Current Issues - 2006

October 2006

A Lively and Informative Conference - PoliceBeat Editorial

This year’s Conference was both lively and informative. Lively for two reasons: the Federation spoke very pointedly about the sense of betrayal felt through the Government’s dismissive approach to the annual pay award formula.

The Secretary of State, Peter Hain, spoke of the need to “achieve the fundamental reform of police pay systems so that they suit a modern public service”. This is code for “I hear your arguments but I’m not listening”. The Government is determined to cut pay awards across the entire public sector. Each public service must of course fight its own corner and the Police Service of some 160,000 UK federated officers will fight furiously to retain what was so hard won and still remains valid as a mechanism for the negotiations of pay and conditions.

The Conference was always lively because the Chairman suggested in his address that after six years experience of the Police Ombudsman’s Office a few lessons could be learnt. A senior judiciary figure perhaps weighted by a co-appointee might assist public understanding of the quasi-judicial role of the Office; why should cases be referred to the PPS when the Ombudsman’s Office is not recommending a prosecution; that seven years is too long a tenure and that the work of the Office should be conducted with less public triumphalism. These reforms would do much to enhance police confidence in the Office.

Conference was also informative because of the updates received in the reports of the full-time officials and more poignantly on the PTSD court case and the work of the Historical Enquiries Team. It was depressing to hear that HET funding was being ambushed by the Police Ombudsman’s Office whose efforts should be totally directed to current or more recent complaints.