Page 7 - WMPF Federation Aug-Sept 2021-flip_Neat

Letter to PM:

“This is about

much more

than money”

he Police Federation has presented a frustration felt by police officers across the The letter continues: “We don’t need old
letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson country. ideas presented as new, we need genuine
Tand Chancellor Rishi Sunak expressing It says: “This is about much more than investment for the whole of the Criminal
the anger members feel towards the money, though for many the offer of a zero Justice System and genuine consultation
Government. per cent pay rise, after all the police have over new ideas. Without that, this is just
National chair John Apter delivered the been through in helping deal with the another ill-thought-out initiative.
letter, which was also copied to Home pandemic, was the final straw. “Police officers are sick of gimmicks. Sick
Secretary Priti Patel, to Downing Street on “It is about the risks you asked us to take of underfunding. Sick of mixed messaging
Tuesday 27 July. - which we did, because it is our duty - putting police at risk. Sick of Government
It followed the previous week’s National without proper PPE. It is about the endlessly contempt for police. It’s time for a total reset
Council meeting which voted through a changing and confusing Covid legislation of police-Government relations.”
motion of no confidence in the Home which we were expected to police - which we The letter concludes with three demands:
Secretary and agreed to walk away from the did, because it is our duty. It is about your l Stop taking police officers for granted
Police Remuneration Review Body which it mixed messaging and lack of understanding and treat them with respect.
branded “not fit for purpose” after a bitterly- of our role, which combined to put many of l Agree to work with the Federation on an
opposed pay freeze for officers earning more our members in invidious positions which led entirely new and fairer system of
than £24,000-a-year was confirmed. to them being abused and attacked. remuneration decision-making.
West Midlands Police Federation “It is about the failure, despite the l Reverse the zero per cent pay award
secretary Steve Grange said: “Our members, promises of the Home Secretary, to take decision and give officers a meaningful
who put their lives on the line every day to seriously our request that police officers pay increase.
protect our communities, feel totally taken should be given early priority for vaccination. Policing minister Kit Malthouse promised
for granted by this Government and the time It is about the very strong feeling we have, the Government would do “other things” to
has now come to take a stand. not least when the Prime Minister and Home make police officers feel “valued and
“This letter should act as a wake-up call Secretary spoke at our annual conference, supported”.
to ministers because it makes it clear that that the warm words flow easily, but the He told Sky News: “We want to make sure
we are no longer going to allow our actions that show genuine support for the that officers feel valued and rewarded and
members to be treated with such utter police do not.” are supported in doing their job. And while
contempt. The letter points out the Federation only obviously a decision was taken last week
“So much is asked of them and so little found out through a Sunday newspaper around pay which is tough, there are lots of
offered in return. Enough is enough.” column about the new Beating Crime Plan other things about policing which have been
The letter highlighted the anger and being launched by the Government. good over the last couple of years.
“It has been tough this year. I hope we
Police officers are sick of gimmicks. Sick of can return to some kind of normality in the
underfunding. Sick of mixed messaging putting future, but our economy is in some
“police at risk. Sick of Government contempt for police. difficulties. Obviously the private sector has
taken a big hit and it is the private sector
It’s time for a total reset of police-Government that pays for the public sector, and we have
relations. “ to balance all those things.”

www.polfed.org/westmids federation August/September 2021 07