Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen has welcomed an announcement confirming police officers will receive an above inflation pay award from September 1.
As the government outlined its commitment to rebuilding public trust and confidence in policing and boosting visibility, the Home Office confirmed officers will receive a 4.75 per cent pay rise from September this year.
To help forces to deliver the pay award, the government announced a further £175m of additional funding will be allocated in 2024/25.
The pay rise follows recommendations to ministers by the Police Remuneration Review Body.
Reacting to the announcement, the County Durham and Darlington PCC said: “I’m pleased to see that police officers will receive an above average pay rise, largely thanks to the Pay Review Body’s findings.
“This shows that we value our officers, not just as employers, but as members of our community.
“It also acknowledges our desire to keep them, because if they leave the service, we don’t just lose their experience and knowledge, we also lose the training that has been invested in them – then we have to recruit again, and it becomes a revolving door.”
The commissioner is keen that Durham Constabulary is seen as an ‘employer of choice’ offering excellent career prospects, training and support in addition to a fair reward for a ‘very challenging job’.
She added: “This pay award will go some way to equalling things up for our officers.
“But – and it’s a big but – it is vital that this pay award is fully funded by the Government. I do not want to see local taxpayers left footing the bill.
“A centrally agreed pay award, over which local forces have no control, should be paid for by those agreeing it.”
The commissioner said many forces were already looking at future budget deficits and that it was paramount the burden did not increase.
She also highlighted the need to secure a similar award for police staff who are a vital part of the policing family, ‘working side by side with officers’ to keep the public safe.