police officers are earning up to £100,000 a year

[milanbenes]

police officers are earning up to £100,000 a year, triple their basic salary, by putting in thousands of hours in overtime

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...742598,00.html

Milan.

[xoggoth]

Ridiculous. The solution is to arm Neighbourhood Watch and other volunteer groups. If anyone who looked a bit suspicious got shot in the head I am sure they would soon stop doing it, whatever it was.

[n5gooner]

well it sounds like they are taking a leaf from our book and piling in the OT while they can get it ! Can't blame them, its what we've been doing for years! Just think how much TAX they will be paying !!!

[OwlHoot]

police officers are earning up to £100,000 a year, triple their basic salary, by putting in thousands of hours in overtime

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...742598,00.html

Milan.

God, no wonder there are so many crashes during high-speed police chases - they're probably dog tired.

and I wonder if the EU working time directive applies to coppers - a few more eurosceptics there in the making I reckon, what with their big mortgages to service and overtime suddently curtailed.

[stackpole]

police officers are earning up to £100,000 a year, triple their basic salary, by putting in thousands of hours in overtime

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...742598,00.html

Milan.

And why not. My only concern would be for those with families.

[Not So Wise]

Rather sad that....the fact they have to do all that overtime to earn a decent wage protecting the community while risking their lives.

[AtW]

I was under the impression that the New Labour cracked down on earning good money in civil service in general, and earning good money in police overtime in particular, or is it how they achieved increase in police officers, ie paying more for overtime and then saying its equivalent of hiring X full time police officers?

[stackpole]

Rather sad that....the fact they have to do all that overtime to earn a decent wage protecting the community while risking their lives.

Before the overtime they are on about £35,000, which is already a decent wage, given that the national average is less than £25,000. They also get a good index linked pension, and other benefits on top.

It is a career worth considering.

[Not So Wise]

£35k would be good up north or in the country, london it's just passable in my books. Hell know mid level secretaries who clear it. Only good thing renumeration wise that cops have going for them is their pension

Considering police are expected to litterly put their lives on the line i would consider it insulting to be only getting £35k per year for it (And notice where they say most of those getting most of the overtime are on "protection duties" aka bodyguards, ones meant to jump in front of bullets)

Says quite a lot about our "great society" that no one bats an eyelid at entertainers like football players, rock/movie stars earning millions but people get all upset when it looks like cops and firemen, those we expect to protect and/or save us might get well paid for it

[Dundeegeorge]

"Says quite a lot about our "great society" that no one bats an eyelid at entertainers like football players, rock/movie stars earning millions but people get all upset when it looks like cops and firemen, those we expect to protect and/or save us might get well paid for it"

How innocent are you? I know very few people over the age of 6 who expect the police to protect/save them. Save them from speeding possibly, save them from protecting their families/children from the scum roaming the streets possibly.
And entertainers (of whatever ilk) are paid by results, if nobody buys tickets they don't earn money. The police however seem to be costing more and more for less and less.
When was the last time you saw any policeman put their life on the line?
We put our lilfe on the line every time we walk at night in certain parts of cities, when we cross the road, WHEN WE GO INTO A TUBE STATION TO USE THE TRAINS.
Sorry, if you're looking for sympathy for the police, you're about 3 decades too late.