Police have to accept change

PUNDITS are predicting a summer of discontent with strikes and protests against the effects of Government cuts.

But the coalition is proceeding with a series of measures designed to alter the pay and conditions of that group of people charged with keeping the peace — our police service.

And yet what else can the Government do? Police officers are paid more than the Armed Forces and other emergency workers, and in a fast-moving world their pay structures have not kept up.

The coalition cannot really be accused of picking on the police when every part of the public sector is feeling the squeeze. And working practices are subject to constant review in many other walks of life.

Of course the wider community owes a debt of gratitude to police officers, many of whom treat the job more like a vocation.

But does that mean the taxpayer should continue to fund unsocial hours payments to police workers who do not work unsocial hours?

The Winsor recommendations reward frontline officers and could safeguard workers against future job losses.

Of course the public should support the police service in lots of different ways.

But, just as we can no longer pretend that all nurses are "angels" without fault we can no longer accept that our police service cannot be improved.

Source: http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/32715/f/503366/s/133c8373/l/0L0Sthisissouthwales0O0Cnews0CPolice0Eaccept0Echange0Carticle0E330A73160Edetail0Carticle0Bhtml/story01.htm

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