Parking offences, dropping litter, cycling without lights and urinating in public are more likely to go unpunished from today as part of a police campaign for better pay and conditions.

Police unions have asked officers to overlook minor infringements as they press the government to improve its offer in the current round of pay negotiations. Letting offenders off with a caution reduces the amount the state receives in income from fines.

Unions say officers are being ‘squeezed like lemons’ by reorganisation plans designed to make the service more efficient. Among the proposed reforms are the abolition of nine-hour shifts, which allowed police to work four days a week rather than five.

Officers over the age of 55 will no longer be automatically exempt from working nights and the force will be able to redeploy personnel to any police station within an hour of where they live.

Unions are also demanding a 3.5 per cent pay rise and a higher rate for travelling expenses.

Not all officers are taking part in the action and the union has said that anybody who tries to take advantage of the more lax regime is still at risk of a fine.