Following the Mail on Sunday article in relation to chief officer pay, expenses & annual leave, Steve White, Chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales, outlines the need for a fair approach across the board at a time when the service is struggling to cope with demand.
‘Long hours, cancelled leave and unpaid overtime are everyday realities for our members. This isn’t out of choice but instead necessity.
‘At the same time there is a continuing drop in both overall and front line officers and increased sickness across the service. We are creaking under the pressure.
‘When the stark reality is that this situation is unlikely to change without increased investment, it’s important that current funding is appropriately aligned and managed fairly. With reducing numbers and a squeeze on pay and expenses for the majority, now, more than ever, officers want to know that there is parity across the board.
‘In a current policing structure that doesn’t allow for a reduction in the number of forces in England and Wales, it’s easy to see why eyebrows are raised at the cost of keeping 43 chief officers in post and whether this is really the best use of public money.’