Sussex Chief Constable Ken Jones has turned down the chance to earn an extra £19,000 a year.

He has publicly opted out of a new scheme aimed at giving chief officers bonuses for achieving targets.

He earns £126,177 and the scheme could have given him an extra 15 per cent.

But he slammed the idea as divisive and unwise.

The Government scheme is designed to improve performance and Mr Jones would almost certainly qualify for the extra cash.

Under his leadership, crime has been cut and Sussex Police have risen from the bottom to mid-table in the performance league table for the 42 forces in England and Wales.

The first bonus payments would recognise performance during 2005/06 but the criteria for earning the cash has yet to be ironed out by the Sussex Police Authority.

Mr Jones has already told the authority he will not accept any bonus. He told members at their meeting:

"This is a totally inappropriate decision for the Government to take. It is unwise and will lead us into unchartered waters. It is totally unnecessary."

Mr Jones believes it could lead to disputes between chief officers over who should be credited for, say, cuts in the number of burglaries.

The scheme would provide for a 12 per cent bonus for Deputy Chief Constable Joe Edwards, who earns £104,094, and ten per cent for Assistant Chief Constables Nigel Yeo, Tony Toynton and Geoff Williams, who earn about £85,000.

The authority's chief officers' appointments and remuneration committee as agreed a set of principles for a Sussex scheme to be set up.

Monday 25 April