Top police to work past retirement

Five forces will pilot the schemes

Britain's most experienced police officers will be encouraged to stay on after retirement, the Home Office has announced.

Officers who are entitled to retire with maximum benefits after completing 30 years of service, will be offered a series of incentives to remain in the job.

Pilot schemes will be set up in London, Avon and Somerset, West Mercia, West Midlands and North Wales.

Among the incentives being offered to officers after 30 years are a tax-free retirement lump sum and a re-engagement with the force at their former pay level and access to special priority payments on the same basis as other officers.

'Valuable experience'

Pension abatement will also be lifted to allow for any replacement allowances lost on retirement, to be made good.

Home Office minister John Denham said: "Officers who have completed 30 years service have a wealth of valuable experience which can benefit forces and the record numbers of police officers joining the police service.

"It will be up to chief constables to decide whether to use the scheme, but we hope they will see the value of keeping individuals whose expertise can benefit colleagues and the force as a whole."

Officers who take part in the new scheme will not be able to rejoin the police pension scheme but they will be able to purchase additional benefits by taking out a personal pension.

Senior officers believe the scheme will help ease pressure on recruitment.