A ONE per cent pay rise for police officers in Essex has been branded “insulting” by the chairman of the county’s police federation.

The base pay rise, which was announced by the Home Office this month, is almost three times less than the 2.8 per cent police staff associations had asked for.

The pay rise was recommended by the Police Remuneration Review Body.

Mark Smith, federation chairman, said police officers need to be recognised for doing a hard job, which has become even harder in recent years

He said: “If you’re a police officer it means higher workload, higher stress, more injuries, more assaults.

“The pay review body even acknowledged the evidence and still came back with one per cent,, so they’re obviously heavily directed by the Government.

“I think it’s insulting to police officers. It’s all very good having sound bites saying we are ‘the best police service in the world’, but let’s put the money where the mouth is.”

However, he rejected the idea that it was time for another strike for industrial rights for police officers.

He added: “We don’t want to strike, and this is what the Government needs to realise.

“It takes a special kind of person to join the police.

“They join for a reason, and it’s not for the money, that’s for sure.

“It’s because they want to serve the public. “

Steve White, chairman of the national Police Federation, said: “Every police officer across England and Wales will be angry and bitterly disappointed with an insulting one per cent pay deal by the Government, after the Police Remuneration Review Body rejected our evidence for a 2.8 per cent increase.”

He warned the announcement “will further impact on the low morale among police officers”.

From September there will also be a one per cent increase to the allowance given to dog handlers.

Other steps include increased flexibility for South East forces to vary location-based allowances.

Prime Minister Theresa May, said: “Police officers up and down the country do a fantastic job with a tremendous sense of duty, fighting crime and keeping us safe and it is right they are rewarded.”