Essex Police Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington called on the government to increase his officers’ salaries by describing the cost-of-living crisis facing some staff, and became the first Chief Constable outside the capital to speak-out on police pay.
“My colleagues are proud,” Mr Harrington said.
“They are not the kind to complain, but someone has to speak up for them and their families.
“You can’t Taser the gas bill and you can’t handcuff the family food shop at Lidl, and you can’t arrest rising mortgage bills.”
Mr Harrington said some officers had to quit the force for better-paid jobs in scaffolding and double-glazing, and some 300 colleagues had asked for permission to work second jobs, or unpaid jobs to improve future career prospects, in the last 12 months.
Mr Harrington, who took up the post in 2018, was speaking to 84 new recruits at the force’s headquarters in Chelmsford on Friday 17 March.
Essex Police chief broke silence after Police Federation in England & Wales showed police pay has fallen behind by 17% since 2000, and he revealed the extent of how inflation is impacting officers’ lives.
He referenced the cases of:
“A newly-qualified Sgt-level officer with five years of proud service who had recently passed tough national investigation exams, only to resign within weeks.
“A detective with two years’ experience who did everything to make ends meet – including sharing lifts to work, helping colleagues – who was tempted back to her old job selling double glazing and commission.
“Another officer who could not afford the cost of the daily commute and resigned to work in the family restaurant nearer to home.
“An officer, whose wife became pregnant, realised he could not afford to pay his bills and resigned to earn £250 a day as a scaffolder.”
Mr Harrington said: “How can it be right that you can earn £20,000 more selling Nissans in Romford than working as a PC? Or be a fitness instructor or personal trainer in Epping for the same money as a highly-trained police officer?”
“I hope that by speaking out, it will cause others to take notice,” he added.
“It is precisely because officers do their duties without fuss or complaint that it is vitally important that I do make a fuss and that I do speak up.
“I say to our decision-makers, do not ignore the 17% pay gap. It’s an impossibly big gap to bridge if you’re an experienced officer who just can’t make ends meet.
“Please, end the silence on this issue in Westminster – and set out the plan to maintain the strength that forces have built up in recent years, or risk losing it.
“There is still time to fix this and allow policing to get on and invest in the experiences and skills we need in our teams, to reduce crime and keep people safe.”
(Source: Essex Police)
