Crackdown on pay and perks for police chiefs By Chief Chris Crime Greenwood Correspondent
BUMPER pay and perks which chief police officers have enjoyed for years are to be curbed, the Government said last night.
Ministers ordered top officers to publish details of their salaries in one place and also dramatically slash holiday entitlement from up to 12 weeks a year.
The move is a victory for the Daily Mail which has repeatedly exposed the astonishing deals enjoyed by some police chiefs.
A Mail investigation found top officers claiming ‘allowances’ of up to £32,000 a year, including for daytoday spending and household bills. Others charged taxpayers for private medical insurance and house moving costs while retaining chauffeurs and complaining about budget cuts.
Some officers, including those earning more than £200,000 a year, were taking up to 12 weeks’ holiday a year. But yesterday, the Home Office set out measures which will overhaul the deals chief officers receive.
The changes are aimed at driving out ‘inconsistencies’, with officials adding that the system for holiday leave ‘lacks clarity’.
The outdated regulations stated those above the rank of chief superintendent with more than ten years’ experience were entitled to ‘not less than 48 days’ of holiday a year.
Chief officers, those from Assistant Chief Constable to Chief Constable, have now agreed to a standard 35 days’ annual leave. Home Secretary Amber Rudd vowed to step in after learning police leaders were exploiting loopholes in outdated regulations.
She said ‘professionalism and integrity’ should be at the heart of all aspects of policing and those who lead must demonstrate the highest standards.
The Home Office said forces must now contribute to a centralised public record of police pay and perks for the first time.
This will include full details of their pay, rewards packages, gifts, hospitality and outside interests.
The previous guidelines had not been updated since 2003. Some officers took the perks despite complaining bitterly about cuts and continuing to claim resources were so stretched frontline policing was at risk. Meanwhile frontline officer numbers plummeted to a historic low as they laid off tens of thousands of civilian members of staff.
The new guidelines have added that policing should have the same post-service employment oversight as other parts of the public sector.
As a result retiring chiefs must inform their former senior colleagues and political leaders of any new role undertaken within one year of their departure. This is designed to avoid suspicions of bias if officers go to work for major suppliers and consultancies.
Mark Polin, representing chief officers, said: ‘Leaders of the police service recognise the need for greater clarity and transparency. The proposals agreed are a further step towards achieving this.’