Page 13 - Bedfed Conf2016 Flip Book

Sir Tom Winsor praises rank and file officers
Sir tom Winsor, head of HMiC, spoke of his ‘enormous respect and admiration’ for rank and file police officers and the work they do every day in his speech to the Police Federation conference.
He praised their ‘can do’ culture and acknowledged the dangers they faced explaining that attending Merseyside PC Dave Phillips’ funeral last year had been one of the most moving experiences of his life and highlighting the ‘dignity in profound grief of his young family’.
Sir Tom told delegates: “Dave Phillips’ daughters will grow up without their father. They will be proud of their father but they will miss him every day – they will live with his memory but not his presence. This is something that everyone needs to keep front and centre of their minds as policing judgements are made.”
His 30-minute slot on the Wednesday morning of conference week was listed as HMIC PeeL inspections but he began by referring to a question asked of the Home Secretary about her legacy, saying that this had prompted him to reflect on his own time as chief inspector at the inspectorate, particularly as he was now halfway through his term of office.
His respect and admiration for policing had only intensified, he explained, particularly since it was the police service that stepped in when other agencies failed, sometimes chronically. The public, he said, know the police will never say no.
Sir Tom also praised police officers’ bravery: “every day they [police] go out to face dangers that they can never anticipate... an angry man with a knife, acid thrown in their face, or an attack with an axe.”
He then went on to outline the key theme of his presentation saying that the aim of HMIC was to make front-line policing more productive and that the PeeL – police effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy – inspections introduced two years ago marked the biggest ever change to force inspections.
The PeeL inspections, which rank forces as outstanding, good, requiring improvement and inadequate, involve three assessments for each of the 43 forces.
But, he announced that more needed to be done to enable forces to plan for the future. In line with utility companies, that are required to produce Network
Management Statements each year to show how they are planning to meet their future demand, forces would now be compelled to prepare their own Force Management Statements annually.
The police, he pointed out, were the most important of all the services since policing affected everyone. There were three main considerations – what forces do, which is complex, he said, future demand and assets, mainly people with their conditions, mental and physical well-being, capability, serviceability and resilience all being important factors.
Demand is largely viewed as being about crime, Sir Tom said, but police dealt with far more than crime.
“It isn’t easy,” he admitted, “But is it worth doing? yes.”
The first statements would involve a lot of work for forces, he said, but it would get easier over time.
Sir Tom concluded by calling for the Federation to have a seat at the influential Police Reform and Transformation Board and also offered support in gathering more accurate data on police officer assaults.
OURREPsAYs
“Sir Tom always delivers a well informed and dynamic presentation, whether you agree with him or not. Since he has taken up the position of HMCIC I do feel he has actually tried to help the police, possibly with problems he created with his reform proposals though! Forces and the Government need to plan for the tomorrow not just the today. I liked the idea of a strategy that is agreed and remains in place for a Force regardless of who comes and goes.” Rob Sparkes, chairman of the Bedfordshire Constables’ Branch Board
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