Officer Recognition Payment

The MPS Commissioner has concluded that the conditions have been satisfied for a one-off, lump sum payment of £350 to the majority of police officers in recognition of the exceptional circumstances they have faced across 2017 and 2018. The cost can be funded from within the MPS approved 2018/19 budget.

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to approve the Commissioner’s proposal for a one-off, lump sum payment to recognise the exceptional circumstance officers have faced.

1. Introduction and background

1.1. The Commissioner of the Police has considered the exceptional circumstances under which officers across the organisation have been operating during 2017 and 2018, and has concluded that a one-off lump sum payment to all officers up to and including the rank of Chief Superintendent is appropriate.

2. Issues for consideration

2.1. The exceptional circumstances officers across the organisation have faced have resulted from a range of factors including but not limited to multiple terrorist attacks, the murder of a police officer and the enduring risk to officer safety, an increase in violent crime, additional public order events, extensive and unprecedented organisational change, and significant staff vacancies.

2.2. The Commissioner considers that the over-whelming majority of officers have been affected by one or more of the above, resulting in substantial disruption to family life, extended working hours, the psychological impact of events and supporting colleagues affected, a constantly high operational tempo, managing increased demand and additional stress during significant organisational change, and working within teams with sustained staff vacancies.

3. Financial Comments

3.1. The estimated cost of the payment is £10m. The payment is scheduled to be made before the end of March 2019. There is sufficient budget within the existing approved 2018/19 MPS budget to meet this cost.

4. Legal Comments

4.1. The MPS has provided assurance that the payment is in accordance with Police Regulations.

4.2. The MOPAC Scheme of Consent and Delegation at 4.8 states that DMPC approval is required for “Any expenditure proposal of an exceptional nature which is significant as defined in 1.4 above which might otherwise be delegated or consented by this Scheme”

4.3. Paragraph 1.4 states “In general, the DMPC will take decisions approving strategies and policies which establish the framework within which officers will take operational decisions. However, there will always be operational decisions which are significant either in terms of financial expenditure or public interest or which are in some other way novel or contentious. These have either been expressly reserved to the DMPC by this Scheme or, where the decision would otherwise be taken by staff/officers, will be referred to the DMPC for decision.”

5. GDPR and Data Privacy

5.1. The proposal does not involve any change to the processing of personally identifiable ‎data therefore there are no GDPR issues to be considered.

6. Equality Comments

6.1. The payment will be made to all officers who meet the criteria for eligibility set out in the attached MPS paper.

7. Background/supporting papers

7.1. MPS report