Craik Critical of Police Bonuses
One of Britain's police chiefs has criticised a scheme that saw officers receive bonuses of up to £1,200 each last year.
Mike Craik, Chief Constable of Northumbria Police and ACPO spokesman on workforce modernisation, sparked controversy by saying that traumatic situations were part and parcel of a police officer's life and should not attract bonus payments.
Mr Craik's comments coincide with a Freedom of Information Act disclosure showing that officers received £157 million in bonuses last year. The Telegraph helpfully gives a breakdown of some of the individual cases:
Mike Craik, Chief Constable of Northumbria Police and ACPO spokesman on workforce modernisation, sparked controversy by saying that traumatic situations were part and parcel of a police officer's life and should not attract bonus payments.
Mr Craik's comments coincide with a Freedom of Information Act disclosure showing that officers received £157 million in bonuses last year. The Telegraph helpfully gives a breakdown of some of the individual cases:
- £500 was paid to a sergeant for the removal of a 30 stone man in the advanced stages of decomposition.
- A police constable in Brent received £200 for the "setting up of a borough gym".
- another officer received £500 for disposing of a large number of motorcycles on his days off.
- Two Royal protection officers received £500 for being "regularly deployed overseas and regularly meeting high-ranking people in the host country".
Mr Craik, who recently shared a £47,000 bonus with four colleagues, said: "Bonuses do not have a place in the police service.
"Sometimes what officers have to do can be awful. I was a senior investigating officer in London. I have seen the most grisly things you could ever come across but that is the job I signed up to do."
"Bonuses do not lead to improved performance. Our high performance has come from work we would have done anyway."
I think Mr Craik is absolutely right - it's just a pity he's mounting his soap box after having his own nose in the trough.
The police are already paid very generously compared to a lot of other public sector workers. They have very favourable holiday entitlements, pension rights and overtime payments. Why should they be getting bonus payments for attending road accidents, crime scenes or tending the police station's garden?
Any police officer who finds them self unable to perform their duties without these incentives shouldn't be in the job in the first place. They'd be better suited to a less stressful career - like flower arranging.
"Sometimes what officers have to do can be awful. I was a senior investigating officer in London. I have seen the most grisly things you could ever come across but that is the job I signed up to do."
"Bonuses do not lead to improved performance. Our high performance has come from work we would have done anyway."
I think Mr Craik is absolutely right - it's just a pity he's mounting his soap box after having his own nose in the trough.
The police are already paid very generously compared to a lot of other public sector workers. They have very favourable holiday entitlements, pension rights and overtime payments. Why should they be getting bonus payments for attending road accidents, crime scenes or tending the police station's garden?
Any police officer who finds them self unable to perform their duties without these incentives shouldn't be in the job in the first place. They'd be better suited to a less stressful career - like flower arranging.
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