Monday 15 November 2010

TOP COP PAY & BONUS SCANDAL - CHIEFS STILL RECEIVE £2.2MILLION IN BONUSES

In December 2009, we wrote about how the Chief Police Officers were riding the gravy train of exhorbitant bonuses. This is despite many of them already receiving basic salaries that exceed that of the Prime Minister.

If the article in todays Daily Mail is correct, many of these officers are continuing to show a flagrant disregard for the present economic climate. This will widen still further the divide between the Chiefs and the rank and file and looks set to create a furious backlash from frontline officers, the media, Government ministers and the general public alike.

What is truly sickening, is that these same officers will happily screw the system for all its worth, and yet will not protect the 143,000 rank and file officers who protect the public in all hours and in all weather, day in day out. They proved their disregard and disloyalty toward their fellow officers when ACPO secretly delivered a document to the Home Office containing 39 recommendations to rip apart the pay and conditions of the federated ranks, without reference to the police federation or other members of the proper pay negotiating board.

In the last three years more than £2.2million has been paid in bonuses to chief constables, their deputies and assistants, new figures show.

Northumbria Police acting chief constable Sue Sim netted the biggest payout to any serving officer this year. More than £33,000 was paid out to the top officer, who faced criticism over the handling of the Raoul Moat investigation.

The latest figures, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, show that some officers have even seen their bonuses increase during the recession.

At Merseyside Police, chief officers received £45,192 this year - up from £33,714 the previous year. The payments included £22,178 to Chief Constable Bernard Hogan-Howe, who retired earlier this year.

The bumper bonuses at a time when forces are facing hugh cutbacks has provoked fury amongst rank and file officers. Police chiefs have also been blasted by their own association for accepting performance-related pay.

Paul McKeever, chairman of the Police Federation for England and Wales, said: 'We have been opposed to bonuses from the start. Bonuses for chief constables are unpopular with our members but they they are also unpopular with the public. These bonuses are being paid at a time when forces are facing cuts of 20 per cent and some frontline officers are effectively facing redundancy.'

In Northumbria, the figures, which relate to payments made in the financial year of 2009-2010 for the previous year's work, show that more than £500,000 was paid out to top officers this year on top of their wages. That compares to £700,000 in 2008.

At North Wales Police, chief officers' bonuses have almost doubled from £24,045 three years ago to £42,342 last year. That include £17,515 paid to former Chief Constable Richard Brunstrom.

At Cleveland, chief officers received £49,000, including £20,000 paid to Chief Constable Sean Price, who earns a salary of £130,000.

Durham Police Chief Constable Jon Stoddart received £18,765.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Paul Stephenson has reportedly turned down more than £100,000 in bonuses since 2005. We can't help but wonder if he was actually offered twenty five grand a year? If so, is it documented or is this a calculation based on his basic salary?

However, five chief officers at Northumberland Police have reportedly shared £115,000 between them. More than 500 senior officers receive payments for targets worth a reported £1.5m per year.

Amid growing anger over bonus payments in the public sector, the most recent FOI figures disclose that performance bonuses for superintendents, who earn around £70,000 a year, are worth an annual £2.5 million and have risen by 70 per cent since 2007 in some forces.

Although many chief constables, their deputies and assistants are now refusing to accept their bonuses, half are still receiving an average £11,000 based on their performance, the figures show.

Five chief officers at Northumbria Police shared performance-related bonuses last year of £115,500.

In neighbouring Durham, one chief picked up an £18,700 bonus in 2009-10; in South Wales another received £14,300, and in South Yorkshire four senior officers shared £69,000.

Despite Sir Paul Stephenson telling The Daily Telegraph in May that all types of police bonus should be scrapped to prove that officers were motivated solely by their duty to serve the public, according to the 2009-10 figures, the Met remains one of the worst offenders for paying bonuses at a senior level.

