Duty Time

DUTY TIME
Normal Period of Duty
Different provisions apply depending on whether or not you are a full time or part time officer or are working a variable shift arrangement. The following information applies to members working full time only.

Normal Daily Period of Duty (Reg 22) Annex E Determination
The normal daily period of duty (including refreshments) is 8 hours. As far as the exigencies of duty permit the normal daily period of duty shall be performed in one tour, with an interval of 45 minutes for refreshments, except when a half-day’s annual leave is taken. Where an officer works in accordance with variable shift arrangement is on duty for a continuous period of 5 hours or more, time for refreshments shall as far as exigencies of duty permit be allowed as follows:

Number of Hours

Refreshment Time

Less than 6

30 mins

6 ~ 7 hours

35 mins

7 ~ 8 hours

40 mins

8 ~ 9 hours

45 mins

9 ~ 10 hours

50 mins

10 hours or more

60 mins

Where a normal duty period is performed in more than one hour and you do not travel to and from home between tours, an interval for refreshment and rest should normally be included at the beginning or end of one of those tours. A “day” means a period of 24 hours starting at such time as the chief officer may determine.

Travel Time
Travel time between home and your usual place of duty is generally not duty time. Such travel time shall only be treated as a period of duty when you are:

Required to perform your normal daily period of duty in more than our tour (Split Duty) or

Recalled to work between two tours of duty and you travel to and from your home between tours.

In calculating any period of overtime, the time occupied by a member in relevant travelling shall be treated as a period of duty.

If you are designated either a casual or essential user, use of a motor vehicle for this purpose attracts mileage allowance.

Variable Shift Arrangements
A chief officer may bring into operation variable shift arrangements (VSA), agreed by him in consultation (30 days) with the Federation, for all or any particular class of members below the rank of Inspector (below the rank of superintendent for part-time officers). The 3 month notice for a pattern still exists and the time should start after the consultation period has agreed the new proposed pattern. Details can be seen in Police Regs Annex E to Reg 22. Variable shift arrangements must provide, for full time members, for whom they are in operation:

For hours of duty equivalent to those of a member with a normal daily period of 8 hours (including a period of refreshment) and who receives a day's leave on each public bank holiday and 2 rest days per week.

For annual leave equivalent to that granted in accordance with regulation 33 and the Secretary of State's determination of the annual leave of members of police forces thereunder.

Variable shift arrangements must provide, for part-time members for whom they are in operation:

A normal period of duty in every relevant period.

Rostering Arrangements

The Chief Officer shall publish duty rosters for members of his/her force after full consultation with the Federation at intervals not exceeding 12 months and not later than 1 month before the date in which it starts. Each roster will set out for at least 3 months the following:

His/her rest days.

Public Holidays in which he/she may be required to do duty on.

The time at which his/her scheduled daily period of duty begins & end.

For part time members his/her free days

An interval of at least 11 hours between the end and the beginning.