Hark! Definitely not a Herald AngeI - must be the sound of a Blue Whinge I can hear in some of the preceding comments? "Police pensions are not for free"! It's as near as dammit for free. The Police's real rewards are up by over half in a few years, they still retire at 48 (in some cases), and they still whinge. Nothing in blue changes, and they just lose the confidence, affection and respect of the rest of us.

MarkF, Orkney,

This has nothing whatsoever to do with the refusal of the current Labour government to honour their agreement to pay the Police the rise which was agreed in arbitration.
Mr Johnson's pension is paid by the Receiver for the Metropolitan Police and his current salary is paid by the British Transport Police Authority, who are funded by the Railway industry, (with a grant from the Home Office to recognise the work done by that Force which is not concerned with the Railways). Neither comes directly from the Home Office as such.
The main criticism that I would make of BTP Management, currently under Mr Johnson, is that they have become too centralised, many people in the provinces do not know who they are and what they do. Some even think that they are just Railway employees. The Wright committee in the early 80s should have set the record straight on that one, but apparently failed with some people.

MIG, Poole, UK

I am a police officer and have served under Chief Constable Johnstone.He is an inspirational leader and has brought BTP on tremendously.Last year the organization achieved 11 out of 11 operational tragets - fact. BTP probably fails only in communicating such achievements.A lot of it's work is unsing.I dont think he need's the cash - he is a bundle of enthusiasm and seems to genuinley love his job.Without a hint of irony I think it is probable that he would earn more in commerce /industry/consultancy.

GAZ, MERSEYSIDE, UK

Ian Johnson was one of the better Met senior officers and probably got the job he has on merit, he heads up a large organisation and is certainly not overpaid for that role. All cops of that era paid 11% of salary from the age of 19yrs, it's not a freebie like civil servants and MPs. When you are a teenager it doesn't seeem like a good investment but when you're in later years it makes sense. don't be jealous or gripe at a snidy little headline there's always more to it than that. Ian Johnson's oficers face the increasingly nasty violent people that make up the general public these days. It was much easier in my day when we had the support of the press and the BBC, not any more. Hostility has even spead to ordinary law abiding people because thy see the legal system hi-jacked by revenue gatherers and statistics chasers. 'evening all !!

Steve Brown, Bracknell, Berks

11% is /was paid from his wages to his pension..some pay 14% (voluntary) ..11% mandatory..no free pension..( new rates now ..for new old bill)Those who complain today are those who invested with cheats .Had he left in the early 90's when the private sector were paying £££££££..then it would have been a non -story.
He paid his pension costs and applied for a new job..problem?

andy, london,

Ian Johnstone has done exceptionally well whilst with British Transport Police, ensuring that the force achieved all its objectives in protecting all those using the countries railways over the last three years. This,coupled with the success of the force in its sterling work during the recent terrorist incidents, surely demands that its chief Constable be paid a salary commensurate with the demands of the role. Some cynics may suggest that the Government have 'introduced' this essentially irrelevant story to the public in the hope of deflecting growing support for the police over the backdating issue.

j dixon, london, england

johnston has done nothing wrong, it is also quite common for police officers to retire from say the Metropolitan Police and then join the Ministry Of Defence Police. Where they can draw there Met pension and earn the wage as a working officer.

Peter Hill, Rochester, Kent/England

Richie, Cheshire

One third of their earnings to their pensions?? - Nonsense!

This from the home office website

"You contribute 9.5% of pensionable pay, unless you are ineligible for an ill-health pension in which case you pay 6% (Pensionable pay includes basic salary, London weighting, additional salary on temporary promotion and competence related threshold payments. Overtime pay, housing allowance and transitional rent allowance are not pensionable)."

R Bingham, Lauzun, France

It is common practice for retirement age,high ranking Police Officers, to use their knowledge and connections, into other similar jobs, often with Local Auhorities, where they also get a good salary & Pension.

