The vast majority of chief constables have been collecting five-figure bonuses under a scheme they routinely condemn, the Winsor review disclosed.
The Association of Chief Police Officers has called for the abolition of the Chief Officers’ Bonus Scheme, under which chief constables can receive a 15 per cent extra on their salaries. But a survey cited in the review found that only three out of 22 chiefs who answered the question had turned down the bonus of up to £39,000 in 2009-10.
Only two deputy chief constables had refused their bonuses, of up to £18,800, while no assistant chief had turned down the payment.
Tom Winsor called for the suspension of the bonus scheme for two years while he considered the issue of performance-related pay in part two of his review. He called for submissions on whether the new Police and Crime Commissioners should have the power to withhold part of a chief’s pay in the event of poor performance.
Mr Winsor also recommended full transparency on the pay and benefits packages paid to senior officers, revealing that police chiefs’ perks totalled £924,306 in 2009-10, while their expenses came to £427,802.
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Perks of the job for the most senior officers included the payment of stamp duty on house purchases, private health care and chauffeur-driven cars. Four senior Metropolitan Police officers had central London accommodation “for the effective execution of their duties”.
The review recommended publication of all benefits received by chiefs and all expenses they incurred over the value of £50. It said police authorities should pay all relocation costs for new chief officers to ensure they did not lose out financially from pursuing their careers.
Mr Winsor also called for an overhaul of the provision of expensive London flats for officers on secondment to central agencies, including the Home Office. Some officers were living in flats costing up to £30,000 per year in Central London and the total accommodation bill for the 501 officers on secondment was more than £3 million.
The report said: “It is not necessary for seconded officers to live in prime London locations at public expense... Secondments should not be opportunities for officers to live in expensive accommodation.”