of England and Wales Annual Police Police Federation Annual Reports 2013 Reports 2013 “The sentencing starting point for anyone who kills a police officer should be life without parole” Joint Central Committee Constables’ Central Committee Sergeants’ Central Committee Inspectors’ Central Committee POLICE FEDERATION INDEPENDENT Typeset and printed by REVIEW Progress Report The Police Federation of England and Wales INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF THE POLICE FEDERATION CHAIR SIR DAVID NORMINGTON I OCTOBER 2013 www.polfed.org www.thersa.org JCC annual report 2013_constables report04 18/03/2014 09:36 Page 1 2013 Executive Summary suffering mental health issues who wrongly end up in a police cell as well as highlighting the use of police cars as ambulances on occasions when our NHS colleagues were unable to provide such a service. We made it very clear that a police cell is no place for people with mental health problems and a police car is no substitute for an ambulance. Subsequently, the Home Office has begun working with the NHS, setting up pilot ‘triage’ schemes Steve Williams Ian Rennie which see mental health nurses working Chairman General Secretary closely with police patrol teams. 2013 proved to be another year of The Federation also made representations challenge and change for the Federation on the issue of crime recording and the use and the police service as a whole. of statistics, joining the public debate on how inaccuracies in crime data have an A shadow was cast across the organisation impact of public confidence and the following the sudden death of our dear integrity of the service. The Federation gave colleague and Chairman Paul McKeever evidence to the House of Commons’ Public just days before he was due to begin his Administration Select Committee in retirement. November and is also assisting the HMIC’s 2013/14 crime data integrity programme. Our incoming Chairman, Steve Williams took Autumn last year saw the publication of the on the legacy that Paul had created final report of the Independent Police through his resolve and dedication to Commission, led by Lord Stevens QPM. champion the rights of rank and file police officers as well as striving to maintain the Following the Federation’s repeated calls standard of service delivery that the public for a Royal Commission, the Labour Party deserves. commissioned an inquiry in 2011, also led by Lord Stevens. The report recommended a Influencing the Political Landscape series of reforms to the service including the The year began with a parliamentary abolition of Police and Crime reception organised by the national Commissioners and the current 43-force Federation to highlight policing issues in structure. Of key significance to our Wales. Minister of State for Policing and members was the recommendation that Criminal Justice, Rt Hon Damian Green MP officers should have ‘chartered status’. spoke at the event, expressing his Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has determination to "restore more discretion to announced that Labour will consult on the the police". The event provided an recommendations as part of Labour’s opportunity for Federation representatives manifesto-writing process ahead of the next to discuss matters impacting on policing in general election in 2015. The Federation will Wales with Westminster parliamentarians. use every opportunity to feed into that Steve Williams, PFEW Chairman and consultation process to shape the Shadow Policing Minister, Rt Hon David interpretation of those recommendations Hanson MP, also spoke at the event, Mr and work with other political parties as their Hanson highlighting concerns over the manifestos develop. levels of cuts to the policing budget. Police officers’ terms and conditions, pay Work continued to represent the views of and pensions our members and highlight those areas This was the year that the cuts to the police where we felt the Government could assist service really began to have an impact in tackling issues that are threatening to with a further 4,516 full-time equivalent undermine the service. The Federation officers being lost bringing a total reduction lobbied throughout the year on the issues of over 14,000 officers since 2010. With ever- surrounding the treatment of people increasing demands on the service being The Police Federation of England and Wales Annual Report 2013 Joint Central Committee 1 JCC annual report 2013_constables report04 18/03/2014 09:36 Page 2 2013 Executive Summary met by a dwindling number of officers, Further detail on all the issues relating to morale took a real beating as officers strove police pay, pensions and terms and as always to ensure the safety and security conditions of service, can be found in the of the public. PNB/PAB section of this annual report. The reverberations of the Winsor Review Federation Ballot continued to impact on the landscape of The Police