Need to balance the books puts Chiefs in a ‘difficult position’

ESSEX Chief Constable BJ Harrington is in a ‘difficult’ position when it comes to police pay because of needing to balance the books and increase officer numbers, according to Essex Police Federation.

The National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) has suggested a three, rather than a one year pay deal to give officers a ‘bigger upfront’ pay increase as part of its 2019/20 submission to the PRRB.

The NPCC has proffered two options – an increase of between 2 and 2.5% from September, or a three-year deal worth over 6% with 4% paid upfront in September.

The PFEW have criticised the plan and say the proposals equate to less than a 2% uplift over the next three years.

However, Steve Taylor, Essex Police Federation Chairman, says the realities of the situation can place Chiefs in a difficult position.

“I think there are those in the NPCC that would want to pay more and there are those that could pay more, either by budgeting better or drawing down on reserves,” he said.

“And then there are forces like Essex that might want to but simply can’t, we don’t have the reserves.  Set against the backdrop of having just secured better local funding and undertaking to translate that into more officers on the streets of Essex, I can completely understand the difficult position the Chief is placed in when looking at anything more than 2%.

“That doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be placed in a difficult spot, you understand. I just have a degree of empathy for his position.”

Criticisms that chiefs are demonstrating they are out of touch with the realities of officers’ financial struggles is not something that can be levelled at CC Harrington, Steve added, saying it was ‘not a description’ of the Essex Chief Constable.