Massages and bouncy castle hire are among the services being offered by the 363 West Yorkshire Police officers who have second jobs.

The number of officers with a second job has more than doubled in four years. In February 2006 just 176 of the force's officers had other careers.

TV and film extra work is the sideline for 28 of the West Yorkshire force's 5,854 officers – whose average salary is £30,000 – while 74 opt for property developing in their spare time.

Two are masseurs, two work in bouncy castle hire and two in beauty salons.

There three models, five DJs, six musicians, four writers and one will maker.

One officer is a mascot, one a footballer, two are rugby players and five are self defence instructors.

The information is in documents requested by the YEP under the Freedom of Information Act.

We asked how many West Yorkshire Police officers had registered business interests or secondary earnings in 2009.

West Yorkshire Police rules say that officers must not take up a job at the expense of the force and the main job as a police officer has to come first. Officers must apply to the force vetting officer and also write to the force personnel department.

A force spokesman said all the second jobs had been approved, adding: "If it was considered that a business interest would have a detrimental impact on the completion of a police officer's role it would not be approved."

Michael Downes is chairman of West Yorkshire Police Federation, the union which represents grass-roots officers.

He said: "It doesn't surprise me that a number of officers have found themselves having to do second jobs. It could be house price increases or it could be partners who worked in the private sector and lost their jobs and it could be they are struggling to make ends meet."

(image and source: http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/West-Yorkshire-Police39s-jobs-on.6148633.jp)

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