Policing UK 2013 - Police Federation
Policing UK 2013 - Police Federation
Policing UK 2013 - Police Federation
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
SPONSORED FEATURE<br />
The <strong>Police</strong> Superintendents’<br />
Association of England and Wales<br />
<strong>Federation</strong> Steve Williams has announced<br />
an independent review of the way that the<br />
<strong>Federation</strong> operates.<br />
Members of the Superintendents’<br />
Association within police forces provide<br />
the senior operational leadership of the<br />
police service. Within our ranks are the<br />
future strategic leaders of the service.<br />
The environment in which policing<br />
works is becoming increasingly complex<br />
and challenging. The level of scrutiny,<br />
quite properly, is greater than ever and<br />
less forgiving. We need credible and<br />
experienced leadership of the highest<br />
operational and ethical standards, which<br />
can offer inspiration and leadership<br />
by example.<br />
The newly established College of<br />
<strong>Policing</strong> has a role to play in identifying and<br />
developing the standards, culture and ethics<br />
of the service and developing the leaders<br />
of the future that embrace and reflect those<br />
values. The Superintendents’ Association<br />
believes it is time to review how we select,<br />
train and appoint Chief Officers and is<br />
committed to working closely with the<br />
College to see that change through.<br />
Collectively, ACPO, the <strong>Police</strong><br />
<strong>Federation</strong> and the Superintendents’<br />
Association has to offer an alternative<br />
vision of how we face the leadership<br />
challenge.<br />
Time to bring policing<br />
in from the cold<br />
Most of the response to the perceived<br />
problems facing policing so far has been<br />
to focus on the conduct of the staff<br />
associations and the senior leadership<br />
of the service. During the 2011 August<br />
riots, the quality of police leadership was<br />
openly questioned. There is clear support<br />
for the concept of direct entry into the<br />
senior levels of policing advocated by<br />
the former rail regulator Tom Winsor in<br />
his government-commissioned review of<br />
policing pay and conditions.<br />
Since May 2010 the government has<br />
embarked on an ambitious programme<br />
of policing reform, but from the outset<br />
has failed to articulate a clear narrative<br />
that offered police officers and staff a<br />
convincing vision of what the future will<br />
look like.<br />
Most authorities on leadership would<br />
agree that when embarking on radical<br />
change, it is important to take people with<br />
you who have a shared sense of purpose,<br />
even if this involves painful change. The<br />
police service is not resistant to change, and<br />
contrary to the belief of some that policing<br />
is the last unreformed public service, there<br />
is ample evidence to suggest otherwise.<br />
However, we need clear political leadership<br />
that is able to engage with the police service<br />
at all levels, which will encourage and<br />
facilitate change more effectively.<br />
In recent times, the political<br />
establishment has suffered from highprofile<br />
examples where some MPs<br />
have acted dishonestly, unethically and<br />
abused their power. This does not mean<br />
that all politicians behave in that way.<br />
Similarly, in policing, the vast majority of<br />
police officers and staff are professional,<br />
dedicated and overwhelmingly honest<br />
and ethical. Over these coming months<br />
more than ever we need mature reflection<br />
and solutions and not just a search<br />
for scapegoats and we will look to our<br />
politicians to respond to events in a<br />
proportionate manner.<br />
We cannot afford to fail<br />
<strong>Policing</strong> is essential for national security. It<br />
underpins our democracy, our freedoms<br />
and our national economy. It is too<br />
important an institution to allow to be<br />
distracted by poor relationships with<br />
government. Those who lead in whatever<br />
capacity have a duty to ensure we have<br />
an effective, ethical and adequately<br />
resourced and trained police service able<br />
to protect our communities and focused<br />
on preventing crime and enforcing the law.<br />
It is time for all those with a leadership<br />
role to step back from the brink and work<br />
together to start the healing process. On<br />
behalf of the public we cannot afford to<br />
fail in that endeavour. n<br />
<strong>Policing</strong> is essential for national security.<br />
It underpins our democracy, our<br />
freedoms and our national economy.<br />
Vision: Formed in 1952, the <strong>Police</strong><br />
Superintendents’ Association of England and<br />
Wales (PSAEW) has a clear vision to provide<br />
superintendents in England and Wales with<br />
a national voice and leadership, support in<br />
adversity, and advice regarding conditions<br />
of service.<br />
The Association will harness and develop<br />
the skills, talents and opportunities of its<br />
membership, assisting them to maximise<br />
their full potential as leaders of the police<br />
service, and will strive to enable its members<br />
to contribute their knowledge and expertise to<br />
developing a police service that protects and<br />
serves our communities.<br />
As the representative body of the senior<br />
operational leaders in policing, the PSAEW will<br />
provide a clear and authoritative voice of the<br />
police service.<br />
Values: The PSAEW endorses and upholds the<br />
standards and values applicable to all police<br />
officers. We recognise the skills, commitment<br />
and diversity of our membership and aim<br />
to provide an equal opportunity for all to<br />
contribute to the effective running of our<br />
organisation. We will exhibit a willingness to<br />
learn, change, engage and lead, putting the<br />
wider interests of the police service and the<br />
public we serve above those of ourselves.<br />
We will maintain the integrity of our<br />
independence within the police service whilst<br />
recognising the legitimacy of the governance<br />
role of the Home Secretary, police and crime<br />
commissioners and chief constables.<br />
Objectives:<br />
The PSAEW has three objectives in support of<br />
its vision:<br />
• To negotiate the best possible conditions of<br />
service for members, and to provide support<br />
and advice to members regarding health<br />
and welfare or those ‘at risk’ in relation to<br />
conduct issues.<br />
• To lead and develop the police service to<br />
improve standards of policing.<br />
• To actively contribute to helping to shape<br />
future policing policy and practice at the<br />
national and strategic levels.<br />
For further information<br />
Visit www.policesupers.com or<br />
follow us on Twitter: @policesupers