Complaints against officers

[Techie1 + 2,024]

Police Federation survey makes for grim reading.

More than one in ten police officers say they either never or almost never have enough money to cover all of their essentials.

Around 30,000 police officers took part in a pay and morale survey, organised by the Police Federation of England and Wales.

While 10 per cent of officers surveyed can’t afford everyday essentials, for probationers this proportion rises to around one in six. 

Nearly 75pc of respondents said they feel financially worse off than they did five years ago, and more than 85pc do not feel fairly paid considering the stresses and strains of the job. 

Fed General Secretary, Andy Fittes, said: “These findings make for uncomfortable reading, showing members are clearly feeling financial strain, but come as no surprise. 

"We know officers are struggling, with some using food vouchers, which is frankly not acceptable for those employed to keep us safe or in fact any public sector worker.

“We have continually warned that policing is in a critical condition; government budgets cuts mean fewer officers and diminished resources, yet crime and demand for the service is continually rising.  

"Our officers are under immense pressure to deliver, more now than ever with the constant threat of terrorism, and all they want is to be adequately paid.”

Rory Geoghegan left the Metropolitan Police last year, pointing to the lack of support officers receive. 

He said this week: “Hard-working police officers are regularly taking significant professional and personal risks in the fight against crime and while keeping the public and some of the most vulnerable in our society safe.

"From my own experience, fair pay can only ever go part of the way to compensating or recognising that."

Mr Geoghegan who is now Head of Criminal Justice at the Centre for Social Justice also called for greater protection for officers.

"With all of the pressures on policing Britain in 2017, officer welfare and wellbeing – critical to morale and retention – has never been more important," he said.

Hampshire Fed chairman John Apter, told Police Oracle: “Nothing has surprised me from the survey. I speak to officers everyday who are struggling with their workload and the impact it has on their personal life because they’re under financial pressure.

“They must ensure that something meaningful comes from the results. Forces must act upon these findings and failure to do so will mean letting down the officers who have taken part in the survey and have poured their hearts out.”

The Fed’s findings will be added to their submission to the Police Remuneration Review Body to help inform the pay award in 2018.

This year's pay award announcement has been delayed until September. A Home Office move which national Fed chairman Steve White criticised earlier this month. 

View on Police Oracle

[Hyphen + 693]

The pay for probationers particularly is disgraceful really. I know within 7 years they get to top whack but the pay in the mean time is shocking especially with no overtime being around.

The general pay for cops is not bad at all and I'm not sure about the food voucher comments unless this is related to people who have taken huge pay cuts to join on the 19k a year. I know this is subjective to where people live and if they have skills/degrees.

Certainly the part of the country I live I am paid fairly well, that is on the old pay point 5 with unsocial allowance. I have no degrees nor any trade etc so there would be little chance of earning the same money.

[ParochialYokal 1,119]

My first job after Uni paid £19k a year in 2002 and that wasn't enough back then. I am not sure how someone could survive on that now.

[Jeebs + 1,190]

Considering the stresses, worries and dangers that we all go through, we are paid very poorly.

 

[Reasonable Man + 1,231]

I'm not lacking in sympathy for officers who struggle with their finances but I do question the financial management skills of some, and also question what some people see as 'essentials'.
As a comparison I put my starting wage into an inflation calculator. From that I would be on £20,700 today, so not wildly different, yet we didn't have the Federation claiming poverty then. Probably because this was just after the Edmund-Davies report led to a 30% increase in police pay.
I wouldn't have said I was 'rich' or even 'comfortable' in the first few years. It was five years before I was able to save regularly or have a proper holiday. Also I didn't spend the equivalent of £50 a month on a smart phone or have a big loan for a flash car.

[Radman + 2,163]

Probationer pay is shocking, disgraceful.

BUT... You end up on near enough 40k in 7 years... Im top rate PC and I live in the north of England - its OT central at my place so you can easily top up aswell.

I am paid well compared to the average wage up here, considering I dont have a degree or trade skill I wouldnt earn the same outside of the police.

[MerseyLLB 8,426]

Radman, my pay wasn't terrible when I was up north. I was on less than I should have been due to inflation pay restraint etc but I could have lived comfortably.

I've transferred back South after 5 years up north and I cannot afford to live the life that a police officer in any mind should.

I'm not a probationer any longer yet on my 'Good wage' (as some public figures describe police pay) I am struggling to get even a starter 1 bedroom flat.

A house, even a small one, is well out of my grasp. As somebody approaching 30, in a profession which should be held in fairly high regard I find that disgusting.

