Federation votes for £2 per month subscription increase

The Police Federation will increase its subscription rate for rank and file members for the first time since 2011 by £2 a month because it says it can no longer absorb costs by dipping into financial reserves. Real-terms inflation has gone up by 28%, according to the Federation, and the… The first rise in Federation subs for nearly a decade will start from the autumn.A virtual meeting of delegates backed the £2 a month increase from September....

West Midlands Specials to get ‘one off’ payment for pandemic work

West Midlands Specials are to be paid £150 for every 16 hours of duty they have put in over their usual monthly commitment during the pandemic. According to PCC David Jamieson this will be the first time Special Constables have received such a payment anywhere in the country. The scheme… PCC David Jamieson pledges ‘extraordinary payment’ for extra hours worked during lockdown ...

Police degrees: a 'rear mirror' review of costs and abstraction rates

In 2018, the College committed to producing a ‘rear-view mirror’ report on the new PEQF initial entry routes, following at least one year of force delivery. The result of that commitment is Learning to date: development and implementation, 2016 to 2019, looking at data and participant feedback from the forces who… The College of Policing has produced a report on the early implementation of the Police Education Qualification Framework (PEQF) which indicates officer abstraction rates are as predicted by critics....

College of Policing announces new training package for Specials

Specials will now undergo more of the same training given to first-year PC recruits. This means they will not have to repeat the training again, making it more easy, the college says, for them to join as a PC if they wish to do so. The college said: “It follows… The College of Policing has announced new training for Special Constables which will now be more closely aligned to Police Constable training to "support the recruitment drive". ...

Seven-force partnership policing degree deal with Anglia Ruskin

Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire constabularies confirmed Anglia Ruskin University will deliver the Police Education Qualification Framework (PEQF) from June next year for a seven-force partnership. The Seven Force Strategic Collaboration Programme have procured and will coordinate the contract between Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and Norfolk, Essex and Kent. The university ranked… Seven forces have joined up with a top-50 university to deliver the new policing degree. Anglia Ruskin University will deliver the PEQF across the South East....

West Midlands PCC commits to recruiting 1,000 BAME officers

The OPCC said this was not a change of policy but would “accelerate plans” to make the force look more like the communities it serves. Over the next three years West Midlands are set to grow by at least 1,200 officers, meaning 2,750 will need to be recruited to fill… West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson has committed to ensuring the force recruits 1,000 new BAME officers over the next three years....

Ten years at the top

In 2018 Simon Cole was offered a five-year extension of his contract at Leicestershire by Police and Crime Commissioner Lord Willy Bach. At that time he was already the UK’s longest serving police chief. This week marks his tenth year at the top of the force and he still has… Gary Mason talks to Simon Cole, the UK’s longest serving chief constable ...

Specials clock up nearly 11,000 hours in a month

Policing Minister Kit Malthouse revealed the number of hours by volunteer officers has gone up by 105% in May compared to the same period last year. According to the Home Office, Special Constables have responded to the emergency by giving extra time, including those who have been furloughed from their… Special Constables put in nearly 11,000 hours last month to help tackle the COVID-19 crisis....

Next stage in pay talks set for July

The Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB) has told groups representing officers that it expects to make its recommendation on pay and conditions to the government before the summer recess begins in mid-July. Both sides have now presented their written and verbal evidence to the PRRB on whether the government should… An indication on next year’s pay deal will be announced by next month according to the pay review body....

More companies sign up to employee Specials programme

Business consultancy company CGI has joined the Employee Supported Policing (ESP) scheme which releases staff during working hours to volunteer as Special Constables. Other organisations to sign up to the scheme include BA, Tesco, HSBC, Vodafone, Lloyd’s of London, Ikea and the Civil Service faststream. The Met says that during… Twenty six businesses and organisations sign up to Employee Supported Policing programme ...