UK Police Make Record Payments to Whistle While They Work

While the Home Office is telling police forces in England and Wales to make annual savings of more than £500m by 2014, details have emerged that the constabulary is paying in excess of £800,000 a year to enable officers to listen to music at their desks, canteens and -- somewhat bizarrely -- in cell blocks.

The money - equivalent to the salaries of 35 junior constables - is paid to the Performing Rights Society (PRS) who collect licensing fees for recording artists and the payments have risen by as much as 85 times over the last few years due an increase in license fees.

Payment details have revealed that Thames Valley Police paid £48,000 last year as compared to £127 in 2007.

Whether the Home Office's budgetary impositions mean that there could be a Riot in Cell Block No. 9, it certainly brings a new meaning to having a Police record. Perhaps they'd like to consider the following playlist as they mull over those budgetary cuts:

'Police and Thieves' -- Junior Murvin
'Bank Robber' -- The Clash
'I Fought the Law' -- Bobby Fuller Four
'Folsom Prison Blues' -- Johnny Cash
'Prisoner of Love' -- Spear of Destiny
'New York City Cops' -- The Strokes
'Back on the Chain Gang' -- The Pretenders
'F--- Tha Police' -- N.W.A.
'Highway Patrolman' -- Bruce Springsteen
Anything by the Police (pictured)

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