Police pay row outrage as new deal ignores officers

Dec 20 2007 by Caroline Innes, Liverpool Daily Post

THE bitter row over police pay escalated last night after police community support officers and civilian staff were offered the full pay settlement rank-and-file officers have been refused.

The offer to award the full pay deal to around 70,000 civilian staff working for police forces outside London prompted outrage from the Police Federation which said the action would not only “rub salt in serving officers wounds” but also create a two-tier police force.

National chairman, Jan Berry, said it would “do nothing to suppress the anger and discontent of police officers throughout England and Wales, who have been betrayed by this Government”.

Ian Leyland, the chair of Merseyside’s Police Federation, said the award had caused even further anger in the force locally, and questioned why officers on the front line should be treated worse than support staff.

The Merseyside Chief Const- able, Bernard Hogan-Howe, this week told the Daily Post he felt his officers had been treated in a “shabby way” by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, who ratified officers’ pay arbitration finding by deciding not to back-pay wages to September.

However, the Police Staff Council (PSC), which negotiates civilian pay for forces apart from the Metropolitan Police, has offered civilian staff a 2.5% pay rise backdated to Sept 1, the traditional start of the police pay year.

Mr Hogan-Howe again stepped up pressure on Ms Smith, who is already facing calls to resign, and said: “I am pleased that the police staff of Merseyside police have been given a reasonable settlement.

“However, this just makes the Home Office decision on police officer pay indefensible.” His comments came on a day when pressure increased on Ms Smith to reverse her decision not to backdate the 2.5% pay increase to September for police officers.

Mr Leyland said: “Officers are even more outraged by the Home Secretary bythis pay award.

“Clearly, those who are on the frontline facing danger every day, are treated differently from those support staff who help them do that demanding job.

“While it is quite right that those who work in the office, making sure rank-and-file officers can do their job, get this award it only goes to highlight the unfair way the Home Secretary is treating officers.

“It has caused a lot of anger and further resentment and will only rub salt in our wounds.”

The Home Office said last night: “The Police Staff Council is responsible for setting the pay of police staff, including police community support officers.

“The Home Secretary has no statutory role in making that decision.”

carolineinnes