Page 6 - WMPF Federation Aug-Sept 2017
P. 6

‘We can’t cope’












            olice officers are getting to the point   officers and increased pressure on officers   public and everything that’s wrong in
            where they cannot cope with what they   that concerns him, he says the Force is   society,” he argued.
       Pare expected to deal with, according to   starting to feel the effects of a dwindling      While broadly critical of police chiefs
       an experienced West Midlands DI.     neighbourhood policing presence,     who don’t want to rock the boat, he praises
          Warren Hines, who works on a Force   something that he blames for a lack of   Chief Constable Dave Thompson for
       murder team, says the cuts to policing   street level intelligence which, in turn, is   speaking out on his concerns about police
       budgets mean there are just not enough   having an effect on counter terrorism work.  funding.
       officers to go around. His own team is now      Warren said: “I have noticed on my      “Mr Thompson has innovated and
       half the size it was in 2012 and yet it was   investigations that our intelligence starts to   reorganised continually, I just do not know
       dealing with more murder cases.      dry up towards the end of 2013; this is a   what else he can do with the current
          Sickness is ‘rife’ around the Force and   direct consequence of the lack of proactive   financing arrangements,” said Warren.
       more and more officers are suffering mental   policing, not just by neighbourhood officers.     But in some cases it’s too little, too late.
       health issues due to the stress they face.     “Our response teams are overwhelmed   Two detectives on Force CID who he
          “I think it is starting to dawn on people   and, as they are continually bounced from   describes as among the best he has ever
       that we can’t continue like this,” said   job to job, they don’t have the time to turn   worked with, have already quit the service,
       Warren, who has 20 years’ service, “Everyone   people over, target the people we know are   in the last month.
       knows when they join the police that they   persistent criminals and generate the      “These are officers with between 15 and
       are going to be tested; it’s part and parcel of   intelligence that is the lifeblood of policing.  20 years’ service who are leaving; people
       being a police officer but it’s getting to the      “Criminals are committing offences with   with a future in policing, the sort of people
       stage, with the pressures we are facing due   impunity and seriously damaging the very   we desperately need in WMP. A lot of what
       to reduced numbers and increased demand,   fabric of society by causing real and lasting   policing is can’t be learned from a book, we
       where people just can’t cope.”       harm in the communities we police.”  need experienced committed people to
          In an interview with Sky News, he      He continued: “We need officers in our   deliver any kind of service to the public,”
       explained: “We’ve got examples of police   communities who know what’s going on   Warren said.
       officers who have been conveyed to hospital   and can pass on intelligence but we also      Since speaking out, Warren says he has
       from work because they’ve had a meltdown.  need officers in our communities to increase   received many ‘quite humbling’ comments
          “I’m aware of incidents where sergeants   public confidence in the police,” he   from colleagues.
       in our public protection units are allocating   explained.                   “I have been congratulated for speaking
       work on the basis of who is the least tearful      Warren is also concerned that the   out but I really should not have had to.
       that morning when they get to work.”  pressure to match resource and demand is   Policing needs the right leaders, the right
          He continued: “In the last 15 months   pulling officers away from youth diversion   funding and the right people on the ground
       alone, around 80 officers in the West   programmes.                       but currently the service is being destroyed
       Midlands Force have been referred to the      “We are just not getting the time to help   and I am concerned that we have already
       Welfare Support Programme. Those are   turn these young people around,” he said,   passed the point of no return,” he concluded.
       people who are undergoing a significant   adding that this crime prevention work      “I hoped I would eventually leave
       mental health crisis.                could be critical and has always been an   policing in a better shape than I found it,
          “They’re experiencing suicidal thoughts   absolutely vital part of what the Force does.  instead I believe I am presiding over the
       and tendencies and they are at risk of doing      But ultimately, Warren feels that further   death throes of what was once great, the
       something really serious to hurt themselves,   denigration of the police service is going to   envy of the world, which is something
       and this is only as a result of the pressures   have an impact on the general public as a   politicians and senior leaders in policing
       that they are being put under.”      whole.                               who have kept quiet should hang their
          But it’s not just the falling number of      “We are all that comes between the   heads in shame over.”

          The Welfare Support Programme (WSP) has been operating for      Officers can access WSP when they are:
          almost two years and has assisted more than 500 officers. It offers   l  Involved in death or serious injury investigation
          round the clock support to officers and their families when they   l  Served gross misconduct papers
          need it most.                                         l  Suspended from duty, or
             It is able to access the right kind of help for officers who are   l  When the Federation believes officer would benefit from
          considered vulnerable for any reason, which could include   having access to the programme.
          involvement in death or serious injury incidents, suspension from      In addition, the WSP is also available for family members of
          duty or potentially as a result of medical or personal reasons.  officers entered onto the programme and including immediate
             Richie Jones, one of the Federation’s leads on the WSP scheme,   family members, partners, any dependants of the officer and
          said: “There has been recognition that there are gaps in areas of   any person living in the same household with the officer.
          support that some forces are able to offer police officers and their      The programme is a joint initiative of the Police Firearms
          families in their times of need.                      Officers’ Association (PFOA) and the Police Federation of
             “This programme is a means to filling the gaps and most   England and Wales.
          importantly to offer a 24-hour service for those officers on the      The PFOA was launched in 2009 and since then more than
          programme to access suitably trained staff 365 days   7,000 firearms officers from all over the UK and Channel Islands
          a year.”                                              have joined. Membership costs just £4 a month
             Officers access the scheme via a referral from        For more information call 01354 697890, email info@pfoa.
          their local Federation.                               co.uk or go to www.pfoa.co.uk

       06      federation August/September 2017                                     www.westmidspolfed.com
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