Port of Tilbury-Police Constable

[Fedster + 1,307]

Devon and Cornwall Federation chair said Specials must "support" but not "replace" fully-train officers after revelations they will be paid for extra duties this winter.

Andy Berry, Devon and Cornwall Police Federation chair

Date - 23rd December 2020
By - Chloe Livadeas

Devon and Cornwall’s Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Alison Hernandez will pay members of the Special Constabulary to provide additional ‘COVID duties’ over the Christmas period. 

The Federation was consulted on the plans, which will see Specials receiving a payment of £750 for extra duties this winter.

But Devon and Cornwall Police Federation Chairman Andy Berry said Specials must not replace his members and instead continue to ‘support’ them. He called it “a significant diversion from their well-established volunteer status”.

Mr Berry said: “This interesting experiment which has essentially been developed on the hoof to, as the PCC says, ‘test the concept’ will need careful analysis to ensure that it is effective, value for money and doesn’t bring with it unintended consequences.”

Devon and Cornwall seem to be the first force to offer cash for additional duties rather than reward Specials for work already done, as in the West Midlands.

PCC David Jamieson decided to pay West Midlands Specials £150 for every 16 hours extra they had put in during the pandemic.

Mr Berry went on to say: “I am a massive supporter of the Special Constabulary and was always grateful of their assistance when I worked a beat, but we need to ensure that the long-standing relationship of the Special Constabulary supporting my members but not replacing them remains.

“At a time when our colleagues are under significant pressure, I’m glad that the PCC is being imaginative on how she might support exhausted officers across the force, and I look forward to being involved in a detailed review of the effectiveness and practicality of this experiment.

“Specials are in my view brilliant individuals giving up their free time to help keep their communities safe - but they are not fully qualified police officers and don’t have the benefit of the extensive training which officers get.”

View On Police Oracle

[BlueBob + 692]

Yeah, why not!   Just assuming its not tax free (and likely to need to pay NI as well)

[Beaker 817]

22 minutes ago, BlueBob said:

Yeah, why not!   Just assuming its not tax free (and likely to need to pay NI as well)

There are loads of people see a problem with it.  Right down to the ancient "It will attract the wrong people" argument.  I doubt very much that HMRC will miss a trick here, they'll treat it as a second job and slice 20% off the top. 

Humberside now gives SCs a discounted Council Tax allowance, 50% I think.  Not sure, but I'm guessing HMRC treat it as a benefit in kind. 

[BlueBob + 692]

10 hours ago, Beaker said:

There are loads of people see a problem with it.  Right down to the ancient "It will attract the wrong people" argument.  I doubt very much that HMRC will miss a trick here, they'll treat it as a second job and slice 20% off the top. 

I’m not in favour of it, however, if they need the resource in these challenging times, then it seems they’ve taken unusual steps to solve it.   I’d agree it’s an “on the hoof” decision.  It’s not as if the CV effects are going to disappear anytime soon and once they start, I wonder if the PCC has given an end date for the trial!
it would be a handy top up for any who are on furlough and could effectively work full time at @£18k pro-rata on top of their 80%.   

[Indiana Jones + 1,082]

If I've read it correctly (and I can't read it on Police Oracle itself), then it's not an ongoing thing; it's for duties already undertaken??

Not an incentive, but a thank-you?

[BlueBob + 692]

1 hour ago, Indiana Jones said:

If I've read it correctly (and I can't read it on Police Oracle itself), then it's not an ongoing thing; it's for duties already undertaken??

Not an incentive, but a thank-you?

Devon and Cornwall’s Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Alison Hernandez will pay members of the Special Constabulary to provide additional ‘COVID duties’ over the Christmas period. 

a payment of £750 for extra duties this winter.

offer cash for additional duties rather than reward Specials for work already done

 £150 for every 16 hours extra they had put in during the pandemic.

 might support exhausted officers across the force, and I look forward to being involved in a detailed review of the effectiveness and practicality of this experiment.

