Page 16 - BedFed Dec2018 Flipbook

16
Review of the year
3 January
The new-look Independent
Office for Police Conduct (IOPC)
replaces the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC). National Federation conduct and performance lead Phill Matthews warns a radical overhaul is needed if it is to improve.
3 January
13 March
The Home Office finally issues a pension calculator for members of the police pension schemes. The calculator allows members to get an idea of their projected pension at retirement and can be found on the Gov UK website. Its publication follows PFEW lobbying the police pension schemes’ governance body, the Scheme Advisory Board.
29 March
The newly-elected Bedfordshire Police Federation workplace representatives are named.
24 April
Two short previews are released of a harrowing new PFEW video sharing the experiences of police officers and other emergency workers assaulted on duty. The full-length version was screened at the Federation’s annual conference on 22 - 23 May before being released online.
29 April
Amber Rudd resigns as Home Secretary in the wake of the Windrush scandal.
30 April
Sajid Javid is appointed Home Secretary.
22 May
Day 1 of the Police Federation’s
annual national conference
Protecting the Protectors in Birmingham discusses officer assaults, fatigue, long, drawn-out investigations by the IOPC and the demand and capacity imbalance.
23 May
Day 2 of the conference. Home Secretary Sajid Javid tells delegates he wants to ‘re-set the relationship between the Government and the police’.
23 May
Research conducted by PFEW finds the majority of new recruits join the service with the intention of staying for life, but after five years only a third still see it that way.
28 June
The results of a nationwide Federation survey on routine arming reveal overwhelming support for more officers to be issued with Taser.
12 July
Two Bedfordshire officers nominated for a national Police Bravery Award after rescuing the residents of a burning fourth floor flat joined other nominees at a reception at 10 Downing Street.
Acting Sergeant Karen Jarman (who was a PC at the time) and new recruit PC Iesha Martin battled through the blaze and thick black smoke to rescue the people inside. They also attended the evening awards ceremony.
25 July
Sajid Javid, the Home Secretary, announces a two per cent pay rise for all officers that will come into effect in September.
New evidence in a joint study by the Police Federation and University of Nottingham shows single crewing could be putting police officers at increased risk of verbal insults and threats, physical attacks and injuries requiring medical attention.
25 January
“Smoke and mirrors” – Andy Fittes, the
Federation’s national general secretary, responds
to The Office for National Statistics report Crime in
England and Wales, which asked people about
their experience of crime, and showed a decrease
of 10 per cent from 2016. However, police recorded
crime showed an increase of 14 per cent. The
report also showed a significant rise in knife crime
(up 21 per cent) and gun crime (up 20 per cent). The police recorded crime figures also showed a rise in all but four categories of crime.
31 January
“Think of the lives we could save if we had more resources.” So said the Federation’s roads policing lead, Jayne Willetts, at the two-day Roads Policing Conference held in Hinckley, Leicestershire, warning that dwindling numbers of roads police officers are under increased pressure due to colleagues being deployed to other duties.
9 February
Links between demand, capacity and officer welfare feature in a new report from the Police Federation of England and Wales. The report and its findings will be discussed at the first in a series of workshops involving key decision makers in policing as well as a series of one-to-ones which will be held with key stakeholders.
1 March
Andy Fittes.
Voting opens in the new Police Federation of England and Wales local branch elections with members seeking election to workplace representative roles.
4 March
Wiltshire Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey is taken ill after responding to a suspected Russian nerve gas attack in Salisbury, Wiltshire.
13 March
Officers are urged to contact their MPs ahead of the second reading of a bill aiming to give police response drivers better protection in law.
13 March
A new national campaign warns of a crisis in detective policing.
2018