Appointment of the boss of the National Crime Agency has been put on hold - because the £140,000 salary isn't enought to tempt applicants away from their existing Chief Officer roles.
Top candidates for the post have been put off by the massive pay cut they would have to take.
The NCA replaces the Serious Organised Crime Agency next year with a salary cap placed on the Chief Executive's job. This is to ensure he or she is not paid more that prime minister David Cameron who earns £142,500 a year.
Home Secretary Theresa May was expected to announce the appointment on Monday but, after the wrangle over the salary, the decision has been postponed.
The main candidates for the job are all paid salaries of at least £150,000. They are thought to be Sara Thornton, the £150k-a-year Chief Constable of Thames Valley, Cressida Dick, Assistant Commissioner in the Metropolitan Police on at least £180,000 and Bernard Hogan-Howe the HM Inspector of Constabulary who is believed to earn more than £150,000.
Police minister Nick Herbert apologised for the delay in a speech to the Serious Organised Crime forum last week. He said an announcement about who was to occupy the post was 'imminent'.
The people in the running already earn more than £140,000, so obviously this is a sticking point. It has been said that anyone willing to take a pay cut for that kind of pressure would need their heads examining.
As well as organised crime, the NCA will be responsible for some aspects of border policing and protecting children from exploitation.
In a previous article, http://thinbluelineuk.blogspot.com/2010/09/top-10-highest-paid-cops-are-they.html we asked the question whether the top 10 highest paid Chiefs were worth their salary and revealed that:
* 14 Chief Officers are paid a basic of £150,000+
* 6 Chief Officers are paid between £140 to £150,000 per annum* 26 Chief Officers (inc Met Deputies) are paid between £130 and £140,000 per annum.
When the Government started applying the fiscal scalpel to policing, they should have started at the top.
THERE ARE TOO MANY CHIEFS. MANY OF THEM ARE PAID TOO MUCH.
THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH INDIANS AT THE FRONTLINE OF POLICING.
THESE ARE FUNDAMENTAL BASICS. THE GOVERNMENT MUST REVERSE THIS PROFLIGATE TREND IF THERE IS TO BE ANY HOPE OF RESTORING FAITH IN THE SERVICE, MORALE IN THE TROOPS AND CONFIDENCE IN THE LEADERSHIP OF THE SERVICE.
What's the betting the NCA boss won't come from this little lot either . . . . .
So, Home Secretary, we wonder if there is a suitable candidate among the remainder . . .
Rank and file officers feel justified in venting their anger at ACPO after feeling "badly let down" by the senior officers' body.
Peter Smyth, Chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said that members felt the Association had failed to address key issues and had not put its case strongly enough to government.
He maintained that decision of his branch to bring an emergency motion at the Federation annual conference, tabling a vote of no confidence in ACPO, showed the true depth of feeling.
Following endorsement of the motion by members, an angry open letter has been sent and is expected to land on the desk of President Sir Hugh Orde imminently.
Mr Smyth told PoliceOracle.com: "We feel that ACPO has let us down by failing to fight our corner strongly enough with the Comprehensive Spending Review. The leaders of the Armed Forces and the National Health Service, in comparison, were quite vociferous and they managed to put their position across. We also felt that ACPO submissions about the Winsor Report were damaging."
Meanwhile the ACPO President Sir Hugh Orde has come under fire again for failing to attend the Police Federation conference in Bournemouth – and heading to an event in Canada instead.
An open letter to the professional body from Federation Chairman Paul McKeever and General Secretary Ian Rennie said members were disappointed by the President's lack of show – particularly at such a tough time for policing.
The letter, which followed a motion of no confidence in ACPO from conference delegates, also accuses the professional body of being "in thrall to the government".
And it adds that certain ACPO members seemed unwilling to directly challenge ministerial assertions that 20 per cent cuts to policing are manageable.
In pressing home their attack in the letter, the senior Federation officials said there had been "dissatisfaction and anger" in the Federated ranks during the conference. The letter added: "It was clear that officers believe that ACPO is in thrall to this government and certain members appear unwilling to endanger their future prospects of employment by challenging the government's contention that 20 per cent cuts in the policing budget are perfectly manageable.
"Disappointingly, ACPO seem intent on supporting the reduction in police officers' pay and conditions which has provided them with the most flexible workforce in the country.
"We currently have the perfect storm in policing resulting from Winsor's attack on pay and conditions, Neyroud's proposals on promotion and leadership and Lord Hutton's proposals on pensions. Policing and Crime Commissioners will potentially change the political dynamics in the Service and there is a move to remove police officers from the protection of health and safety legislation.
"Regrettably, it is being left to the Police Federation to voice the concerns that should be raised by senior officers in the Service and, in particular, by you as the President of ACPO."
With all this going on, it may be that Chief Officers have decided to "stay put and keep their heads down" choosing to avoid the critical spotlight and protect their already fat salaries and perks.
How the service has changed. It used to be that officers rose to the highest ranks for the honour, privilege and responsibility of such a prestigious role. In yet another example, the Chiefs have shown that honour has been surplanted by sheer GREED.
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