HUMBERSIDE Police Chief Constable Justine Curran has written to headteachers asking them to "look favourably" on police officers who want to take their children on holidays during term-time.
Ms Curran penned the letter to the headteachers of schools across the region, saying the force was having to restrict the number of officers given leave at any one time.
She said that is increasingly difficult during the summer and at Christmas, when there are high demands on force resources.
Headteachers are only meant to approve requests for absences during term-time in exceptional circumstances under new rules introduced by Education Secretary Michael Gove.
Parents who ignore the rules and remove their children from classes to go on holiday can face fines of up to £2,500 or jail.
Ms Curran said: "Earlier this month I wrote to every school asking them for their support in allowing authorised term-time absence for the children of operational officers and staff of Humberside Police due to the challenges the force is facing.
"We have a very wide and varied role in supporting communities and national events with our highest demand periods being during the summer and Christmas periods, both locally and nationally.
"For example, during the summer period this year, specialist public order officers may be required to support national demands such as the marching season in Northern Ireland, the Commonwealth Games in Scotland and the NATO Summit in Wales.
"This is in addition to the significant resource requirements locally within Humberside. As an organisation, we therefore have to restrict the number of operational officers and staff who take annual leave at any one time, in particular during the summer and Christmas periods."
The police service has lobbied Mr Gove for flexibility for the children of officers and staff, but has been told decisions are made at the discretion of headteachers.
Ms Curran said: "People employed in these roles may need to take authorised term time absence for their children so they can have a holiday.
"With this in mind I asked that applications from operational officers and staff for term-time absence be fully considered and looked upon favourably."
John Killeen, head of South Cave Primary School and local representative of the National Association of Head Teachers union, said: "We have sympathy with the police service but it would make the headteacher's position untenable with the rest if the parent body if they started making exceptions."
