HERTFORDSHIRE'S police officers turned out in force to reject the Government's pay package, along with 73.3 per cent of officers throughout England and Wales.

In Hertfordshire, 98 per cent of officers turned out to vote for the package, which proposed to reduce compensation for working overtime.

Of those, 94 per cent of officers voted against the pay package on offer.

The Hertfordshire Police Federation, which represents the county's officers, said cutting overtime pay could affect the morale of officers who already have to fill in for the 200 officer shortage the Hertfordshire Constabulary currently has.

The package outlined a cut in pay for working overtime at up to eight and fifteen days notice.

Chairman of Hertfordshire Police Federation, Detective Constable Allan Kemp, also said he fears that officers' good will towards working overtime will be lost should the proposed package be put into action.

He said: "At the moment, because of difficulties in recruiting and retaining officers, those working in Hertfordshire have to work extremely hard to meet the shortfall, and they do so with a tremendous amount of good will.

"The new package means they will not be properly recompensed for this."

However, he was not critical of all of the pay package and said some parts of it would benefit both sides, by allowing greater flexibility.

Police Authority member and Hertfordshire County Councillor Chis White, said the result signals a collapse in police morale under Home Secretary David Blunkett.

Liberal Democrat, Councillor White, said: "Because the Government refuses to pay a market wage rate in Hertfordshire we are seriously short of police officers.

"As a result there has to be a great deal of overtime working on rest days, at weekends and on public holidays.

"Officers are bailing out the Government by working long hours and are entitled to be rewarded for their efforts to fight crime on our behalf."

The decision over whether to implement the package has now gone to an arbitration panel.