Police's £500k overtime cost for cameras
EXCLUSIVEPOLICE officers in Essex have wracked up a massive overtime bill of more than £500,000 manning the county's speed camera operation, it has been revealed.
EXCLUSIVE
POLICE officers in Essex have wracked up a massive overtime bill of more than £500,000 manning the county's speed camera operation, it has been revealed.
An MP voiced his concern at the "expensive" system last night, but those running the operation insisted it was cost-effective.
Latest accounts for the Essex Safety Camera Partnership show that Essex Police officers were paid more than £485,000 in overtime in 2004-5, with National Insurance contributions of £44,736 on top.
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Six officers from a pool of people are used on daily 10-hour patrols manning the cameras - costing an average of £221 per person per day - and all costs are met by motorists' fines.
Under the partnership's policies, only uniformed police officers can go out on mobile speed camera patrols – in other parts of the country, civilian staff are employed.
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