Police guides · officers in England and Wales
Police guides
The duty, pay and rota rules officers look up most, in plain English, with worked examples and the regulation behind each one.
Tools
- Rest day cancelled: what's it worth? Three questions, and the answer from the Police Regulations.
- Quick regs Every rule on one page: rest days, public holidays, overtime, TOIL, recalls, rest between shifts, meal breaks and leave.
Overtime and pay
- Police overtime explained The 30-minute rule, the fifth late finish, and what an hour is worth.
- TOIL for police officers How much time you get back, when to choose it, and when your force should give it.
- Working a bank holiday Double time, the 4-hour minimum, and the extra day off at under 8 days' notice.
- Called back between shifts Overtime at time and a third, travelling time included, and why there's no 4-hour minimum.
Rotas and shifts
- Police shift patterns explained The shifts, 6 on 4 off and 4 on 4 off side by side, and the rules every rota has to follow.
- 6 on 4 off Days, Lates and Nights, then four off: the hours, the weekends and the rules.
- 4 on 4 off Two Days, two Nights, four off, usually on 12-hour shifts.
- Police response shifts explained Earlies, Lates, Nights and Supernoons, and what you're owed when one changes.
Sleep and shift life
- Sleeping after night shifts The nap before, sleep between, and the short sleep and early night after.
More in shift work guides, for anyone who works shifts.
These guides cover the national rules for full-time constables and sergeants in England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own rules. We never ask which force you're in.
Every shift, worked out for you
SHFTRS keeps your rota and every change to it, and tells you what you're owed. It's built by police, for police.