'If the police pay deal is not honoured there’s every chance that hundreds of prisoners may not be properly guarded or the public may be at risk of increased levels of crime'.

This the harsh warning to the government by Alan Gordon, vice-chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales on the day Operation Safeguard starts and police cells throughout the country begin to be used to house prisoners.

Mr Gordon adds:

“The Association of Chief Police Officers plan to implement Operation Safeguard is to use officers not working a shift that day and pay them overtime, so as to avoid a detrimental effect to the policing delivered locally.

“Well, plenty of officers are telling us that they are disillusioned with the failure to honour our 27 year pay deal, which has meant that 170,000 officers throughout the UK are still waiting for a pay rise they should have received in September. Many would rather have their time off than help when they feel so badly let down by the government.

“If that happens then Operation Safeguard will fail, unless police officers working normal shifts are brought into stations to act as full time jailers. The knock on effect of that will mean a reduction in number of police officers on our streets.

“Due to government intervention, we have now been forced to go to an independent industrial panel who will decide next week if our long standing pay arrangements should be honoured. If the decision goes our way, we will be calling on the Home Secretary John Reid to ensure this is carried out.”

For further information please contact the Police Federation of England and Wales press office on 020 8335 1000 or, out of hours, contact 07699 780798.

Here's hoping the Police Federation win.