Page 12 - BedFed Dec2018 Flipbook

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Get to know your workplace representatives
All branches of the Police Federation of England and Wales held elections for their workplace representatives earlier this year following the reform programme in the wake of the independent review of the organisation.
With a new Bedfordshire Police Federation Branch Council now in place, we have put together profiles of our workplace representatives so you can find out more about who is on hand to offer you support and advice.
Further profiles will appear in the next edition of Bedfed.
A full list of workplace representatives is available at beds.polfed.org
Steve Andrews
Steve became a rep to pass on the wealth of experience he has
built up with the
Force to younger
officers.
Steve has been a
serving officer for 25 years and wants to offer the ‘umbrella of protection’ that the Federation provides to the next generation.
“At the time I put myself forward as a rep I had more than 20 years in,” explained Steve, who was first elected to become a rep in 2013. “I wanted to offer some of my experience and time to those younger in service who may be having difficulties or facing problems.
“I had never experienced or needed the support provided by Federation but was always grateful that the umbrella of protection was always there should I have needed it.
“I had and continue to have concerns that newer officers may not have the support and protection of such large teams as I was part of in the early ‘90s and, instead, if it wasn’t for the support of the Federation, they are left to deal with issues themselves in a sink or swim kind of way.”
Steve, a roads policing unit sergeant at Cambridgeshire’s headquarters in Huntingdon, hopes he will be able to use the experience he has gathered in the role to support colleagues facing issues around driving.
“I hope none on my colleagues ever face allegations of dangerous driving or worse following pursuits or emergency runs that have gone wrong,” he said. “But if they do, I’d hope to be able to offer my experience and qualifications as a forensic collision investigator, advanced driver and TPAC Tac adviser to help review evidence and footage and report in an impartial manner.”
He said that his most challenging and rewarding moment as a rep came in the
same incident.
“The most challenging was representing
an officer through gross misconduct procedures when a mountain was made out of a molehill,” he recalled. “And the most rewarding was the successful outcome.”
And he feels there are plenty of challenges ahead for the Bedfordshire Police Federation and the service generally.
“Bedfordshire was always considered the family force,” he said. “It was small enough that virtually everyone knew everyone else.
“This made for a great understanding of who did what and where you could find them when you might need assistance.
“We are now fragmented, dispersed, divided and fast becoming unfamiliar of our colleagues.”
Stephen Bozward
Stephen had only got around completed around four years’ service with the Force when he became a Federation workplace representative in 2014.
“I was still
relatively young in service but I had an interest in what exactly what the Federation does at a local and national level for police officers,” he explained. “The answer is locally it does a huge amount of unseen work around welfare, equality, misconduct, injustice in the workplace and health and safety.”
Stephen, who is a PC based in the offender management unity in Luton and is also a PSU officer, admitted the most challenging aspect of being a rep so far is the realisation that you can’t always resolve every problem that comes your way.
“The most rewarding aspect for me has been having the opportunity to support colleagues. This has been something as simple as having a quick chat, listening and offering advice to acting as a Fed friend from start to finish during a misconduct meeting or hearing,” said Steve, who is also a trustee at Flint House, the police rehabilitation centre.
He has completed the new rep’s course as well as those for conduct and performance, equality, health and safety and advocacy. Next year he will receive Post- Incident Procedure training.
“With the quality training I have received from the Police Federation and the support and advice available at a local level from the chair, treasurer/secretary and reps, I will continue to support officers as I have done so far,” he pointed out.
Looking ahead, Stephen believes the main challenge for the Force - and for all forces - will be the continued squeeze on budgets, rising crime and lack of resources
while the Police Federation of England and Wales will need to continue to lobby the current Government around budgets, pensions and law changes to protect officers doing their jobs.
Mark Griffiths
After 17 years policing, Mark needed the help of his Federation and was so impressed with the support he received that he decided to get involved himself.
Now Mark, who is currently based in the central tasking team in Borough Hall, Bedford, is a rep in his own right.
He has a particular interest in the areas of welfare and pensions but feels he can make a difference in many other areas.
“I have recently been involved with an incident and required the services of the Federation,” he said. “I was thoroughly impressed with the Federation’s support and wanted to give something back.”
And Mark says the cuts in police numbers and in services are threats to the Federation and to the wider policing service.
But he is determined to help keep the Force, and the Federation, moving forwards in difficult times, not least by offering a helping hand to student officers.
“I foresee that the Force, Bedfordshire Police Federation and the police service in general will face many challenges ahead, not least with the current struggle with the budget and funding shortfalls,” he explained.
“It is imperative that the Force executive continues to strive for an increased budget if we are able to achieve the level of service that the public deserve.
“As a Federation, I worry that student officers joining the establishment, students whomayhavehadtotakeacutinpayto join, will see the subscription as an extra burden on their finances and may choose not to subscribe.
“It is for all reps to canvass all student officers of the essential need of the support and representation the Federation brings,” he added.
Corina House
Corina is new to being a rep but feels she can make a difference by supporting officers in challenging times for the Force.
And Corina says
that already, in the
small time she has been a rep, she feels she is making an impact.
“Even in the few short months I have