Pay rises could lead to fewer officers warns Chief Constable
Staffordshire Chief Constable Gareth Morgan has warned he could end up with fewer police officers after cap on pay rises was axed.
The Treasury revealed officers would be given a one per cent pay rise plus a one per cent 'bonus'.
But Mr Morgan has concerns about how the pay rises will be funded.
He said: "My budget is built around the assumption of a one per cent pay increase and already there is a predicted budget shortfall by 2020.
"Lifting of the pay cap will be welcomed by the workforce.
"But we would have to look at rebalancing the budget and my concern is that I will have better paid officers but fewer of them."
The Police and Crime Commissioners of West Midlands Police and West Mercia Police have also warned that pay rises for officers could lead to recruitment of replacement officers being axed.
The Home Office said police forces were sitting on £1.8bn of reserves and that police pensions are topped up by 21 per cent of their pay – among the best pensions available in the country.