Superintendents and chief superintendents who earn a performance-related bonus receive, on average, £3,000 a year on top of their salary of £62,000 to £78,000. In the Met, Britain’s largest force, 136 of the highly ranked officers shared £567,000 in bonuses – a 70 per cent rise since 2007-8.

"All that's necessary for the forces of evil to win in the world is for enough good men to do nothing." Edmund Burke (British Statesman and Philosopher 1729-1797)


Are they already being paid too much?

We have previously reported that there are TOO MANY POLICE CHIEFS as it is. Their basic salary levels are questionable, and the continuance of these scandalous bonus payments is an outrage and an insult, both to serving rank and file officers and to the tax paying public.

This is serious.

It is these very same Chief Officers who must assume responsibility for the mis management of resources that has resulted in a mere 10% of warranted officers providing a visible policing presence.

Whilst this top heavy, self serving boys club oligarchy of ACPO officers are allowed to continue this practice, it is killing the morale of officers who really make a difference, those who actually police our streets and protect us.  

It is abundantly clear that the ACPO ranks have practised a clever "deflection strategy" over recent months. In fear that their perks and scurrilous acts would be discovered, knowing that it was likely that a new Government would be elected earlier in the year, they set out to deflect attention away from themselves, onto the rank and file with numerous "deflections". 

We can only hope that this whole fiasco is exposed and sorted before the elected commissioners arrive.
 
 

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

A law unto themselves! Untouchables, just like their political masters, from whom they have learned well!

Crime Analyst said...

Reprinted from Daily Wail Reader :

Perhaps the Taxpayers Alliance can at last flex its muscles and take legal action through the courts to force a Judicial Review into the individual performances of each and everyone of these individuals receiving a bonus award.

Let the public judge for themselves as to what they have actually done to detect and catch criminals, improve public safety and reduce anti social behaviour.

Some of them may end up owing the taxpayers.
- John, Leeds, 14/11/2010 15:39

Crime Analyst said...

Reprinted from Daily Wail Reader :
Why are they paid massive bonuses on top of a very large salary and pension? Time to stop all this nonsense of paying people bonuses on top of large salaries/pensions when the country is in an absolute mess.
- Diana, Staffs, 14/11/2010 16:19

Crime Analyst said...

Reprinted from Daily Wail Reader :
It has always amazed me why people employed in public services should be receiving bonuses for doing what is, after all, the job they were employed to do in the first place.
- Peter Kaye, Norwich, 14/11/2010 16:31

Crime Analyst said...

Reprinted from Daily Wail Reader :

They do the least but get paid the most; and now with a bonus! Gaffers should go. If you haven't nicked anyone in the last six months then you're not a propper copper I say.
- Tom, Nottingham, 14/11/2010 16:36

Crime Analyst said...

Reprinted from Daily Wail Reader :

Same old story in life, too many chiefs, not enough braves. And the fact that the Chief Constable of Northumbria was paid the most proves that having an affliction pays, she has a foot in mouth problem, and so does the Chief of the Traffic in North Wales..

I have a novel idea, cut the number by more than half and pay them the same with a far bigger force, then they can honestly say they have earned their money.
- John, West Midlands, 14/11/2010 16:42

Crime Analyst said...

Reprinted from Daily Wail Reader :

The plods on the beat, and sgts do all of the work and he bossess get the bonuses. Seems about right.
- Ex Old Bill, Freedonville, 14/11/2010 16:59

Crime Analyst said...

Reprinted from Daily Wail Reader :

30K for what exactly - doing her job? If she does her job pay her a salary, if she fails sack her.
- bingo, cannock, 14/11/2010 17:03

Crime Analyst said...

