Surrey Police Chief Constable Mark Rowley and the other three Chief Officers in the Force have refused performance bonuses of up to 15 per cent of their salaries to avoid potentially undermining the impartiality of senior officers and to be consistent with austerity measures currently being applied in Force.

Peter Williams, Chairman of the Police Authority has commended the decision of Surrey's Chief Officers to refuse the bonuses and called for an end to the national system of bonus payments which requires Police Authorities to offer bonuses even when the officers have indicated that they will not accept them.

In response to a written question from a member of the public, Mr Rowley said: "I have been the Chief Constable of Surrey Police for nearly three years. The first two were very successful, serious crime was down by eight per cent and public confidence in the police rose to 64 per cent. The national regulations require the Surrey Police Authority to consider my performance and if it is considered appropriate the Authority can offer a bonus of up to 15 per cent of salary. I have been offered the full bonus in both years and each time I have declined the offer. I run Surrey Police in the best interests of the public - irrespective of financial incentives. By declining any bonuses I maintain my credible impartiality. The current financial climate makes this doubly invidious."

This stance is consistent with the series of radical measures being undertaken by Surrey Police to protect frontline policing and put the needs of the Surrey public first in the face of one of the toughest financial climates in many years.

Surrey Police continues to maintain and increase the number of frontline police officers thanks to a series of bold decisions including focusing on common-sense policing - rather than target-chasing, cutting support functions, reducing senior officers and staff and sharing buildings with local councils and others to save money. Nearly 100 officers have been recruited this year - in addition to normal recruitment, and Surrey is one of the only Forces still recruiting police officers.

Commenting on the issue Peter Williams, Chairman of Surrey Police Authority, said: "Surrey Police has excellent leaders and I welcome their decision to turn down the quite substantial bonuses to which they are entitled. The leadership culture of Surrey Police puts public service before personal gain. The Authority fully supports that ethos.

"Police Authorities are required by law to participate in the national Bonus Scheme and offer bonuses to chief officers when their performance exceeds expectations. Indeed we are required to consider making such payments even when the officers themselves have made it clear that they will not accept them.

"It is my hope that the national review into police pay that is currently underway will see this system of bonus payments for chief officers come to an end."