This policy applies to all police officers and, from 1 January 2004, to all police staff.

Policy Aims and Objectives:

The Bonus Payment Scheme was introduced as a key component within the Police Reforms 2002 – Pay and Conditions package. The agreement required South Yorkshire Police to introduce a local scheme. The Senior Command Team and Police Authority, following consultation with the staff associations, agreed such a scheme.

Associated Procedural Instructions:

This policy is supported by the following procedural instructions:South Yorkshire Police will award bonuses of between £50 and £500 per head for occasional work of an outstandingly demanding, unpleasant or important nature, occurring after 1 April 2003. The payments will be taxable but not pensionable and are open to police officers and police staff.

An awards committee will approve awards within South Yorkshire. This committee will consist of the Head of Corporate HR, representatives from the Police Authority, Head of HR Advisory, Force Diversity Manager and Staff Associations. The awards will be granted at a specific amount dependant upon the implications of the application. The advantages of this will include a greater degree of consistency and a corporate approach in the distribution of awards.

The awards panel will sit quarterly and review applications and nominations from police officers and police staff who feel they deserve an award under this scheme. These meetings will usually take place in March, June, September and December of each year.

No police officer will be debarred from this process on the grounds that they are in receipt of a payment under other elements of the Police Reforms.

Applications are required from police officers and police staff who feel that an occasional piece of work which they have performed is of an outstanding, demanding, unpleasant or important nature. All applications should be initially passed through the District or Department Head whose role will be to verify the contents of the report and to add comments as to whether or not the application is supported. This should include comments as to the nature of the incident, whether the individual has already been recognised through other means available to the organisation and whether all officers and staff involved in the incident/event, performing a similar part have been duly recognised.

From 1st January 2010, applicatiosn must be made on a ADM 85 application form, available as a Word document. Any submissions after this date not on a ADM 85 will be returned.

Instructions for completing the form are provided below.

Applications should be forwarded to the the secretary to the Head of Corporate HR, Force HQwho will submit the applications to the awards panel. The awards panel will then decide on individual cases.

Human Rights/Discretion:

The purpose of providing policy is to give an indication to staff of the expected course of action. However it is not possible to cater for every possible combination of factors that would justify a departure from stated policy. The Human Rights Act 1998 requires the proper use of discretion at all times and nothing within this policy and associated procedural instructions prohibits the proper use of discretion in appropriate circumstances.

Where action is taken that has the potential to interfere with an individual’s Human Rights, the reasons behind the making of the decision to act in that way should be recorded on the appropriate forms, or where this is not practicable, in pocket books or policy logs.

Freedom of Information Act 2000

Exemptions do not apply to this statement of agreed policy under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Management of Police Information (MoPI)

This policy falls within MoPI: No

Audit Review Arrangements:

This policy together with its Equality Analysis will be reviewed every 3 years or upon any changes in regulations.

Rights of redress for members of the public:

Anyone who feels that a member of staff has behaved incorrectly or unfairly, or who is dissatisfied with organisational matters, service delivery or other operational policing issues, has the right to make a complaint.

Initial action should be taken in one of the following ways:

• Complain in writing or in person to the Senior Officer at the appropriate police station or to the Chief Constable of the force concerned.
• Visit a local Citizens' Advice Bureau
• Contact a Solicitor

Rights of redress for South Yorkshire Police personnel:

South Yorkshire Police personnel who feel they have grounds for concern in relation to the implementation of policies may, as appropriate:

• Pursue concerns through their line manager.
• Contact a First Contact Advisor.
• Pursue a grievance formally through the South Yorkshire Police Fairness at Work Procedure.
• Seek advice from their staff association or trades union.

• Use procedural instruction D50241 Management of Complaints, in the section entitled Handling Complaints relating to Direction and Control.