Scrapping older Police Officers amounts to "naked ageism"

Commenting on reports that a number of police forces in the UK are planning to force officers who have served for 30 years or more to retire as a way to meet spending cut targets, Chris Ball, Chief Executive of TAEN - The Age and Employment Network, said:

"We are appalled at the news that some Chief Constables in police forces around the country are planning to retire officers in their forces with more than 30 years of service as a way of meeting spending cut targets.

"The fact that the officers at risk of enforced retirement are still serving beyond the point at which they can draw their pensions, clearly shows that they want to go on working and serving their communities.

"This is nothing less than naked ageism. Those who will be affected, by definition, will be in their late 40s or 50s and still have a great deal to offer. What would such a move say about the loyalty and commitment that Chief Constables are showing to their longest serving officers - those who have spent so long, and often sacrificed so much on a personal front, in contributing to their communities? Are such concepts hopelessly out of date - or do they only flow one way in 21st Century Britain?

"It's ironic that these proposals come at a time when the Government plans to raise State Pension Age to 66 and to abolish the default retirement age. Surely police officers should have the same rights as other working people.

"Offering incentives for people to retire is one thing, forcing them to do so is another.

"We hope there will be legal challenge to this attempt to use officers' age and length of service against them."