Cambridgeshire police officers take on second jobs

CAMBRIDGESHIRE police officers are taking second jobs, earning extra cash as plasterers, drivers and in shops. One detective constable has a part-time job in the High Street fashion store Next. A Freedom of Information request revealed that other second

CAMBRIDGESHIRE police officers are taking second jobs, earning extra cash as plasterers, drivers and in shops.

One detective constable has a part-time job in the High Street fashion store Next.

A Freedom of Information request revealed that other second jobs held by county officers included plasterer, air taxi pilot and a driving instructor.

Police officers were previously banned from earning money from second jobs, but Home Office guidelines now permit other business interests if they do not interfere with policing.

A Cambridgeshire police spokesman said: "Every officer has to ask for permission for any other job or business carried out by themselves or their partners, and these are all officially approved. Many of them are voluntary, which they do entirely in their own time."

A police constable's starting salary is �23,259, which rises to �25,962 upon completion of training and to more than �27,000 after two years' service.

A Government White Paper has suggested that the country's forces need to save �545million annually by 2014 - with �100m of savings expected this year.

The Government suggested that the 43 forces could "save money simply by being more frugal".

The CBI has suggested police pay should be frozen to protect frontline services.

In Cambridgeshire, Chief Constable Julie Spence had to find cash savings and efficiencies of more than �3m to balance this year's books.