‘Police officers should not be compared to other public sector workers on pay’

25 July 2022

The unique role police have in society means they should not be compared with other public sector workers when it comes to pay, according to Suffolk Police Federation chair Darren Harris.

Speaking after the Government finally unveiled its 2022 public sector pay awards, Darren said it was worth reflecting on the findings of an inquiry into the police service carried out more than 40 years ago.

He said: “Like today, there were severe problems with the recruitment and retention of police officers in England and Wales in the 1970s because of chronically low pay.

“A 1978 Commission of Inquiry was led by Lord Edmund-Davies and he recommended a major revaluation of police pay and a rise of between 30 per cent to 45 per cent.

“He also concluded that the police could not be compared with any other group of public sector workers when it came to calculating pay because the unique nature of the police service and the work they do made such an exercise impossible.

“The Police Federation agreed with those findings back then and has done so to this day. The police provide a unique service keeping this country and its citizens safe and secure and deserve recognition for that role.”

Darren pointed out that the Edmund-Davies report led to sweeping political changes that are still being felt today.

He said: “Interestingly, the Government of the day remained non-committal on the report and then reluctantly agreed to implement 50 per cent of its recommendations a month later.

“The opposition at the time made a manifesto pledge to implement the Edmund-Davies report in full, swept to power in the General Election of 1979 and honoured its commitment to the police service.

“And I think comparisons with what happened 44 years ago and what is happening today are valid in this case because conditions are quite similar - we are enduring a summer of discontent.”

Darren gave a cautious welcome to this year's police pay rise but warned there was still a long way to go before trust between policing and Government was fully restored.

“Police officers have now been given an average pay rise of five  per cent which is a step in the right direction after real-term cuts of 20 per cent in the last decade,” he said.

“But around 60 per cent of Suffolk Police Federation members will get less than a five per cent increase. I am pleased to see younger in service officers getting a better uplift as many are struggling but giving more experienced officers a smaller increase will do nothing to address retention issues.

“This Government must recognise the unique place of police officers in society. Police officers hold the frontline and face dangers as they go about their duties, fighting and preventing crime, keeping law and order and protecting the vulnerable.

“Policing in our country is in crisis and the Government must step up and ensure that officers are all paid fairly.”
Police Federation national chair Steve Hartshorn also demanded a greater commitment from the Government.

He said: “No matter how many times the Government says it is infusing money into policing, we are not seeing the longer-term funding settlements that would allow Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners to plan properly.”