London, Nov. 29 (ANI): Police forces in the UK have spend over 800,000 pounds a year to allow officers to listen to music at their desks, in canteens and even in cell blocks.

Licences are required for any workplace where music is played on the radio or on a CD or cassette. In recent years, British police forces have been forced to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to obtain the “iPlod” licences from the main licensing organisation, PRS for Music (Performing Right Society), which collects royalties for most British songwriters and musicians, The Telegraph reports.

Some forces have seen their payments increase by as much as 85-fold in recent years, while others have only recently started paying anything at all.

Critics said the spending, which is equivalent to the salaries of 35 junior constables, was a waste of money.

Matthew Elliott, chief executive at the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “Police forces around the country are paying far too much for recreational radio use. This does represent a large waste of precious resources that could be allocated to improving front line policing.”

A total of 41 forces across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have paid 703,625 dollars in one year.

The Metropolitan Police has the largest bill at 229,965 pounds. (ANI)