West Yorkshire latest force to offer maximum PC starting salary

West Yorkshire Police (WYP) and the force area’s police and crime commissioner (PCC) have agreed to offer new police constables the highest starting salary possible.

New PCs will be offered £22,000 a year, £3,000 above the minimum starting wage of £19,000 imposed following the Winsor Review of Pay and Conditions.

The new rates will apply to 14 new officers beginning training this week, with another 30 officers starting training in November to be paid £22,221 following a one per cent pay rise across the force next month.

A number of other forces areas, including Dorset, Greater Manchester, Hampshire and Thames Valley, have previously rejected the Winsor proposals and offered the maximum starting salary.

Mark Burns-Williamson, PCC for West Yorkshire, said the higher salary was necessary to ensure the force continued to attract top-level talent and a more diverse range of candidates.

“In West Yorkshire we have outstanding and committed police officers, many of which I have had the privilege of speaking to and seeing the work they are achieving. I believe the best way to ensure we continue to attract high calibre candidates is to pay people accordingly,” he said.

“While we are continuing to work hard to make the savings we need to, we are determined to protect front line policing and provide the people of West Yorkshire with the best police service we can afford.”

WYP Deputy Chief Constable Jawaid Akhtar said: “Paying at the top of the salary band helps to make sure we remain in a position to recruit talented individuals to become part of WYP and keep our communities safe.”