One of the notable strains is pension. If I didn't pay my pension contributions my mortgage affordability per month would go up considerably which would allow me to borrow a good extra few thousand.

I'm also crucified by travel costs. Car insurance 140 per month plus petrol of around 300 per month. 

I could purchase a more economic car but on doing so would hamper my ability to get somewhere to live.

The north South divide is growing every day!

 

[Indiana Jones + 1,082]

57 minutes ago, MerseyLLB said:

Car insurance 140 per month plus petrol of around 300 per month.

Ouch! What you driving?

[POM0272 242]

I had to save up to join the job and took a £5k pay cut and nearly couldn't get a new mortgage deal on my house because of pension contributions. Sounds mad now, but it's the only job I've ever had where I look forward to coming in and has genuine sideways and upwards progressive opportunities.

 

It becomes easier in time. But I still have to do a full week's worth of O/T each month to live a comfortable life, which is both fatiguing and affects family life.

[Growley + 2,436]

I don't consider myself poorly paid, but that's largely because I do considerable amounts of overtime. On the rare occasion I have a 'flat month', I certainly notice it. If I had children to support, I'd either be doing overtime all the time, or I'd be in some financial trouble.

Ultimately I agree with @Jeebs. It'll vary from person to person, and depending on what you've dealt with in your career, but I suspect many of us have had our lives at risk more than once, and pretty much all of us have been in some pretty frightening situations. As much as the job doesn't (currently) require any high level qualifications, I don't think the pay reflects what we actually end up dealing with. 

[SD + 687]

22 hours ago, MerseyLLB said:

Radman, my pay wasn't terrible when I was up north. I was on less than I should have been due to inflation pay restraint etc but I could have lived comfortably.

I've transferred back South after 5 years up north and I cannot afford to live the life that a police officer in any mind should.

I'm not a probationer any longer yet on my 'Good wage' (as some public figures describe police pay) I am struggling to get even a starter 1 bedroom flat.

A house, even a small one, is well out of my grasp. As somebody approaching 30, in a profession which should be held in fairly high regard I find that disgusting.

One of the notable strains is pension. If I didn't pay my pension contributions my mortgage affordability per month would go up considerably which would allow me to borrow a good extra few thousand.

I'm also crucified by travel costs. Car insurance 140 per month plus petrol of around 300 per month. 

I could purchase a more economic car but on doing so would hamper my ability to get somewhere to live.

The north South divide is growing every day!

 

There's a difference between being poorly laid and trying to get on the property ladder in/around London. Don't forget your pension is optional, there are loads joining who are opting out from the start. Also what on earth are you driving that cost £1700 a year in insurance?  

As has been said, it a good income (£10k above national average) though there's an argument to be had as to is it a good wage for the role. For me it's about living to your means (not specifically you Mersey) which many cops don't do. The ones I see complaining have new(ish) sporty cars, top mobile phone and always buy their refs from shops. That said I've been there too, after I had my kids I stopped doing OT due to childcare and the first 6-12 months were tough. Now I manage just as well as I did on the OT so choose to to do it (unless the wife tells me too!)

[Growley + 2,436]

There's a difference between being poorly laid and trying to get on the property ladder in/around London.

Although it has to be said the two are more closely linked when the Met only wants 'Londoners' as Police Officers.

[Pete 1,492]

i'm surprised people are questioning this, i find it very easy to believe coppers are broke.

to join the met now you have to either be rich or live at home with your parents for several years into your career.

all the probationers i know now either live with mum and dad still or they live in house shares in london and pay more than half of their wages every month in rent and are basically destitute. there is no travel concession anymore so living outside of london is not an option as the money you'd save in rent you'd lose in travel fees.

ive got a few years in and i barely scrape by, never mind if i had a kid to look after.

[SD + 687]

1 hour ago, Pete said:

i'm surprised people are questioning this, i find it very easy to believe coppers are broke.

to join the met now you have to either be rich or live at home with your parents for several years into your career.

all the probationers i know now either live with mum and dad still or they live in house shares in london and pay more than half of their wages every month in rent and are basically destitute. there is no travel concession anymore so living outside of london is not an option as the money you'd save in rent you'd lose in travel fees.

ive got a few years in and i barely scrape by, never mind if i had a kid to look after.

Again though your trying to link pay to London house prices. It's an unfair comparison. 

[Pete 1,492]

42 minutes ago, SD said:

Again though your trying to link pay to London house prices. It's an unfair comparison. 

why? this is our reality.