Hertfordshire Chief Constable says police officers deserve better pay deal
Hertfordshire’s Chief Constable has criticised the latest police pay award, saying officers deserve a better deal for the difficult and sometimes dangerous work they do.
The government announced on Wednesday 15 July that police officers of all ranks in England and Wales will receive a 3.5% pay rise from September 2026.
However, the award falls below the recommendations made by independent pay review bodies, which had proposed increases of between 3.7% and 3.9%.
Chief Constable Andy Prophet said he was disappointed by the decision and warned that the offer could cause financial hardship for some officers.
He said: “Police officers and staff deserve the very best levels of pay for the difficult and, at times dangerous, work they do.
“The purpose of independent pay review bodies is to make impartial, professional recommendations about levels of pay to government based on the evidence they receive.
“Without the right to take industrial action, police officers must have confidence that these independent mechanisms will be listened to by government when determining pay.
“This latest offer falls short of expectations and in some cases will generate genuine financial hardship, which I find really worrying at a time when the cost of living is soaring.”
Mr Prophet added that officers across all ranks would be “bitterly disappointed” that the government had not accepted the independent recommendation in full.
He said the national body representing Chief Constables would be seeking an urgent meeting with the Home Secretary to discuss fair pay and conditions across police ranks and grades.
A decision on a pay award for police staff has not yet been made.