Police pay

Press, 24 April 1980, Page 16

Police pay

Sir, — I read with disquiet of the apparent unrest within the ranks of the police. By inference I read their union is afraid the Government might not fully recognise their overtime and penal time application later this year. According to reports, they are already being paid for an allotment of overtime and penal rate assessed as far back as 1966. What has happened to make their union heads speak out this way? Compared with other workers’ groups, the police in their demands for better conditions have always been anonymous in that I have never before noticed the type of militant dissension seemingly present now. I am inclined to think they are really appealing to the public for a vote of support. Many, myself included, have good reason to be thankful for the way our police have performed their work up until now because it seems a rather thin blue line at the best of times which separates order from disorder. I think it timely for everyone from the courts to John Citizen to support our police in whatever reasonable manner we can. — Yours etc.,

J. V. JOHNSON. April 22, 1980.