Warwickshire police officer angry at forced retirement

[dutchman]

A serving Warwickshire police officer has spoken out against plans to force officers with more than 30 years service to retire.



Warwickshire Police, along with many other forces, is using a regulation called A19 to make officers leave.

Around 35 officers will be retired because the service says it needs to save millions of pounds.

Sgt Andy Moss, who will have to retire later this year, said the plan is "extremely short-sighted".

He is currently based in Alcester where he leads a safer neighbourhoods team and has worked for the force for 30 years.

He said: "Quite a number of officers with a great deal of experience and particularly those in the specialised roles are all, in effect, being thrown on the scrap heap together.

"That should be a real concern because next year we're facing the challenge of the Olympics.

"It's going to be one of the biggest policing events this country's faced probably ever."

The implementation of Regulation A19 is one of a number of measures being taken by the force as part of its need to reduce the force budget by £22.9m over the next four years.

'Dedicated public service'

Warwickshire Police's Chief Constable Keith Bristow said the force would struggle to achieve all the reductions in the size of the workforce that they need to without using A19.

He said: "I deeply regret having to make this decision and take personal responsibility for doing so.

"I recognise that this action affects people who have given 30 years of dedicated public service, who have been brave and responded to all the challenges faced by all police officers during their service, only then to be asked to retire.

"Use of A19 is not something we wish to do but we must operate with a smaller workforce, both officers and staff, in the future and I am sorry that we have to take this action."