Anything short of a cash bonus is an 'empty gesture' for officers hard work over through the pandemic

29 March 2021

Anything short of a cash bonus for police officers in 2021 will be seen as an ‘empty gesture’ by officers who have been treated appallingly by the Government, Surrey Police Federation has said.

The Police Remuneration Review Board (PRRB) has received a suggestion from the Police Federation of England and Wales that a ‘thank you’ payment for officers’ hard work and the extreme risks they have taken policing the pandemic should be paid by the Government.

It’s already been confirmed that officers won’t be getting a pay rise this year.

Surrey Police Federation Chair Mel Warnes said the Government had treated officers ‘appallingly’ during the pandemic and that she wasn’t holding her breath waiting for a thank you bonus.

“A pay rise for police officers is what has been submitted to the PRRB, but in the absence of a pay rise, any thank you payment from the Government may be seen as an empty gesture,” she said.

“We know too if this were to happen, it would not be a significant amount as there is no money.

“The police have been treated appallingly by the Government during the pandemic,” Mel added.

“We cannot do right for doing wrong, enforcing the many changes in legislation around COVID; we’re too harsh/too lenient.

Not being shuffled up the vaccination queue by the Government’s vaccine committee really hasn’t helped the situation, Mel added.

“We are policing alongside colleagues in the health and social care arena, dealing with the same people, yet we are not protected.

“There has been a sheer lack of understanding when it comes to policing and what it would mean to be protected and vaccinated to both our members, their families and the public who we serve.”