Page 4 - WMPF Federation AUG-SEPT 2019_Neat

Chair’s introduction

20,000 new officers

– a great start

We know the public, when asked, New equipment, such as the new model
repeatedly say they want to see a return to of Taser, was approved for use but where was
the visible policing presence that they – and the funding to allow chief constables to issue
we – know helps deter criminals, keep order them to all front-line officers who wanted to
and protect our communities. be trained to use them and then equipped
We also know police officers have been with the devices?
pretty much pushed to breaking point as Chiefs were told they had to find the
they have strived to do more with less. We funding themselves but how could they do
have seen an increase in physical attacks on this when they were already robbing Peter to
officers; officers, who it has to be said, are pay Paul as they sought to balance the books?
assaulted just for doing their job. They were told, to make ends meet, they
The cuts, as the Police Federation said had to prioritise. But isn’t this what police
from the outset of the austerity measures, officers do day in, day out? It’s OK when you
have had consequences – and we have all have enough police officers to respond to the
paid for them. most serious and life-threatening situations
But, just as recruiting 20,000 officers will but what when you don’t have sufficient
not be as simple as Mr Johnson might make people on shift to even offer a response to
it sound, we are also aware restoring the those incidents? How do you manage that
police service to where it was before budget situation?
cuts will not be straightforward either. And how does the police service
Theresa May didn’t just cut our numbers, successfully juggle all the competing
By Rich Cooke, chair of West Midlands Police she also presided over a period of under- demands it faces when it has become the
Federation funding that meant police chiefs couldn’t service of first and last resort, picking up the
equip their officers in the way they would pieces where other agencies are failing?
am sure, like me, that most members
pricked up their ears when they heard want to allow them to cope with the Let’s welcome the extra officers, it’s a
I Boris Johnson talk about the need to pressures facing the modern-day police step in the right direction. But we all know
recruit 20,000 officers as he hit the service. there is still a long way to go.
campaign trail seeking to be elected as the
leader of the Conservative Party.
I am equally sure many of us were
thinking he might stall on that if he did
become Prime Minister.
But, thankfully he didn’t. And, when he
arrived in Birmingham just two days after
taking up his new post, he announced
recruiting the new officers would begin
within weeks and he wanted to see all
20,000 in place within three years.
Of course, as we all know, it’s not as
simple as that and we have already heard
the new policing minister, Kit Malthouse,
admit the issue of a shortage of police
lockers was just one needing to be
addressed.
I don’t want to pour scorn on Mr
Johnson’s plans. We should all be
wholeheartedly supporting his ambitions in
terms of re-investing in policing and
restoring police numbers is definitely a good Prime Minister Boris Johnson with West Midlands Police officers graduating from the Force’s
starting point. intensive training programme.

04 federation August/September 2019 www.polfed.org/westmids