Federation ballot to seek the policing with the Federation continuing its right to take industrial action was held mission to ensure wherever possible that the between 31 January 2013 and 28 February implementation of reforms would not be to 2013. It was called after a motion brought the detriment of its members or the public. by the Metropolitan Police Federation was Some of Winsor’s most significant accepted as policy by PFEW’s Joint Central recommendations remained on the Committee (JCC). The online ballot was agenda at the Police Negotiating Board conducted by Electoral Reform Services (PNB), including the introduction of (ERS) an independent scrutineer. Officers compulsory severance for police officers from all federated ranks of the police and proposals concerning restricted duties service had the opportunity to take part in and payment of the ‘x-factor’. The the ballot. They were asked the question: Federation played a key role in the “Do you wish PFEW to seek the right for discussions that took place during 2013 at police officers to take industrial action?” the PNB. When, regrettably, an agreement could not be reached, the issue was taken The results were announced on 4 March. forward to the Police Arbitration Tribunal Out of the 133,108 officers eligible to vote, (PAT). The Staff Side was led by chief some 56,333 took part in the ballot, with negotiator and Federation General 45,651 voting in favour and 10,681 voting Secretary Ian Rennie. Backed by robust against. PFEW’s policy stated that a clear written and oral evidence, our organisation mandate to seek industrial rights could only played a key role in challenging the case be provided by more than half of its total for the introduction of a measure that membership of 133,108 voting in favour. would alter the constitutional position of the Whilst that figure was not achieved, the police and change the very nature of the ballot result highlighted the pressure the service. As a result, the PAT ruled against service was feeling and the Federation introducing the power to make officers continued to negotiate to get the best deal redundant – a great result for the for officers in straitened economic times. Federation, for the service and for the public. On restricted duties, the Sides only Legal Services 2013 differed on one, recommendation 39. The The JCC provides legal advice and view put forward by the Official Side on the representation to members in respect of definition of restricted duty was accepted, duty related criminal and conduct matters, so the potential pay reduction applies to defamation and privacy, employment officers unable to undertake the full range tribunal respondents, malicious of duties of a police officer. Staff Side prosecutions, regulations advice, inquests, remain concerned that this could lead to judicial reviews, criminal appeals and police unlawful discrimination for disabled officers. appeal tribunals. Each Rank General Secretary deals with funding of claims of In April, the Government confirmed that the discrimination; cases of discrimination that PNB will be replaced by a Police involve a conflict are considered for Remuneration Review Body (PRRB) in 2014. funding by the JCC. This will be similar to that used to set pay in other public services. Whilst this decision In 2013 the Police Federation funded a total was not welcomed by the Federation, we of 2494 legal actions, compared to 2217 in are involved in the process of the formation 2011. All categories increased slightly with of the new body and will fully engage with the exception of the “JCC Other” category it once established to ensure the interests of which decreased from 341 in 2012 to 315 in our members are best served by the new 2013. arrangements. The Police Federation of England and Wales Annual Report 2013 2 Joint Central Committee JCC annual report 2013_constables report04 18/03/2014 09:36 Page 3 2013 Executive Summary Chart 1: The proportion and number of Women made up 27% of Federated ranks in cases supported by the PFEW in 2013 England and Wales in 2013 (Home Office); (Total 2494) and 21% of the cases funded by the Police Federation. The Separate Rank Committees fund primary claims of discrimination; of these, women account for 57% of the total cases funded compared to 50% last year. 30% of Constables were women in 2012, yet 67% of all cases funded by the Constables’ Central Committee were from women (149). Chart 4: The Racial Breakdown of Funded Cases in 2013 Chart 2: The breakdown of claims of discrimination funded by the Separate Rank Committees in 2013 (Total 315). In 19% of cases the ethnicity of the claimant was not recorded. BME officers made up 5% of Federated ranks in England and Wales in 2013 (Home In respect of discrimination, claims of Office), and 5% (154) of the claims funded disability discrimination increased while where ethnicity was stated. Ethnicity was cases of race discrimination decreased.