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Three-year police pay deal agreed

Pa
Wednesday 15 October 2008 16:12 BST
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Police officers have agreed a three-year pay deal with the government, the Association of Police Authorities said today.

The deal, which averages 2.6 per cent, ends months of acrimonious negotiations.

Officers will be paid an extra 2.65 per cent this year, 2.6 per cent in 2009 and 2.55 per cent in 2010, a source close to the negotiations said.

Paul McKeever, chairman of the Police Federation, said police representatives are "content" with the deal.

He said: "We are realists, we are pragmatists. We are not quixotic idealists who are looking for pyrrhic victories to prove a point.

"We recognise the economic climate and know what is going on elsewhere. We see the economic indicators.

"Nevertheless, we are there to get the best deal for police officers in this country.

"We are police officers. We want to fight crime and we want to fight criminals. We do not want to fight the Home Office or the Home Secretary."

Mr McKeever said attention will now turn to negotiations over an on-call allowance, the use of electric stun guns and purpose-built police vehicles.

Speaking about an on-call allowance, he said: "This is something other professions and jobs have. We are calling on Jacqui Smith to introduce this as a matter of urgency.

"You have to be rewarded and remunerated for the work that you do and we think an allowance is fair and equitable."

Mr McKeever said he wants electric stun guns rolled out to frontline staff across the country.

He said: "If you really do want to work with police more closely and effectively, that would be a good place to start."

Phil Blundell, chairman of the Police Negotiating Board (PNB), hailed a "historic" agreement.

He said: "Negotiations have been complex and difficult, with the final agreement stretching affordability for Government and police authorities alike.

"It is incredibly important that we get central issues such as police pay right, both for now and the future, and this deal has given all sides the opportunity to do just that."

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