Chief Constable in spat with Home Secretary over officer funding

DORSET’S chief constable became embroiled in a spat with the Home Secretary this week after she made a jibe at his force recruiting a social media officer.

The constabulary is recruiting for the full-time civilian role on at least £25,556 – above its starting salary for a trainee constable of £18,450.

The role’s coverage in the Sun newspaper prompted Conservative Home Secretary Priti Patel to tweet: “We will give the police the resources they need to keep the streets safe, but they mustn’t waste taxpayers' money on inflated salaries for unnecessary jobs.

“The public want more police officers and fewer social media officers.”

Chief Constable James Vaughan responded by issuing a public statement – via Dorset Police’s Twitter account – recognising the government’s claims to be recruiting 20,000 extra constables, but saying his officers needed a pay rise too.

He said: “We would wholeheartedly encourage a debate on the starting salary of police constables, which has been eroded significantly over recent years, and in our view is currently set too low – particularly as we embark on a national officer uplift programme over the next three years.

“Reinvestment in policing is welcomed [and] somewhat overdue.”

The social media role was for both Dorset and the combined Devon and Cornwall forces and required "significant experience, expertise and a degree-level qualification", Mr Vaughan said.

He went on: “Our ability to engage a population of three million people across our three counties depends upon the employment of a small number of professional police staff in addition to the 4,200 police officers across both forces.”

Dorset Police’s website explains that officers’ pay rises to £24,177 once they achieve independent patrol status, which usually comes 37 weeks after appointment. Within seven years of joining, the salary will be £40,128.