FORMER police chief constable Sara Thornton is being given £252,000 in her new role as the head of the National Police Chiefs Council.

Ms Thornton, who officially stood down as head of Thames Valley Police on Tuesday, took up the new role yesterday as the NPCC replaced the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo).

Her predecessor, Acpo president Sir Hugh Orde, froze his salary at £197,439.

Ms Thornton will get £185,103 a year plus benefits including £10,500 a year towards a car, an annual London weighting of £2,325, a yearly London allowance (non-pensionable) of £1,100 and £14,000 a year for a flat.

Her employer’s pension contributions will come to £39,900 per annum.

She said: “I am delighted to lead the NPCC as we meet the challenges facing the police service. Some of the biggest threats we face like terrorism and organised crime, are national and international; so there has never been a greater need for forces to work together.

“We are dealing with an unprecedented increase in crimes such as sexual abuse and cybercrime, which take longer to investigate.

“All of this against a background of budget cuts means we have to prioritise carefully and change the way we police. I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure the best response.”

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