Yard accused of theft... after pinching other forces’ staff!

SCOTLAND Yard has been accused of foul play by poaching large numbers of officers from neighbouring forces with a £5,000 ‘signing on bonus’.

A row has erupted between Britain’s largest police force and its regional partners as the constabularies try to meet recruitment targets but lack the financial clout to match the pay packages and bonuses.

Police and crime commissioner (PCC) for Hertfordshire, David Lloyd, said the Met lacks ‘decency’ as it poached large numbers of officers from his force. And Festus Akinbusoye, the PCC for Bedfordshire, described the policy as ‘wrong’ and ‘fundamentally bad for policing’.

Mr Lloyd said rather than attracting

‘Fundamentally bad for policing’

new recruits to policing, the ‘signing on bonus’ was drawing officers from other forces, adding: ‘Not only can they offer London-weighted salaries, they have this lump sum on top. The whole basis of policing is that we help each other out but it doesn’t feel like they are adopting this collaborative approach.’

Scotland Yard has recruited 9,400 officers in the last three years and reached 33,567 in March – a record. The force intends to recruit a further 4,000 by next year. Alongside the one-off payment, it has increased the joining salary to £31,686 including allowances.

The Home Office said the policy was an operational decision for each police force and it could not comment.

Scotland Yard said that it is a significant net loser on transferees and when considering officers who have transferred in and out since 2019, its net position is 300 down.