Remember that Police Officers & Fire Officers retire at earlier ages than regular workers, so often still have another ten or so working years available to them. Of course they have a non taxable retirement package to help bridge teh tranistion if they choose not to work.

But many Chief Inspector rank personnel, (or above) are doing very nicely ,financially, propping up Local Council schemes and gaining both a generous contract salary and additional pension.

But then again , there are the poor b......, who are not so high ranking who have to work & try to bolster the half of the Police retirement pension, that was taken by the ex wife in the divorce settlement. Police Offices also tend to die earlier than the general public, so maybe enjoy the money, while they can?

Patricia (Trish) Vanderveer, Wallasey, Merseyside, U.K.

Whats the issue? Nothing underhand.

A non story.

amy barnes, eastboune, uk

I knew Ian Johnson and worked with him in the late 1970's. He was a fine officer then and I am sure now. He is intelligent and hard working. He is worth every shilling he's paid and the BTP are lucky to have him.

M.J. Frizell, Payzac, France

Please bear in mind that whilst the subject was employed by the Kent Constabulary and then the Metropolitan Police he would have paid about 8% of his salary towards the pension he is now receiving, 50% of this pension will be received by his wife is she succeeds him, and of course if he included her in his Police pension arrangements. Police Pensions are not for free.

Robert El-Cid, Hull, , East Yorks.,

The fact that this was kept secret shows how dishonourable the officer knew it was. Ordinary citizens would be accused of fraud but it's always one law for senior police and one for the rest of us.
It's corruption - call it any name you like but it's somebody quietly milking the syestm for every penny piece that he can get. He has my utter contempt.
Decent officers, ordinary men and women are struggling to preserve the peace whilst men like this get to give them orders about honesty and integrity. Get rid of him now and get somebody honest in the job.

Riley, Kyiv, Ukraine

You really do have to hand it to our public sector. Not content with copper bottomed pensions, and the sort of early retirement perks you and I could only dream of (not to mention job security), we now find that the gravy train keeps moving even when you have retired under the quite magical 30 year rule.
And do we need to wonder why our taxes are so high? There are literally thousands of deals like this, and it is time our press exposed the lot of them.

Johnny Mac, Glasgow,

Mr Johnston is doing nothing wrong, he could just retire on his pension but his experience would be lost, even if he did,somebody else would fill the position. There is also no mention that Police Officers contribute a third of their earnings to their pension throughout their careers. This article is a classic attempt hide the dishonesty of the Home Secretary in the usual manner,using spin and rhetoric. The prisons are full, surely this indicates that the rank and file Police Officers are doing something right or do the spin doctors think that the criminals put themselves inside. The Police are totally mismanaged, they are run by "educated fools" who can only see as far as their next promotion. If I told lies like ministers do I would be sacked, roll on the next election!!!!

richie, Cheshire,

Good luck to the bloke he is doing right by his family and making a few quid ,shame the rest of the country don't follow his lead instead of whinging.
Tim
Bangkok

Tim walton, bangkok, thailand

This has nothing to do with the fact that the government reneged on its deal with the police.

Bill Q, Derby,

Don't see how this is a problem. He works for one company and gets a pension then is offered a job with another company and gets a wage..?

And you wouldn't do that..?

dachaidh, rhu, scotland

The fact is that the Transport Police are railwaymen in police uniforms. Under BR they made it quite plain that their loyalty was to their employers, not to the public - and I doubt it things have changed very much.

Malcolm Stuart, Banwell, N.. Somerset

We used to say " It can only happen in America". Surely somebody is making this all up to generate a responce.
Well Aren't They ??????????

Robert Allen, L'pool, UK

corruption at its finest by Britain's "finest"....

lyn, santa barbara, ca, usa

Its is these top officers who are bleeding the coffers dry and leaving nothing left for the rank and file members. How on earth are they worth 1/4 million £ each year ??. They're not.

Simon, London, UK