Page 4 - WMPF Federation Magazine February / March 2018

Chair’s introduction

We all have to

prioritise officer

wellbeing

following in a parent’s footsteps to having Our officer numbers have been slashed
had first-hand experience of the difference to such an extent that we are losing our
a good police officer can make if you have contacts with the communities we serve.
been the victim of a crime. It’s not just the visible presence of officers
But, of course, no-one really knows on the beat that is missing though. With
what they are letting themselves in for that we have lost our links with
Photo courtesy Express & Star
when they join the police service. neighbourhoods that, in turn, has an
As I approach my retirement, I have impact on intelligence gathering, public
been giving much thought to my own reassurance and our ability to prevent
policing career, one which, I have to say, crime.
has been rewarding, satisfying, enjoyable So, as I prepare for my final couple of
and challenging in pretty much equal months as a police officer, I really do hope
measure. that we are now coming to an end of the
The key question has to be, if I had my funding cuts that have hit forces across
time again would I still join the police England and Wales and that we will soon
service? And, without doubt, I would. I start to see a re-investment in policing
have loved my time with the Force, I have before it is too late.
enjoyed serving our communities and I As police officers, we have no control
genuinely believe I can look back and say I over this though so we can only hope that
have made a difference, both in terms of the arguments put forward by the Police
my work as a front-line police officer Federation, by senior officers and by Police
dealing with the public and also during my and Crime Commissioners do not continue
By Tom Cuddeford, chair of West Midlands time as a Federation workplace to fall on the deaf, or perhaps just plain
Police Federation representative and a full-time official. not listening, ears of politicians.
But, to be honest, I can only make that There is one thing, however, where we
judgement based on the 30 years I have can exert some control and that is over
spent in policing. If I was a young whipper our own welfare.
f you were to ask your colleagues why snapper again, would I join the police in I, for one, have definitely seen how in
they joined the police service, I am 2018? recent years more and more officers are
Isure there would be some fairly similar Now that is a difficult one to answer. experiencing mental health issues because
responses. So many things have changed since I of the stresses and strains of the job.
Many will say they wanted to serve the was first sworn in as a police officer and, When you join up to serve the public
public. Others might explain it was the while, of course, we all welcome the but increasingly find yourself pulled from
nature of the work, the variety it would advances in technology and forensic pillar to post, unable to meet demand and
bring; perhaps the fact that two days science that have helped us in the fight too pressed for time to fully support
were unlikely to be the same if you were against crime, I am not sure that all of it victims of crime, it has an impact on your
working on the front-line. has been for the good of policing, for the professional pride and your personal
And I am sure there are various other good of the public or for the good of the wellbeing.
answers that are less common from police constable. We have seen the great work done by

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