Forces look to older recruits

Police forces may soon be allowed to recruit older officers and raise the
retirement age to 65 under new Government proposals.

The Home Office is looking to recruit an additional 5,000 new officers and
is considering increasing the maximum age for recruits from 55 to 65, as well
as extending the age for compulsory retirement beyond 60.

The older recruits would have to undergo tests to prove their fitness for
duty but the move would help ease the burden on staffing, with a quarter of all
serving officers expected to retire in the next five years.

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Police regulations could also be amended to allow fit and able officers to
serve up to 65, without requiring a change in the law.

Officers can retire on a full pension after serving 30 years, which means
many leave in their early 50s – depriving the force of valuable experience.