More than 3,000 officers in Västra Götland are affected by the ranking system. However, it isn't an A for effort which is the best ranking, but rather those who receive a C, who will benefit from a fatter wage packet at the end of the month.
"I know many who have gone home and cried… it's a punch below the belt for those that are ranked in the lowest category," veteran policeman Anders Holmström told Sveriges Radio.
The long-serving officer said many of his colleagues likened the system to being back in the classroom. To make matters worse, the grades aren't fully explained, with anybody wanting to know why they were awarded an A having to wait until the autumn to find out.
A member of the police authority's senior management said the system was rushed through as part of an overall salary review related to pay raises.
"We were under time pressure and we had to find a system that made it simple. Unfortunately this was perhaps too simple," said Morgan Orvenholt, assistant county police commissioner, said to Sveriges Radio.
He added that the process will be continue to be monitored and will conduct talks with disgruntled members of the force.
"We've learned our lesson after this process," said Orvenholt, who declined to reveal what grade he had been given.
For officer Holmström, who has been on the beat since the 1970s, the money side of the grading system was irrelevant.
"To tell the truth I think it's ridiculous… you don't care about the money, but it is more about the feeling of not being appreciated," he said.
The Local/pr
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