 

I read it as an ongoing payment rather than a retrospective thank you based on this post however it is highly ambiguous in its extracts and comments, so my view varies between it being a thank you for what has been done and its now a closed job, its still on-going as there PCC says they 'will pay' as in the future tense, as well as the  Christmas period typically includes New Year.  There is that comment about £750 for winter which means it could be limited to 10 days of duties that have already been accumulated.  
Overall, more of a discussion post with lots of unexplained comments rather than a well rounded piece of news

 

[Beaker 817]

3 hours ago, BlueBob said:

I’m not in favour of it, however, if they need the resource in these challenging times, then it seems they’ve taken unusual steps to solve it.   I’d agree it’s an “on the hoof” decision.  It’s not as if the CV effects are going to disappear anytime soon and once they start, I wonder if the PCC has given an end date for the trial!
it would be a handy top up for any who are on furlough and could effectively work full time at @£18k pro-rata on top of their 80%.   

I think in the longer term they're going to go down a 'Police Reserve' route.  The incentives for many people just aren't there any more.   I have a small number of dedicated career SCs, but the majority of them are younger people in their early 20s wanting to join the regulars.  If they do want a standing force of SCs that can be called in at short notic and reliably so they need to look at what resources we have. 

Currently we can't be compelled on duty, we have no legal safety net from our day jobs and most people don't have employers who will pay them while they do duties.  I now work for the same force I SC for.  The previous firm flat out said nope and said they didn'tlike me doingit because I might get injured and not attend work.  DUE to my current 'strategic role' it would take a major emergency to release me for duties.

[BlueBob + 692]

2 minutes ago, Beaker said:

The previous firm flat out said nope and said they didn'tlike me doingit because I might get injured and not attend work.  

And we can completely understand the employers perspective and of course for the self employed it has similar implications.  Without knowing if the PCC is looking at this a a long or short term idea we can't say too much really.  
It raises the age old query about funding lots of SCs or a few Regulars.  I've not seen any recent analysis as to the pros / cons of having a few (PCs) who can be made to work etc versus a lot (SCs) who might not!

[Beaker 817]

36 minutes ago, BlueBob said:

And we can completely understand the employers perspective and of course for the self employed it has similar implications.  Without knowing if the PCC is looking at this a a long or short term idea we can't say too much really.  
It raises the age old query about funding lots of SCs or a few Regulars.  I've not seen any recent analysis as to the pros / cons of having a few (PCs) who can be made to work etc versus a lot (SCs) who might not!

They cheered on the guys who were Retained Firefighters and RNLI volunteers...

I think the main issue is legal protection ref employment.  If we were TA/Army Reserve there is a fair bit if legal obligation on employers.  As it stands now we work oddball shifts, and sometimes can't make ourselves free at short notice. 

GMP are now doing Part Time from joining in a job share scheme.   That's going to attract a LOT of people, and at the end of it they're likely to have people who want to go full time.  That is going to drastically impact their SC recruitment and ours as well as we're so close.

[Sceptre + 2,701]

The tax implications of this would be a headache for the majority of employed people - not only will the payment attract tax and NI at the marginal rate but it would mean all other expenses paid throughout the year become taxable as well and probably require a tax return. It then becomes even more complicated working out what you could offset against tax - would specials be entitled to a police constable's FRE allowance?

It's a generous gesture, but rather than giving between 20% and 40% of the budget earmarked for it back to the government right away I think if offered I'd probably prefer the PCC put it into a special constabulary development fund to pay for training and equipment which normally gets refused on the grounds of cost. 

[BlueBob + 692]

4 hours ago, Sceptre said:

It's a generous gesture, but rather than giving between 20% and 40% of the budget earmarked for it back to the government right away I think if offered I'd probably prefer the PCC put it into a special constabulary development fund to pay for training and equipment which normally gets refused on the grounds of cost. 

Oye,  step back one pace, turn and head directly to the naughty boys room with no gruel for you tonight.  We will not have such sense and sensibility being directed at our PCCs! 😃