Page 29 - Top Cover Issue 6

TOP COVER ISSUE 6 29

that is probably less than 50% of what we do. They shouldn’t have FEDERATION NEWS
to seek out the information; they should just understand that we
can be trusted with their subs. shootings, during which the Federation provided real and tangible
If there is a reluctance to be open, people will get suspicious. They support demonstrate the value of what we provide.
are cops – they’re paid to be suspicious! Other deaths, or injury as a result of officer intervention that are
less high profile, are equally important and need to be defended.
Many officers now question the ‘value for money’ they receive We are not about defending the indefensible but the Federation
for their monthly subscription, what is being done to offer has to be supportive.
them more and demonstrate support for them? Firearms officers face threats and are required to be at the top of
their game at all times, over and above the normal expectations.
You only need to be under serious scrutiny for one case of The Federation recognises that, which is why our support is vitally
misconduct to understand the value the Federation brings officers. important. The support of the PFOA complements what we do,
There is no other legal aid scheme that brings the same level of it doesn’t replace it. PFOA members sometimes think they don’t
support. But we need reform to demonstrate to members the need both. It is a voluntary subscription to the federation but they
other work we do with shift patterns, health and safety, making need to understand what they won’t get if they leave.
sure the kit is up to the job, influencing political parties in terms I want to move to the point where we are working alongside the
of policy – all that is included in the subs and produces tangible PFOA to provide the very best support to officers who provide the
results but we can’t tell the members because we don’t even know onerous responsibility of carrying firearms to protect the public. I
who they are! It’s crazy and hugely frustrating because cops do a was an AFO for 6 years,I know how they feel.
cracking job and we do a great job supporting them, but no one
knows about it. That’s why I wanted this job. Do you enjoy your job?

There has been much talk about the £26m building at It is hugely challenging but it brings huge opportunities. I still
Leatherhead. Why was this designed without any regard to consider myself a cop from Bristol so to be able to give evidence
holding the Chairs and Secretaries meeting, instead you now at the Home Affairs Select Committee, or have conversations with
pay for a hotel up the road to hold these meetings? the Prime Minister, and appear on national television representing
cops around the country is a huge privilege and sometimes I have
Those meetings are held four or five times a year and to design a to pinch myself.
building to cater for 100 plus people a few days a year would not
be an effective use of funds. We could have catered for it, but it Do you feel under pressure?
seemed daft. This is a facility for members, and it should be full at
weekends with them and their families using what their subs pay Cops in general work best under pressure; we thrive on it to be
for, but we have not been effective at getting them here. It wasn’t effective. Since coming into office the Federation has never been
paid for out of taxpayers’ money. under such intense scrutiny and that brings with it immense
pressures. But I know that cops all over the country feel the
Will the Federation cut the number of representatives it has? same. My job is to ensure that in the midst of all the negativity
surrounding policing that the great work done by the 124,000
An inevitable consequence of the review is that there will be fewer officers we represent is championed.
reps, and we need to use them in the most effective way.
You are away from your family most of the week, how does
Do you believe that the Government would like to see the what is going on at present affect them?
Federation crumble?
The unsung heroes of the police service are the partners and
It’s in no-one’s interests - the public, the government or the families. Without the support of people who don’t take an oath
police - to have an ineffective and uninfluential staff association. or sign up to be an officer, quite simply we could not do our job.
It’s like strong opposition leading to better government – you When an officer feels under pressure it has an effect on their
will get better policing with a strong association than without it. home life, but the police family is also quite unique in terms of
The Government recognises that we need to have a voice and be the support mechanisms because the closeness brings a common
represented but if they don’t see reform they will take matters into understanding. We have a bond because of the uniqueness of the
their own hands and make the Federation what they want it to be. role.
However, they recognise that not to have a Federation at all would My wife Gill is from a police family, her father used to be a Chief
be a huge mistake. Inspector in the Met, but whenever she used to say goodbye to
me on nights she would always wonder if she was going to see me
Will expenses and additional pay and pensions benefits of again. There is an element of being selfish because we all want to
national reps be published for your membership to see? do an interesting and exciting job, but the unsung heroes don’t get

We haven’t made those decisions yet, but there is openness and paid to wait at home. At National Memorial Day in my own force,
transparency. My view is I would like to continue to see it happen. the thing that affected her most was seeing the space left at the
We don’t have anything to hide. bottom of the plaque for more names to be added. Gill would get
frustrated because I wouldn’t tell her certain things because I didn’t
The PFOA have received hundreds of enquiries from firearms want to upset her, but then she would see it in the paper and get
officers all over the country asking whether they should stay in upset anyway.
the Federation. What can you say to reassure them that things As an officer you just get on with it, otherwise you couldn’t do the
will be changed and their money will be used to support them job and you might as well pack up and go home. I’ve come close
and their families? but I wouldn’t do this job if I didn’t think it was worthwhile.

Recent high profile cases, such as the Mark Duggan and Lee Rigby