Police officers who commit serious misconduct should have their pensions cut, according to a group of MPs.
The Home Affairs Select Committee has called for the College of Policing to establish a scale of fines, which could be docked from officers’ pensions in cases of the most grave misconduct.
Its Leadership and standards in the police report also raised concerns about changes to serving officer’s pay, which it felt may undermine future confidence in the police pay system and could be detrimental to the future financial plans of officers and police morale.
The report also recommended that the College of Policing, in collaboration with the Police Remuneration Review body, should set out a clear link between police pay and skills.
A spokesperson from the Police Federation of England and Wales said: “Integrity in policing is paramount, but knee-jerk reaction to historic cases and those involving an extremely small minority of the 134,000 officers who police this country with absolute commitment, should not dictate future policy making.
“We look forward to expanding our concerns on this in the full consultation process that must follow.”
Yes they should lose pension benefits
At the heart of the police contract is absolute honesty and good conduct and this is what they are rewarded for. Those who cross that line know this is a fundamental breach of trust and this cannot be seen to be rewarded. Too many have left the service and pensioned off so escaping any possible Sanction around conduct and enjoy generous benefits which most tax paying employees do not have access to. A significant reduction in these benefits would sent a very clear message about conduct standards
The law of master and servant prevails across all employment contracts and absolute honesty is surely a fundamental in all cases. Hence the previous respondents arguments must apply in all cases. However If we accept that an employers contibution to a pension is actually a form of deferred salary award accrued on a month by month basis, then there can be no question of cutting pensions already accrued before the point of wrong doing. Folllowing the logic of cutting accued pension would suggest that officers disciplined out of the service would lose their entitlement to holiday accrued but not taken. Thereafter are we going to look at salary claw back?