Police officers get “extraordinary, one-off payment” of £5,000 after work pressures mount

Friday 23 August 2024

Warranted Guernsey Police officers up to the rank of Inspector will receive a £5,000 recognition and retention payment from Home Affairs this year.

It's to thank officers for “significant professional effort and commitment, and to assist with maintaining a resilient and experienced workforce within the police,” the committee has said.

The payment will only include officers who have passed their probation and were employed on or before the 1 July this year and remain employed.

“Officers working for Guernsey Police have been working in conditions of acute sustained pressure for some years now, as the organisation has been below the number of officers required in its current operating model,” said Home President Rob Prow.

“This has all been while the complexity of police work has continued to grow and the number of extremely sensitive and intricate cases has increased. 

“It is clearly very important to the Guernsey community that we maintain a resilient workforce within Guernsey Police, and it is also important that we reward these officers for the efforts they have put in during this protracted period. That is why we have made the decision to make this reward.

Pictured: Deputy Rob Prow.

“Recognising how stretched public money is, this was not a decision that was taken lightly. That said, however, the summation of this decision is that, following discussion with Policy & Resources, we as a committee both feel it is an important recognition of the burden officers have born, and a necessity to ensure our force remains staffed, stable, resilient, and holds onto the levels of expertise it needs.”

If an officer resigns or retires before 18 months has passed from the date on which the payment is made, they must repay one eighteenth of the total amount for each month they have fallen short.

No payment is being made to any officer on unsatisfactory performance procedures.

Home Affairs is supportive of a request from the Guernsey Police Association for a wholesale review of pay, terms and conditions for police, but said it recognises this is the mandate of Policy & Resources.

The money comes from using within-year salary underspends.

Guernsey Police’s minimum target operating model, which is under review, would see it staffed with 151 warranted officers. 

The annual average headcount has not exceeded that number since before 2013 and has continued to trend downwards. It has averaged at 137 in 2024 so far. 

These numbers are further impacted by long-term sickness.

Pictured (top): Police during the Royal visit.