Better pay crucial to recruiting more officers

Police chiefs, whilst recognising the financial context, are calling for an increase in officer pay across all ranks of 3.8% as well as raising the starting salary for constables and reviewing pay scales to match skills and experience.

These changes together will help with the recruitment and retention of officers and in turn support the Government's Safer Streets Mission, Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee and its focus on reducing knife crime, anti-social behaviour and violence against women and girls.

The recommendations, recognising the highly demanding nature of the role, also include wider officer pay structure reform and outline the importance of making policing a competitive career through better pay for all officers.

Police chiefs have also stressed the importance of adequate funding for all forces to cover any increase, recognising that the ability for forces to absorb additional cost pressures is extremely limited.

National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Pay and Conditions, Assistant Chief Officer Philip Wells, said: “Below market starting salaries for constables and real term pay cuts for officers poses a significant challenge to attracting and retaining talented police officers.

“To deliver against the Government’s Safer Streets Mission and Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee we need to recruit, build and retain skills, attracting those people with the aptitude but also values and standards we need in policing.

“Our recommendations recognise the significant financial pressure facing both forces and government, whilst advocating for the critical need for a funded uplift in officer pay which reflects the incredibly challenging nature of the job.”