Recognise Police's Efforts With Fair Pay Deal

24 July 2024

It is time for policing to be recognised and respected by officers being given a fair pay deal, according to Surrey Police Federation.

Chair Darren Pemble was speaking as it emerged that the Government has been advised to give police officers a nearly 5% pay rise this year, according to reports.

The Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB) is understood to have recommended officers receive just under 5% in their pay award this year.

Darren said: “Police officers are not paid enough, and deserve a fair pay deal as we have been subject to austere times for many years now. Officers were denied a pay rise during Covid when they continued to work through the pandemic while others received furlough.

“It is time for policing to be recognised and respected, as our pay is almost 20% behind inflation over 20 years and we have no industrial rights.

“It cannot be right that police officers are not rewarded for the work we do. We run towards danger, we deal with bad people, and we are held to higher standards.

“We are seeing that recruitment and retention in policing is suffering so the pay gap needs to be bridged. A fair pay deal is all we have ever wanted. Other areas of the public sector have industrial rights if they wish to challenge their pay awards, but we cannot.

“Policing should be recognised for what it does on behalf of the country and in keeping the public safe – a fair pay deal would be a step in the right direction.”

The calls for an increase in police pay have been echoed by the Chief Inspector of Constabulary Andy Cooke, who this week called for officers to receive bigger pay rise for the bravery, professionalism and compassion they showed on a daily basis.

Speaking ahead of an expected announcement on public sector pay rises before the Parliamentary summer recess, HMIC Mr Cooke told the Daily Telegraph: “I’ve said before many times that the police are not paid enough.

“But we are in a difficult financial time when public money is scarce and there needs to be a sensible approach to how much of a pay rise can be afforded across the country.

“So for the risks that they take, for the bravery they show, for the professionalism they show, the compassion that they show on a daily basis, yes, I would always say the police should be paid more money, particularly front-line officers.”