Onthebumline:
Not all police pilots are ex mil, but the CAA does specify minimum experience, which it is much easier to meet if you are ex mil.
Pay is around the mid 30k, with no overtime or any extras. Obviously you are expected to work a shift pattern around the clock. Most of the time pilots are on standby as they only respond to incidents and don't patrol as such. If you fly a couple of hours a day in a 10 or 12 hour shift, then that's a good days flying.
They have a number of excemptions from the Air Navigation Order (the law) which allows -under certain circumstances; low flying and flying in poor weather and at night in poor weather in a machine that may not have any stability aids. The proviso in all of this is that if it all goes wrong, the pilot takes the rap, regardless of the circumstances of what is happening on the ground.
I hope that helps.