The Police Pay Cuts The Government intends to save £1,000,000
by making the second reduction, foreshadowed a year ago, in the pay of the police. The ordinary constable, from November 1st, will thus lose another 4s. 3d. per week. The reduction is defended on the ground that strict economy is still necessary. It is presumably feared also that if the full ten per cent. cut in police pay, now completed in two stages, is not made, other State employees who lost the ten per cent. or more at once will complain that the police are favoured. The answer to that is that the police are a class apart and must be treated on their merits. Crimes of violence have greatly increased, owing in part to unemployment, and the policeman's task is harder and more perilous than usual. In the outburst of national enthusiasm last year it was relatively easy to impose reductions- all round, but, now that the situation is less abnormal, it -seems invidious to insist on the cut in police pay just when the services of the police are seen to be exceptionally valuable. The Government, in overlooking the psychoiogical aspect of the case and disregarding the considered views of all the police authoritiei in England and Wales is incurring grave responsibility' .
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