POLICE are increasingly turning to second jobs in order to fend off the impact of the recession.

Figures reveal that 123 officers and staff declared business interests and additional work in the past 12 months.

That is up from 83 the previous year.

Just six of the applications were rejected and four withdrawn, with officers using their spare time to get a second income from property, training, administration, performing arts, child care, sport and building trades.

The majority of business interests were for Lancashire Police making money in the property market through letting or renting.

The force employees around 6,000 officers and staff.

Retired senior detective Mick Gradwell defended officers with profitable interests outside the force.

He said: “These are generally business interests not second jobs, such as a wife or partner renting property. A lot of times there are people with HGV licences with an eye on retirement.”

Lancashire Police Federation Secretary Rachel Baines said a continued increase was ‘inevitable’ because of the financial stress on officers due to the cost of living. Police have to declare unpaid work and even helping out colleagues with childcare.

She said: “Where there would be a problem is if people were trying to hold down full-time jobs.”

A force spokesman said: “All police staff and officers are required to declare secondary employment to ensure it is compatible to the role they are performing within the organisation.

“There is a high level of scrutiny and risk tests to determine the suitability of secondary employment.”

In East Lancashire, there are 13 officers with second jobs in Eastern division and 17 officers in Pennine division, with interests including performing arts, training, coaching and teaching, arts and crafts, property, business administration, child care, driving, and building.