And it called on the Government to dispense with policing platitudes and to reverse the 0% pay award decision for police officers in 2021.

The letter called for three requests:

- Stop taking police officers for granted and treat them with respect;

- Agree to work with the Police Federation on an entirely new and fairer system of remuneration decision-making

- And to reverse the 0% pay award decision and give our police officers a meaningful pay increase.

Mr Apter said: “These, in our view, are fair and reasonable requests which, if responded to positively, could at least begin to build a new and better relationship between government and police.

“I ask that you show your support and protect the protectors -so that we can properly protect the public.”

He added: “This is about much more than money, though for many the offer of a zero per cent pay rise, after all the police has been through in helping deal with the pandemic, was the final straw.

“It is about the risks you asked us to take - which we did, because it is our duty - without proper PPE. It is about the endlessly changing and confusing Covid legislation which we were expected to police - which we did, because it is our duty. It is about your mixed messaging and lack of understanding of our role, which combined to put many of our members in invidious positions which led to them being abused and attacked.

“It is about the failure, despite the promises of the Home Secretary, to take seriously our request that police officers should be given early priority for vaccination. It is about the very strong feeling we have, not least when the Prime Minister and Home Secretary spoke at our Annual Conference, that the warm words flow easily, but the actions that show genuine support for the police do not.

“Just this weekend, we found out through a Sunday newspaper column about a new so-called Beating Crime Plan. We don’t need old ideas presented as new, we need genuine investment for the whole of the Criminal Justice System and genuine consultation over new ideas. Without that, this is just another ill-thought out initiative.

“Police officers are sick of gimmicks. Sick of underfunding. Sick of mixed messaging putting police at risk. Sick of Government contempt for police. It’s time for a total reset of police-government relations.”