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

[The Lone Gunman]

You guys are sooooo fookin serious arent you.

There are any number of ways around the problems you propose.

If the bonus is calculated on a case by case basis then you increase the incentive for the more difficult cases.
10 quid for the husband who lost it. 10 grand for Mr big!

Same jail term for fit ups as the original offender got due to the fit up plus repayment of bonus.

[Not So Wise]

Commision based policeing would never work, first off monetary incentive on case by case basis would just encourge the frameing of people as mentioned above. But more importantly you would have police advoiding the harder/longer case's as these would provide little return for them. Slam dunk case's like hubby lose's it and axes the wife in front of 20 people, have the cops lineing up to take it. Seriel killer or crime boss that takes years to catch now would never be jailed as no cop would want the case.

Better base pay is needed across the board for the likes of police, not only to reduce corruption but more importantly get a better quality of applicants so the force can pick and chose the best of the best, same as the private sector instead of the current situation where they either get idealists (who generally burn out pretty fast) or the bottom of the barrel in general.

I have met many good quality people over the years who would have been interested in career in the police force and nearly every one of them was put off by the rates of pay, like "doing your bit" and "helping those in need" is all fine and dandy but for most people earning the most they can to provide the best they can for their family is more important and really who can blame them? especially when they can be earning from two to four times as much in the private sector.

[Mailman]

Obviously there would need to be a few changes to the Police system, but it could work.

It could work.

Gee, didnt they say the same thing about privatising parking wardens?

Yeah...if only the British Civil Service was as efficient as parking wardens...perhaps then England would still rule the world!

Mailman

[wendigo100]

Put in a sliding scale of payment dependant on how many years said con got to avoid false admitions and stuff.

Firstly, policemen will quickly work out that getting ten quid is better than not getting twenty, so they will just carry on as now. The sliding scale won't stop false admissions.

Secondly, you didn't address "fitting up". There have been many high-profile examples like the Guildford Four, and who knows how many less serious offences that do not make the news.

When all is said and done though, I admire your entrepreneurial slant on the problem.

[The Lone Gunman]

Obviously there would need to be a few changes to the Police system, but it could work.

I mean....no court is going to prosecute little Johny or the Anne Summers clad granny if you set it up right so plod would have to go for proper crims that would get sent down. Put in a sliding scale of payment dependant on how many years said con got to avoid false admitions and stuff.

It could work.

[WageSlave]

Maybe the police should be on commission like sales bods. Basic living salary and then bonuses for succesful prosecutions.
Sliding scale of bonuses dependant on the crime commited.

Think of the number of poor sods that would be hauled in for wearing a bikini, failing to practice archery on a Sunday, etc. What we need is a police force capable of exercising judgement and common sense. For example, not arresting grandmothers in the early hours and locking them in a cell! Little Johnny is a good lad, he's been a bit silly stealing a sweet from the shop, telling him off and calling his mum will be enough, whereas big Bob is a wrong 'un and no mistake - throw the full weight of the law at him!

[wendigo100]

Maybe the police should be on commission like sales bods. Basic living salary and then bonuses for succesful prosecutions.
Sliding scale of bonuses dependant on the crime commited.

Don't encourage them.

There is already enough fitting up of people innocent of the crime to meet government targets and public relations.

They also get villains who are already going down to admit to crimes they didn't do, in exchange for lighter sentences.

Next they'll be shooting innocent people in order to meet anti-terrorism targets.

[The Lone Gunman]

Maybe the police should be on commission like sales bods. Basic living salary and then bonuses for succesful prosecutions.
Sliding scale of bonuses dependant on the crime commited.

[Miserable old man]

I earn about 100K a year contracting. What good am I doing? Lining the pockets of financial institutions who make vast amounts of money by putting others in debt.

So police don't deserve to work hard and reap the benefits?

Some of you lot don't know you're born.

Erm, suppy and demand? Any numpty can become a policeman or fireman

Usually those jobs with the lowest barriers to entry command low salaries e.g. cleaners burger flippers, so I think the police are doing pretty well!

Moreover, as wageslave hinted most of them are useless.

[Lucifer Box]

So it's all public funds.

I don’t dispute that the police should be well paid. They should. In fact, increasing police pay might attract a higher calibre of applicants. Most of the officers I’ve encountered are indistinguishable from cockney cabbies, and half of them think they’re Dirty Harry; “I’m a copper and I’m well ‘ard!” As for them being able to solve crimes…thank God for forensics. Sherlock Holmes is indeed a work of fiction.

Ah, but Sherlock Holmes was a contractor. Which proves your point even more.

[WageSlave]

Nope, some is derived from the council tax we(all?) pay and other amounts from the Home Office.

The first draw every year on the budget is the pension obligation.

HTH.

So it's all public funds.

I don’t dispute that the police should be well paid. They should. In fact, increasing police pay might attract a higher calibre of applicants. Most of the officers I’ve encountered are indistinguishable from cockney cabbies, and half of them think they’re Dirty Harry; “I’m a copper and I’m well ‘ard!” As for them being able to solve crimes…thank God for forensics. Sherlock Holmes is indeed a work of fiction.

[Churchill]

From the Chief Constables personal bank account? Or does this fund originate from public funds?

Nope, some is derived from the council tax we(all?) pay and other amounts from the Home Office.

The first draw every year on the budget is the pension obligation.

HTH.

[Mailman]

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?

The whole point of paying public servants well is to ensure they are above corruption. You may be able to point out one or two cases of corruption but in general terms most western nations dont have the same problems as our middle eastern, asian and lower class countries have with corruption.

Mailman

[Bovvered]

100k

I earn about 100K a year contracting. What good am I doing? Lining the pockets of financial institutions who make vast amounts of money by putting others in debt.

So police don't deserve to work hard and reap the benefits?

Some of you lot don't know you're born.

[WageSlave]

For what it's worth, Police overtime and salaries are paid from the Chief Constables budget. Along with Police Pensions!

From the Chief Constables personal bank account? Or does this fund originate from public funds?