Force launches rejoiner scheme to retain skills and experience

16 May 2023

West Midlands Police Federation has cautiously welcomed the Force’s decision to launch a new 30++ police officer rejoiner scheme in a bid to retain specialist skills and experience.

But, for the initiative to achieve its objectives, the Force will need to improve its infrastructure and offer a more competitive package, according to Federation secretary Tim Rogers.

The Force has launched the scheme to encourage retiring or recently retired officers to consider going back to work. Eligible officers will retire and, following a break in service of at least one month, return to policing as a warranted officer.

They will be able to rejoin at the rank they retired at, up to inspector level, and will be posted to where their skills and experience can best be used.

Tim said trying to retain staff with key skills made perfect sense and welcomed the fact the Federation was consulted about the scheme.

He said: “Many officers considering their retirement options will have plenty of external job opportunities because of the excellent transferable skills they have.

“A top rate sergeant would be retained on an annual salary of £48,000 but their abated pension of around £27,000 would need to be deducted from the retained salary so in effect this officer would be getting £21,000 a year for doing the same job! That’s not the incentive most would require to remain.

“It is essential that officers considering this option seek appropriate advice both pensions and taxation wise.

“And for the Force to truly compete, it needs to allow officers to work on the same basis they would in the private sector, drawing their pension and salary.”

Tim Rogers urged officers to seek advice over the 30++ rejoin scheme

Tim said the Force would also have to address infrastructure and back office issues. 

He said 28 per cent of West Midlands Police officers were student officers which had created great demand for the infrastructure which had been lost since funding cuts began in 2010.

He said: “The cuts removed the infrastructure including appropriate levels of tutors for the students. We have seen ratios of one tutor to six students which is clearly unsustainable.

“In fairness, the Force recognises this and has gone some way to remedy it with a commitment to have a maximum of one-to-two in the future.”

Tim warned difficulties in recruiting officers in key roles had also reached crisis point with CID becoming a particularly undesirable department because of caseload and working conditions.

He said: “This has resulted in the Force mandating moves into these roles which is a positive step and will hopefully stop some of the experience drain we are currently suffering. 

“Aside from normal retirements, we are also having to deal with officers simply resigning too - April saw 30 officers resign.”

Tim said there was lots for members to think about around the implications to their pensions while considering rejoining.

• Retiring before age 55 and taking a lump sum from the 1987 Police Pension Scheme will give a member a better commutation factor. Age 49: 27.3; age 50:26.9; age 51: 26.4; age 52: 25.9; age 53: 25.4; age 54: 24.9; age 55: 24.3. 
• Using a lump sum to pay off mortgage, loans or for investment may be beneficial but, as always, members are urged to seek advice from a financial advisor before making any decision.
• A pension may be abated but it will still benefit in the background from declared pension increases.
• If a member contributes to the 2015 pension scheme on rejoining,  their previous 2015 pension entitlement earned from April 2022 will be joined up with their new period and if they then decide to retire at 55 direct from active service the actuarial reduction applied will be based on the normal pension age of the scheme which is age 60.
• If a member retired with 1987 scheme benefits before 55 and did not rejoin Pensionable Service and then requested their 2015 benefits at 55 their actuarial reduction would be based on state pension age which may be age 67 or even 68.

Members can contact their Fed rep if they need further advice and guidance on the 30++ rejoiner scheme.