Police chiefs urge end to bonus culture

TENS of millions of pounds in police bonuses faced the axe after chief constables, including Humberside chief Tim Hollis and West Yorkshire boss Sir Norman Bettison, told Home Secretary Theresa May they were not wanted.

A delegation of force leaders told the Tory Cabinet member that bonuses are not part of the country's "policing culture" and should be dumped.

They said the system of making special payments to all ranks was imposed on police despite concerns that private sector remuneration was not suitable for their unique role.

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The bonus system was covered during a wide-ranging discussion between a handful of chief constables, the Home Secretary and Police Minister Nick Herbert on Monday. Among those present were Humberside chief Tim Hollis, Thames Valley chief Sara Thornton, West Midlands chief Chris Sims and West Yorkshire boss Sir Norman Bettison.

Sir Hugh Orde, president of the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo), who also attended the meeting, said bonuses have always been "anathema to policing". He said: "There is a bigger debate here about the whole public sector. To deliver, the public sector needs to look at the whole reward structure.

"There are some unique things about policing. These guys work in imprecise environments, we rely on them to make split second decisions. That has got to be recognised, but we need to recognise it in a fair way. Acpo recognises there is pressure on the public purse. It is about recognising professional working practices and rewards."

News of the meeting emerged after Scotland Yard boss Sir Paul Stephenson called for an end to bonus payments for all police officers to repair public confidence. Britain's most senior officer said the service was damaged by the bonus culture, it does not motivate police to work harder and warned the payments could be "divisive".

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The subject is now sure to feature when Mr Herbert faces rank-and-file officers at the Police Federation conference in Bournemouth on Tuesday and when Mrs May attends on Wednesday.

Prime Minister David Cameron moved to curb public spending by announcing an end to "crazy" performance-related pay for senior civil servants. Sir Paul, who is paid 250,000 a year and previously called for a "fundamental review" of bonuses, said he has turned down more than 100,000 of performance-related pay since 2005.

He told the Daily Telegraph: "If I had accepted a bonus I always felt as though I would compromise my operational independence and discharge of duties, and that is something that forms the basis to my whole approach to policing. I am very disappointed that we still have bonus payments in policing. Now is the time to get rid of them, as far as I'm concerned. They should never have been there in the first place."