Over recent months there has been criticism of what the Police Federation has or has not achieved. At a local level most of what your local reps do is behind closed doors, confidential and sensitive matters which cant be shared. However, with recent media coverage we have been overwhelmed at the support shown by those members we have assisted. Federation Reps perform their role because they care; they want to do the very best for their members. The below letter is from one of our members who wanted to let you know what the Federation did for him. There when I needed them Theres been a lot of talk recently about the Police Federation, its usefulness and the value of membership. Theres no doubt that events at a National level have brought the Federation sharply into the publics focus and has subjected it to an unprecedented level of interest. In this age of austerity this will cause some to carefully consider whether membership remains worthwhile. I just wanted to offer a personal perspective as to what the real value of that membership is and to provide something of a counterbalance to recent media reports which havent shown the National Federation in the best light. Up until a couple of years ago, my view was probably not uncommon. I laughed around the Canteen table at the usual jokes regarding the most expensive diary in the world. I gently took the mickey out of my local rep as they were abstracted from duty to go on yet another jolly of a course, and on occasion I made use of the services of my local Rep to smooth over my latest minor complaint from a member of the public. Then, in 2012, the bottom fell out of my world. I found myself on the wrong end of a Gross Misconduct Investigation. I am a Sergeant with over 20 years’ service and the implications were huge. The Federation were involved from a very early stage. A call to the Federation Office quickly put me in touch with my local Rep. The service I received from this point on was absolutely first class. The care and support was exemplary and constant. I was given my Reps mobile number and was told that I could call him at any time. And I did! A lot! My Rep made contact with my local management team and they ensured that my family and I received much needed support. As the days turned into weeks and the weeks into months (these things invariably drag on) I continued to receive excellent support and advice from my local Rep and from the team at the Federation office. Suddenly, all of those Jollies that the Reps had been on became rather more relevant and important. As a result, the level of knowledge on display was impressive. What quickly became apparent as the investigation continued was that it wasnt just legal and procedural knowledge that was being used by the Reps, it was also the effective working relationships that theyd built up with the investigators on PSD that allowed them to represent my interests in the most effective way possible. Im still here. Ive still got a job. There were bumps along the way, but with the hard work and support of the Federation, Ive pulled through and am able to move forward with my career and my life. Reported events at a National level are undoubtedly going to cause concern for some as to how we are being represented nationally, however this must not distract us from the important and largely unseen work being done to represent members at a local level. Dont give up on the Fed, because in my experience, they wont give up on you. Thank you - A grateful Sergeant
Posted on: Mon, 23 Jun 2014 14:35:24 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015