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you completely disgust me. And I know that
you disgust every decent, law-abiding
person.” Officer sends
John said officers were also facing ‘trial
by media’ on a daily basis.
He told the conference: “My colleagues clear message in
are being hung out to dry by the media, by
some politicians and by so-called, self-
proclaimed experts on policing.”
And calling on the Home Secretary for Covid jab row
her support, he said: “We need you to speak
out when you see footage of police officers
being attacked on social media. When we
see people reaching for their phone, not to A question from a Devon and Cornwall
dial 999 for help, but reaching for their officer working at the G7 summit was
phone to film an attack for nothing more included in the national chair’s keynote
than entertainment. speech.
Apter introduced as part of his address to
In a pre-recorded video which John
“ This past year has Home Secretary Priti Patel, 26-year-old
Leanne Gould said: “I’m concerned about
been one of the
the amount of people travelling down to
most challenging G7 this week and the fact that I have not
been vaccinated and many of us haven’t,
and one of the especially with new Indian variant that is
spreading.
most “When the vaccination programme
was confirmed I thought the police would
extraordinary for be prioritised after the most vulnerable,
like our NHS colleagues on the frontline
us all in recent were. I do feel completely let down by the Leanne Gould.
history. Government as we’ve just been left danger this presents, not only to our
exposed to the enormous risk of catching
the virus. officers and their families, but also to
“Day to day we deal with members of the wider community too. I warned you
“Social media companies must also take the public who do not always respect Covid that by the nature of the job they do,
“
more responsibility and the Government regulations and PPE restrictions. My officers could be super spreaders.”
must ensure this happens. What kind of colleagues have been spat at and bitten He continued: “This was never about
society have we become when attacking and we are in constant close proximity to calling for police officers to elbow their
police officers is seen as nothing more than the public due to the nature of the job. way to the front of the queue - it was
entertainment, nothing more than a sport? Where is our protection and why have right that the most vulnerable and
“Or when selective clips of video are police officers been pushed aside and our colleagues from the NHS were
released without context and then those in safety not considered?” prioritised for the vaccine but after
positions of responsibility who should know John had already told Ms Patel the lack these, police officers, because of what is
better condemn the actions of officers of any officer-specific vaccination expected of them, should have been
without knowing all the facts.” programme remained a Government next.
John finished his keynote speech by failing he did not understand. “You said you understood and you
pointing out that police pay had fallen by 18 “Home Secretary, I appreciate we may indicated that my colleagues would be
per cent in real terms in the past 10 years not always agree on everything, but on prioritised for the vaccine in Phase 2 of
and that most officers were also currently many areas you have listened and you have the vaccination roll-out. But then, for a
affected by the public sector pay freeze. acted,” he said, number of reasons that still baffle me
He said: “As police officers, we don’t have “But there is more needed to protect today, this wasn’t progressed. Warm
the same rights as others. We can’t strike, our members. One such protection was words became lame actions and the
we can’t take industrial action if we feel we the vaccination of police officers against result is that that my colleagues feel a
have been treated unfairly and we can’t the deadly virus. Since December last year, deep sense of betrayal by Government.
withdraw our labour. we have been highlighting our grave “We have young police officers who,
“We also have restrictions on our private concerns that police officers had not been by age alone, will not have been
lives, unlike most other workers. For years, prioritised for vaccination unlike a number vaccinated but are working at G7. How
successive governments have respected this. of other countries who did choose to can that be right? Leanne and her
They have recognised that, in the absence of protect their police officers. colleagues are doing their very best and
those industrial rights, police officers should “We pointed out that the very nature she speaks for all of us about how badly
be treated fairly, but in recent years this has of policing means officers have to get up let down we do feel.
changed. close and personal and we can’t always “This is a failing of Government and
“Well Home Secretary, if that is the case, plan or mitigate risk. I made very clear the it’s a failing that we can never forget.”
then it may be time for some other changes.”

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