Pay award is a ‘slap in the face’ for officers says Federation

THE police pay announcement is a “slap in the face” to hard working officers, says Essex Police Federation Chairman Steve Taylor.

The Government has announced that all police officers would get a 2% pay rise from 1 September. However, because last year’s pay award consisted of a 1% rise and a 1% one-off bonus, it means that officers are effectively only getting another 1% in their pay packets.

Extra funds to pay for the award will also have to be found from force coffers, the Government has announced.

Steve said: “I think the pay award announced by Government today is derisory and offensive to the hard working men and women of our service.

“Police Officers are consistently doing more with less and, and despite a well evidenced submission given to the PRRB, the Government choose to honour and respect that hard work with this pitiful pay rise. A real terms increase of under 1% on last year’s award.

“The pay rise will come as a slap in the face for hard working coppers in Essex, who yet again get little but hot air from this Government.

“A Government which ignores the independent body set up to advise on police pay, but not the independent body set up to advise on MP pay! It’s disgusting.”