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POLICE OUTRAGE AS PLASTIC BOBBIES GET PAY RISE BACKDATED
Wednesday December 19,2007
By Tom Whitehead Have your say(5)
THE row over police pay deepened yesterday as it was revealed that “plastic bobbies” will get a bigger rise than regular officers.

The move sparked fury and WPC Rachael Bown – who was gunned down in the street – accused the Home Secretary of failing to respect officers.
Chief constables joined the intense criticism of Jacqui Smith and an influential group of MPs warned that she was undermining police trust.

The anger centres on Ms Smith’s continuing refusal to backdate a 2.5 per cent pay award to September, effectively making it a 1.9 per cent increase.

By stark contrast civilian staff, including 9,000 Police Community Support Officers – often given the derogatory label of plastic bobbies – will receive the backdated 2.5 per cent increase.
Paul Tonks, chairman of the West Midlands branch of the Police Federation, said: “It is absurd – another kick in the teeth for the police officer.

“PCSOs have always been regarded as policing on the cheap – but it is not policing and it is not getting any cheaper.”
He added: “It is about time the Government saw common sense and admitted it was the wrong decision – and eat humble pie.”

David Hines, of the North of England Victims’ Association, said: “It’s outrageous. I never agreed with community officers in the first place. It was a mistake to have them brought in.”
Shadow Home Secretary, David Davis said: “This adds insult to injury. The Home Secretary has been incompetent and less than straightforward with police. Now her claim that restraint was required in police pay has been undermined.”

The pay award for civilian police involves 71,000 staff around the country but outside London. The Home Secretary has no influence over any pay offer to them but she does over wage deals for regular officers. Unison national officer Ben Priestley said: “Police staff and police officers work side by side to protect communities – they
do not now want to be divided over pay.”

There was also a devastating attack from heroic Nottingham officer WPC Rachael Bown, who was honoured for her unflinching bravery after being shot as she tried to arrest a man in a Nottingham street last year.
WPC Bown, who returned to duty in March despite still suffering panic attacks, said: “I would ask that the Government recognise the personal sacrifice made by officers and their families.

“By awarding the full pay rise as agreed, they will show their support for the police. They need to lead by example.
“As is shown in my case, there is a lack of respect for the police in this country. The Government are leading this lack of respect.”

Her comments were contained in an e-mail read yesterday to the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee by Nottinghamshire Chief Constable Steve Green.
He described the pay decision as a “body blow” to the morale of serving officers.
Merseyside Chief Constable Bernard Hogan-Howe said he wholeheartedly supported the campaign for a U-turn on pay because his “exceptional” officers deserved better. Officers had been treated “in a shabby way”.

Select committee members have now issued a blunt demand for Ms Smith to change her mind and backdate the rise.
MPs said they viewed the pay commitment as a “question of trust” and warned that the decision was impacting “on police morale, on recruitment and retention and on trust”.

Police Federation chairman Jan Berry told the committee that there was unprecedented dissent within the police over the issue. The Federation had called for an urgent meeting with Gordon Brown.
Ms Berry said a ballot on the policeman’s right to strike would be held in the New Year.

She added: “If you back them into a corner, where you give them no option, that’s what they may ask to do.”

Daily Express



Looks like the rot's setting in...