Reprinted from Daily Wail Reader :

It is blatantly obvious to the public and the junior ranks within the police that these chief constables or acting chiefs are not up to their jobs let alone these obscene salaries and bonus's. The next step they will take is to make redundant the junior ranks due to their budgets being slashed. This will then mean less police visible on the streets and more jobs and bloated bonus's for senior officers. As a former police officer it is clear which way this is going. The senior officers scare monger. They inform the public that it is all the fault of the government and that crime will increase to cover their ineptitude. They are diversity stupid and criminal detection incompetent. They are unfit for purpose and it is long overdue that senior police officers were recruited from the armed forces. ACPO should be placed on warning its life span is now severely limited and is now an irrelevance and has no place in the future and all chief constables should be placed on 12 monthly contracts.
- Ray, Spain, 14/11/2010 17:22

Crime Analyst said...

Reprinted from Daily Wail Reader :

Roll on directly elected police commisioners! The role of Chief Constable has had its day, they are clearly in it for themselves not the public that are supposed to serve. I wonder how many will hand the bonus payment back given the bleak outlook for police budgets?
- Jon, Merseyside, 14/11/2010 17:50

Crime Analyst said...

Reprinted from Daily Wail Reader :

The bonus system was devised so the government could wriggle out of a cost of living pay increase.

That bonus payment accepted by CC Sims would have paid a PC of considerable service for a whole year, or 1.5 PCSO's, or upto 2 civilian police staff depending on role.

Hats off to those who had the integrity to decline them (not that they have gone short on their basic salaries equivalent or greater to that of the PM)
- me, here, 14/11/2010 17:58

Crime Analyst said...

Reprinted from Daily Wail Reader :

ACPO say "many chief constables have refused bonus payments" strange that because quite a lot of them seem to have accepted them as well,nice work if you can get it though
- paul sansom, London,England, 14/11/2010 18:09

Crime Analyst said...

Reprinted from Daily Wail Reader :

Well while all those who are receiving their bonuses are home & sound asleep, enjoying their weekends off and spending time with their families - don't worry, I'll be working nightshift for nothing more than my monthly salary.

I, and all those whom I work with, don't expect a bonus for doing our jobs.

Sleep tight!
- PC Frontline, Durham, 14/11/2010 18:50

Crime Analyst said...

Reprinted from Daily Wail Reader :

The TWO purposes of the police are to protect the public and to solve crimes.

That's it! - It's not that difficult.

It's NOT to ensure that all the propaganda "targets" are met, to "improve the client experience", to ensure that "key logistic targets" are met, to "engage public opinion to show the force in the best light" or even to ensure that "diversity targets" are met.

It's NOT to spend endless hours discussing the most culturally effective ways of engaging minority opinions.

It's to protect US - and to identify and catch the bad guys.
Nothing more and nothing less.

They swear an oath to do just this - SO WHY ARE THESE IDIOTS BEING PAID "BONUSES" FOR FAILING TO DO THE JOB WE PAY THEM FOR?

I'm sure that this will "sit well" with many of our "real" police force - who are the best in the world.
- Paul Kearns, HMP, Ilfracombe, North West Europe, 14/11/2010 19:53

Crime Analyst said...

Reprinted from Daily Wail Reader :

There are those of us who despair at that motor mouth Simm, and the thought of her getting any bonus. She did not even have the savvy to stay well away from the Moat incident, and let the competent officers get on with it. What the rank and file must think of her "inspired" leadership and that bonus,I just do not know. Come to think of it. Why should any Police Officer be getting a bonus.? They are paid a decent salary to do the job, and that should be sufficient.
- Anon, Northumberland,England., 14/11/2010 20:39

Crime Analyst said...

Reprinted from Daily Wail Reader :

In a climate of ever shrinking public budgets these payments are disgraceful. It beggars belief that such highly paid civil servants should even dare to accept such huge bonuses from our taxes. Since the Government has seen fit to strangle finances everywhere else it's time it looked closer to home and recalled these ridiculous payments immediately.
- Deceived and Cheated, The North, 14/11/2010 20:52

Crime Analyst said...

