Brave Officer Attends Downing Street Reception- Pages 6 and 7
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SUMMER2019 ConnectNEWS AND VIEWS FROM WEST MERCIA POLICE FEDERATION Brave officer attends Downing Street reception - Pages 6 and 7 Contents Chair’s introduction 2 Working for you Home Office backs 2.5 per cent police By Sarah Cooper changes that focus on improving the pay rise 3 Chair of West experience of officers at an already Mercia Police incredibly difficult and stressful time. News in brief 3 Federation We are asking PSD to introduce a risk assessment at the start of any Latest developments on pensions 4 write this at investigation and are also working towards Federation agrees collective a time of a proposal to carry out regular stress statement 5 I utter assessments throughout the process so devastation in the impact on officers can be properly Government will apply ‘industrial the policing monitored. The Federation is working at a remedy’ 5 family. The tragic loss of our national level to address the unacceptable Thames Valley colleague PC Andrew Harper delays with investigations. Charity donation 5 on 15 August is the worst possible Thank you to everyone who has made reminder of the risks faced by police contact with me with suggestions as to Brave Mike and Bacca honoured after officers every day as they serve the public. how we can improve our service to you. knife attack 6 Our thoughts are with his family, friends One of the greatest areas of concern raised and colleagues. relates to information about pay and Mike ‘gobsmacked’ at bravery award PC Harper’s tragic death came just days pensions and, as a result, this will be a nomination 6 after one of our Met colleagues was regular feature in this magazine. attacked with a machete and one of our All the latest information is available on PDSA award for Bacca 7 regional colleagues, PC Gareth Phillips of the PFEW website. We also have our own West Midlands Police, was very seriously website up and running which can be Riding for those who didn’t come home 8 injured during an incident involving a found at www.polfed.org/westmercia - it suspected stolen car. I know that PC is still a work in progress but we are Remembering fallen officers 10 Phillips has worked alongside our own getting there! I am mindful of not sending officers and the impact of this cannot be out emails when the information is readily Roll of Honour book launched 10 underestimated. available elsewhere as I know you are all Within our own Force, I have also this inundated. New conduct regulations to be in month attended the funeral of Special We are continuing to work closely with place in the New Year 11 Constable Joe Hunaban who tragically took the wellbeing team and efforts are ongoing Officer tells harrowing story of his own life. I know Joe was an incredibly to introduce a day into the shift pattern long-drawn-out conduct case 12 popular member of his team and the effect that will be dedicated to officer welfare. his death has had on colleagues and This may take the form of training, team Conduct and performance: a brief friends was clearly evident. The building or simply having a day to clear overview 13 circumstances of his premature death workload and therefore decrease stress. reinforce the need for us to focus on the This will be going out to consultation in Quarter of women consider quitting mental wellbeing of each and every the near future and please be assured that due to menopause 15 member of our policing family and we, as a this is a genuine consultation; no decision Federation, will continue with this work to has been made but we need your feedback support those who are relentlessly trying so we can plan what this will look like and Cover photo: Now retired PC Mike Davey and to make change for the better, all too often if it will progress. wife Jo outside No 10 Downing Street. at the expense of their own welfare. I have also been asked to provide more Photo courtesy of Anderson Photography. We focus on the impact of information on what we are doing on your investigation in this issue. The behalf. We are looking to promote our work Connect is published by overwhelming feedback we get from through this magazine and via your local West Mercia Police Federation, officers is that it is not the investigation reps. I am always very happy to chat over United House, Unit 1, De Salis Drive, itself which causes the huge associated any concerns you may have so please get in stress, but the length of time these touch about anything that is important to Hampton Lovett, Droitwich WR9 0QE. investigations take and, on occasion, the you. Telephone: 01905 744500 way in which they are conducted. At the end of August, we also had the The perception is that we do not afford opportunity to provide feedback and ask Chair: Sarah Cooper our own officers the same consideration questions of the national Federation chair, Secretary: Steve Butler expected of us all when dealing with John Apter. Every member was invited to a members of the public. In the most Q & A session held at the Federation offices Every care is taken to ensure that advertisements are only accepted from bona fide advertisers. The extreme of cases, officers have felt they and John then went out on patrol with Police Federation cannot accept liability incurred by have no option but to leave the officers across the Force over a two-day any person as a result of a default on the part of an organisation as they have lost all faith in period. I am grateful to John for taking the advertiser. The views expressed within this magazine the Force. time out to listen to the concerns of our are not necessarily the views of -West Mercia Police Federation. I am extremely grateful to those who officers and I know that this engagement have shared their experiences with me so I will help in negotiations at a national level. Contact the Federation can raise awareness and help to make Thank you to all who took part in this and changes. This is an area I am absolutely assisted with it. We will publish more E-mail: [email protected] passionate about and we are working with details about this in our autumn edition of Tel: 01905 744500 PSD and the wellbeing team to introduce the magazine. 2 NEWS IN BRIEF ASSAULTS FIGURES Home Office There were a total of 514 assaults on West Mercia Police officers during 2018/2019, newly released figures reveal. The statistics were published within the last Crime in England and Wales report from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). backs 2.5 per cent The breakdown of the West Mercia figures reveals there were 184 police recorded assaults with injury and 330 without injury. Nationally, in 2018/19 there were more than 30,000 assaults on police officers in police pay rise England and Wales (including British Transport Police). olice officers have been awarded a 2.5 POLICE COVENANT Pper cent pay increase. Former Home Secretary Sajid Javid revealed The Police Federation of England and plans to establish a police covenant to Wales has said the rise was a ‘small step in recognise the sacrifice made by police officers the right direction’. when he addressed this year’s Police Bravery It is the first time in three years Awards ceremony. that the Home Office has accepted in He said the covenant would recognise that full the recommendations of the Police police officers are not employees but hold the Remuneration Review Body (PRRB), the ‘office of constable’ bringing with it a high level independent body advising the Government of personal accountability and responsibility on police pay. for the protection of life and property. However, national Federation chair John Mr Javid explained: “This will be a pledge Apter has insisted the Government must do to do more as a nation to help those who more to make up for years of real-term pay serve this country. It will ensure the sacrifice cuts endured by Federation members. made by the police is properly recognised. I’m “Police officers have suffered nine years in awe of every officer who plays their part in of pay freezes and pay caps. So, while this keeping this country safe. Rest assured, the pay award represents the highest received Government has your back – and the police since 2010, it is not what we and the Police covenant will make sure of that.” Superintendents’ Association jointly asked Sarah Cooper, chair of West Mercia Police for – however, it is better than the derisory Federation, said: “Police officers put their lives rise our members were given last year,” says on the line as they serve their communities. John. National Federation chair John Apter. Their wellbeing should be prioritised by the “It is positive to see the Government Government and police leaders and this abiding by proper process and accepting all n A 2.5 per cent uplift in the dog handlers’ covenant would enshrine their welfare in law, the recommendations of the PRRB which it allowance acknowledging the unique role they play in has failed to do for the past two years. But n A 2.5 per cent uplift in London society.” this must be just the start of getting police weighting, and officers’ pay back to the level it should be.” n No change for apprentice and degree FOCUS ON WELLBEING He continues: “Before the next pay holder progression pay, which means The Home Office has pledged to embed award, the chancellor will announce the those joining the service will continue wellbeing at the heart of policing and free results of the Comprehensive Spending to receive the current incremental pay up front-line officers’ time for core policing Review – and that must include substantial, rises through their probationary period.