Page 13 - WMPF December-January Magazine.url_Neat

“ the short-term are being offset in certain
“The advantages this may have gained in
We have unique and privileged insights into
people’s lives when they’re at their most
areas of business by the disadvantages of
specialisation which includes lower worker
vulnerable or exposed. By talking and
over-reliance on interdependence and
understanding, we can learn so much about motivation, higher employee turn-over,
monotony.
“Despite the increases in officer
the human condition and use our experiences numbers, I do not expect that the structures
to help others in the future. will be changing any time soon.
“West Midlands Police will need strong
employee development plans to prevent
these outcomes.”
“This included the direct election of the “Smoking in stations was still the norm He added: “The pause on recruitment for
chair,” he said, “The scrapping of the rank and the CID offices in particular were a five years has had a massive impact upon
“
boards and greater accountability and constant hazy fug the demographics of the Force. In three
transparency for the Police Federation of “Local intelligence officers protectively years’ time it’s estimated a third of the Force
England and Wales.” curated banks of index cards with information will be under three years in service.
But, closer to home, Giles has also put on local offenders that these days we would “There is a big gap in the establishment
the health and safety of his colleagues at the find via computers and more recently through where we should have had some experience.
heart of all that he does. our hand-held devices. There are also a lack of willing experienced
He explained: “I meticulously obtained “We were also trusted with cookers and tutors to cope with the numbers coming
data on the true level of spitting offences bars in police stations – although it would be through leading to 3:1 student to tutor
against officers which was used to bolster a few more years before we would be trusted ratios.
the Federation’s case for the provision of spit with email. “We have student officers coming
hoods. “But although the environment has straight out of their probation and being
“Never has the prevention of spitting changed the basic principles of what it is to conscripted to become reluctant tutors.
been more important to protect officers and be a police officer have not changed one bit. “These officers should still be honing
their families than it is at the moment. The oath that the new recruits take at their their craft and learning the job not having
“I chair the Federation’s health and attestation is still pretty much the same as I additional tutoring responsibilities that
safety committee and have been proud of took 30 years ago.” mean they could pass on naïve mistakes and
the work the committee has done Giles encourages officers to revisit their bad practices to the next generation.
throughout the pandemic in visiting oath throughout their career. “A good tutor has always been massively
stations to check the locations have “If you ever have doubt as to what you’re influential at this critical point in officers’
remained Covid secure, and in supporting doing or why you’re doing it, consider the careers. To have this diluted in terms of both
colleagues with queries and concerns. oath and the Peelian principles of policing as experience and tutor student ratios is a very
“I must give credit to the Force for being your benchmark and you won’t go far wrong,” concerning business risk.”
ahead of the curve, acting decisively at the he said. Giles said he doesn’t have any firm plans
very start and continuing to provide support “Policing by consent and preventing crime for what he will do after his retirement in
and guidance to keep staff safe. and disorder strips what we do down to the February.
“Where there have been issues it has basics.” “Given the choice, I would love to do
generally been down to individual Giles admitted that policing has not been something more creative,” he said.
complacency or the guidelines not being without its challenges, and that not “Something I don’t have to wear a uniform
followed.” everything had changed for the better. for and, most importantly, I enjoy.
Giles has always been based in Sandwell, “The demise of the omnicompetent police “As the job market is flooded with job
but has performed a number of roles for officer has been an unfortunate side effect of seekers, if I can’t find anything that fits the
West Midlands Police, from response austerity,” he said. bill I am toying with an idea to set up a
constable, liaison officer and beat officer to “The horrific cuts in police numbers and business with my son who leaves school this
custody sergeant, intelligence sergeant and training provision have meant it’s been year.
neighbourhood sergeant. necessary to implement a production “Apart from that, I have plenty of hobbies
“West Midlands Police was a very line-style division of labour to try to gain cost and interests that can keep me occupied.”
different place when I started,” he said. “The effective efficiencies in working practices.
Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 had
just about become fully embedded, much to If you ever have doubt as to what you’re
the chagrin of some older officers who
probably looked a lot like I do today. “ doing or why you’re doing it, consider the
“Front offices had cutting-edge whizz-
bang technology such as fax machines and oath and the Peelian principles of policing
telex machines.
“The equivalent of an email was a typed as your benchmark and you won’t go far
WG401 that was passed around teams and
diligently signed by each officer to wrong.
acknowledge receipt then passed back to “
be filed.

www.polfed.org/westmids federation December 2020/January 2021 13