Northumbria Police Chief Constable Sue Sim refuses bonus Published duration 26 September 2011

image caption Chief Constable Sue Sim and her deputy and assistant chief constables declined their payouts

The chief constable who led the hunt for gunman Raoul Moat has turned down a salary bonus as she felt it was "inappropriate".

Northumbria Police's Sue Sim was in line for a bonus of about £47,240 after the force hit several targets.

However, Mrs Sim said she felt it was wrong to accept the money during "a period of hardship" with staff across the public sector losing their jobs.

Her deputy and assistant chief constables also declined their bonuses.

Northumbria Police hit its targets last year, meaning Mrs Sim would have been entitled to 15% of her salary for two years.

'Pay freeze'

According to the force's accounts, her 2010-11 salary was £157,469.

She said: "The decision not to accept bonuses by myself and my chief officer team was personal.

"We felt it would be inappropriate during a period of hardship - especially when police are being asked to consider voluntary redundancy and staff across the public sector face losing their jobs, or a pay freeze."

Northumbria Police Authority chief executive Roger Kelly said bonuses were introduced by the Home Office five years ago.

He said: "The Northumbria force is one of the highest performing police forces in the country which consistently reaches or exceeds its targets on areas like reducing crime, therefore it has paid bonuses since the scheme was introduced."