THE chairman of Derbyshire Police Federation has hit back at the Education Secretary Michael Gove after it was announced parents taking their children on holiday out of term time would be penalised.
Mark Pickard said that often officers are unable to take annual leave during the school holidays as they may be on certain operations or shifts that cannot be changed.
His words come after the president of the Association of Chief Police Officers wrote to Mr Gove to also raise similar concerns.
Sir Hugh Orde has asked Mr Gove for assistance where police officers are unable to take leave during the school holidays due to operational commitments.
Mr Pickard said: "Police officers are just like other parents, they value their time with their children.
"It cannot be fair that due to the nature of their role they cannot get time off with their children during the school holidays due to work commitments yet would be penalised for taking a family holiday in term time.
"Not only are there more and more requests for mutual aid across the country but with fewer officers in every force there is less availability of annual leave.
"I trust the Government will look favourably upon this request from the ACPO leader."
Sir Hugh's letter says: "The requirements of policing duties place constraints around when police officers can take annual leave.
"Police forces will apply abstraction policies in order to ensure annual leave does not unacceptably diminish capability and capacity.
"In the summer period in particular, regional and national events can place considerable demands on policing."
He added: "Looking ahead to summer 2014, high-profile national events include the NATO conference in South Wales, the Commonwealth Games in Scotland and the marching season in Northern Ireland."
