Page 25 - WMPF Federation Oct-Nov 2018-flip_Neat
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Pay award:                                                                Historic






       ‘a punch on                                                               helmet



                                                                                 returned

       the nose’                                                                 to Force








                                                                                  A rare helmet dating back 100 years
              etropolitan Police Commissioner   show that she shares our concerns and   has been unearthed and returned to
              Cressida Dick has said the   accepts the knock-on effects of the    West Midlands Police to preserve for
       MGovernment’s decision to give      Government’s rejection of the pay review   generations to come.
       police officers a two per cent pay rise was ‘a   body’s recommendations.      The historic helmet was worn by
       punch on the nose’ given that the pay      During her speech, the Commissioner   an officer from Birmingham City
       review body had recommended a three per   said she thought the decision would not   Police during the early 20th Century.
       cent increase.                      only affect officer morale but also have an
          Speaking at the Police Superintendents’   effect on recruitment and retention and told      The distinctive headwear has been
       Association annual conference in Leicester,   delegates that she did not want police to be   traced to a PC Ernest Tipler who
       Ms Dick explained she was extremely   hit by understaffing issues like the prison   served with the Force for almost 30
       disappointed at the decision.       service.                               years before retiring in the 1940s.
          “I don’t want to be disrespectful to the      She argued that the two per cent pay      It is synonymous with the early
       political process or the Government, but I do   award flew in the face of evidence and   1900s due to having a spike which
       feel disappointed by the decision and I will   rational argument.          was replaced with a rounded top after
       keep on saying so,” the Commissioner said.     “I am extremely disappointed by that   that period.
          “Meanwhile I need to think, how can I   outcome,” Ms Dick told officers, explaining      The helmet - along with two old
       recruit and how can I retain and how can I   the police service had worked with the   badges from Wolverhampton Police -
       make my officers and staff feel that I really   Home Office and Police Remuneration   were recently acquired by Nick Davis,
       value them? Because I feel this is a punch on   Review Body (PRRB) to set out the case for   who has kindly handed them to the
       the nose.”                          fair pay for officers.                 West Midlands Police Museum.
          Rich Cooke, chair of West Midlands      She concluded that the decision of the      The Wolverhampton Borough
       Police Federation, has welcomed the   Government to ignore the PRRB        Police badge is believed to date back
       Commissioner’s stance.              recommendations had left the pay review   to the Victorian period while the
          “All too often, it is left to the Federation   process ‘in tatters’.    Wolverhampton Special Constabulary
       and the Federation alone to speak up for      Home Secretary Sajid Javid said, in   one is thought to be more than
       officers on the issue of pay,” says Rich, “So I   response to the comments, that the   60-years-old.
       was really pleased to hear the country’s   Government had to consider pay      They were recently presented to
       most high profile and senior police officer   recommendations across the board for   Chief Constable Dave Thompson and
       put on record her views on the disgusting   public sector workers and had to balance   will form part of the fascinating
       way in which the Government has treated   affordability, the recommendations and   collection of items and artefacts from
       officers in terms of their pay rise this year.  fairness to taxpayers.     the Force’s heritage.
          “Once again, the Government ignored      “This is a reflection of trying to strike      The rare helmet will go on display
       the findings of the pay review body it set up   that balance and I’m not pretending it’s easy.   at the police museum.
       to consider our pay award and, of course,   I recognise, and it’s something I recognised      Inspector Steve Rice, a Force
       the Federation has already condemned that   early on before I was Home Secretary, that   heritage lead, said: “We are extremely
       decision.                           there is a need for more resources,” Mr Javid   grateful to receive this historic helmet
          “But now Cressida Dick’s comments   explained.                          which will feature greatly within our
                                                                                  collection.
                                                                                     “It reflects back to a period of
                                                                                  policing many, many decades ago and
                                                                                  it is always intriguing to see how
                                                                                  times and equipment changes.
                                                                                     “We don’t believe there are many
                                                                                  of these still in existence and both the
                                                                                  helmet and badges will help to
                                                                                  further showcase our heritage.”
                                                                                     The museum, based at Sparkhill
                                                                                  Police Station, is due to move to a
                                                                                  new location where the collection can
                                                                                  be more widely viewed by the public.


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