Page 29 - Federation magazine: December 2016 / January 2017

The WMPF shopping bag
– a must for all travellers!

AWest Midlands Police Federation averaging
shopping bag has enjoyed a very
exciting trip with Sergeant Sharon approximately
Jones.
Sharon, who has served with the Force 4,500 miles. Russia
for 15 years, enjoyed a three-week trip to
Russia on her touring motorbike this was a natural next
summer and her space-saving shopping bag
went with her. destination as the
“I used it mainly to carry my souvenirs
(Russian dolls) and small food items while couple had already
walking around. As you can imagine, the
space to pack on a bike is tight and was travelled to Estonia,
useful as a just in case,” said Sharon.
She travelled with her husband Andy Latvia, Lithuania,
who is the reason for her interest in
motorbikes. Morocco, Norway
“Before I met Andy I had no interest in
bikes. We met online and he told me he was and Istanbul.
a biker. We arranged to meet up and the first
night I met him, quite irresponsibly, he took “It took a week
me for a ride on his bike to Ashbourne,”
Sharon explained. to get to Russia,
“That was 12 years ago and we’ve been
together ever since. It was clear that then we spent a
motorcycling played a large part of his life,
so I took an interest. I was a pillion at first week there
but I soon became a huge fan so took my
test in 2005. exploring before
“My first bike was a Honda CG125 which travelling home for Sharon and her WMPF bag in Red Square, Moscow.
I had this for six months then I took my big
bike licence and got a Yamaha TDM 850. I another week,” said Even Sharon and Andy’s two cats reflect
currently have a Honda CB500 which I do Sharon. their love of motorbikes as they are called
moto-gymkhana on – that’s time trials “It was fab; a little tiring but worth the Blade and MT after Honda and Yamaha
around cones. effort. It’s great travelling through different motorbikes.
“I also have a Yamaha MT09 which only countries and experiencing their culture. Sharon (44) joined the Force as a PC in
comes out in the sun as it’s hard to keep Along the way we visited Chernobyl in the Birmingham on the old D1 OCU. She is also
clean and I also have a Yamaha Super Tenere Ukraine and the village Pripyat as it was left. qualified to the rank of inspector and is
1200 adventure bike which is the bike I We also stood in front of the reactor that currently CAPT coordinator at Sandwell.
commute on every day.” blew up in 1986 and then riding our bikes She and Andy are planning to ride to
Sharon and Andy try to tour to different onto the edge of Red Square in Moscow was Athens in 2018.
places every alternate year, with round trips exciting.” “Next year is not that adventurous as
Sharon explained what being a touring we plan to do Portugal, so enjoy the biking
motorcyclist means: “It basically means you and the sun at the same time. However
start at Point A and travel around, normally the following year we are planning to ride
moving on each day stopping in different to Athens, via France, Germany, Austria,
places on route to Point B. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and then
“You usually have a loose plan on where a ferry to Italy and back home,” she said.
you are going, booking hotels along the way,

seeing where you fancy going and how many l We would love to hear from anyone
miles you want to travel each day. It’s all whose WMPF shopping bag has travelled
quite fluid really and there is no plan, which somewhere with them.
is great as it gives you lots of freedom. We need photographic evidence of the
“Russia was amazing but Norway was journey and a £50 Amazon voucher will be
the most scenic as, although we went for awarded to the shopping bag that travels
Midsummer’s Day, we had 24 hours of to the most exotic destination!
daylight and an inch of snow!” she added.

PIP: not just for firearms

The need for effective Post-Incident Procedure (PIP) beyond just a follow the PIP guidance encapsulated in Authorised Professional
firearms incident was one of the key themes on day one of the Practice (APP) by the College of Policing.
first-ever PIP seminar organised by the Police Federation of England He made the point that without an effective PIP process the
and Wales. service risks the ability to retain and increase firearms officers
The event, held in Hinckley, was attended by more than 150 through fear of the impact an incident can have on their life and
professionals involved in dealing with people directly after an incident career.
involving death or serious injury. The audience included local and regional IPCC revised guidance around Post-Incident Procedure, drafted in
Federation representatives, lawyers, national policing leads and March 2014, remains with the Home Office ahead of publication.
representatives from stakeholder organisations including the Independent The audience heard from Scott Ingram of Slater and Gordon
Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) and College of Policing. Solicitors who outlined the importance for this guidance to be fairly
Deputy Chief Constable Simon Chesterman, the National Police balanced for both the victims and their families and the officers
Chiefs’ Council lead for firearms, outlined the importance for forces to involved, something he believes has not yet been achieved.

www.westmidspolfed.com federation December 2016/January 2017 29