Reprinted from Daily Wail Reader :

We have seen the accelerated demise of not just the Police but the whole of the public sector in the last 13yrs ie since Nu Liebour were elected. The Police ect used to be virtually independant of the Govt until Liebour came to power. The last 2 Ch Const of Merseyside 'Sir' Norman Bettison and Bernard Hogan Howe were just Liebour puppets. Both being 1st in the queue to introduce the latest PC/ diversity nonsense that the leftie idiots in the Home Office could dream up. They spent untold thousands of £'s of taxpayers money promoting themselves as forward thinking officers. Bettison sold Nieghbourhood Policing to the Govt on false pretences as it is very labour intensive and no force has got those resources to work it, however one area got all the officers required to make it work, once in place a Home Office Minister was invited up, outspoken lower ranks who knew it was a sham were deployed elswhere during his visit as not to upset the apple cart and hey presto millions down the drain
- John, England, 14/11/2010 21:12

Crime Analyst said...

Reprinted from Daily Wail Reader :

ACPO dangerous undemocratic nonsense. 349 members! 44 police services and HQs - We are a relatively small Island. But hey, lets get rid of the lads and lasses on the streets. Every other agency of government has changed - the police, no chance, and whilst ACPO exists nothing will change. Promoted by acceptability over capability, the desire to keep at all costs the perks of the fiefdom, the chauffeur, the shiny bauble arise Sir Plod, dished out by the score, the only people still grasping for a title - nice little comfort blanket for the inadequate. Something for Lady Plod to impress the hairdresser with I suppose. How many more years are the British public going to have to pay for the appalling command structure of the police. No chief constable should be a serving or retired officer, there is no need for it. There is no need for more than 6 forces plus the Met, When did the police stop being a civilian organisation with warranted constables?
- Wills, Soton, 14/11/2010 21:20

Crime Analyst said...

Reprinted from Daily Wail Reader :

It appears that these high ranking police officers qualify for these huge bonuses simply because they have ticked all the target boxes that the last Govt set for them. This has no relation to real policing on the streets and actual crimes being solved. I had a constable friend, now dead, who joined in the 1960's when men became police officers to help maintain law and order and help the public in general. Now the police force is seen as a cushy job where you are well paid with an excellent pension, and fighting crime is viewed as an occasional irritating option to driving around in cars or spending several hours a day in a warm office filling in reams of duplicating paperwork. Sign of the times unfortunately.
- gordon, glasgow, 14/11/2010 22:02

Crime Analyst said...

Reprinted from Daily Wail Reader :

I want a policeman who is patrolling my streets and deterring criminal activity. The current bonus system does nothing to achieve this quite simple objective.Front line police officers who do their jobs properly by deterring crime with a physical presence will not receive any bonuses whatsoever .Officers who abandon whole areas for six months (and advertise the lack of police presence) who then return and arrest the known trouble makers will receive bonuses.The cpo's and acpo's will actively deter the public from recording crime because it will reduce their bonuses.The public do not want to see hundreds or thousands of arrests they want ZERO CRIME IN THE FIRST PLACE .The police hierarchy have forgotten that their first priority is crime prevention and every force without exception has failed abysmally in that department yet bonuses are still paid.
- Mr Rolf Kitching, Gosport Hampshire, 14/11/2010 22:10

Crime Analyst said...

LinkedIn Groups
Group: Central Government / Police Network
Discussion: The Thin Blue Line: TOP COP PAY & BONUS SCANDAL - CHIEFS STILL RECEIVE £2.2MILLION IN BONUSES

I often hear the argument that we must pay these huge salaries to "retain talent and prevent tgop people defecting to industry".
frankly I find that argument insulting to the 140,000 + police officers in Britain. It is fair to say that not all are capable, or willing to take on that level of responsibility. But a great many would be. I say, pay a sensible salary and let the ones without committment go. There are plently more waiting for a chance.

Posted by Neil Hallam

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