and above are paid the big bucks to be on various cadres and call out lists, their ranks have been decimated though.
“Where does the work go? it doesn’t go away! Down the rank structures of course, to Chief Inspectors, Inspectors, Sergeants and finally to Constables.
“There are Sergeants today doing the work that was a Chief Inspector’s role just 10 years ago. There are healthy supervisory ratios for a reason.
“I have thought though for some time now that perhaps we should have a corporal or senior constable rank introduced, specifically for those that tutor or mentor others. Apart from that, if it’s not broken…”