‘I don’t regret doing it for a second’: Fed rep's drive to help others

7 November 2024

Chris became a police officer in 2000, spending 18 years at Greater Manchester Police before moving to Derbyshire Constabulary, where he is living out the final big ambition of his profession.

“At the beginning of my time in the Force, I knew I wanted to do three things: Work in covert, work in firearms, and work in a dog unit,” he explained.

“I’ve been part of a plain-clothes attachment on a licensing unit in Manchester’s night-time economy, I’ve spent the vast majority of my career as a firearms officer, and since last year, I’ve been a handler for a general-purpose police dog, Bruno.

Retire

“So, although you can never take your foot off the gas until the day you retire, I have really ticked off everything I set out to do.”

However, it’s his Federation role that feels a lot more like unfinished business, he admits.

In his three years as a workplace rep, Chris has assisted members in various ways, but has channelled his passion into supporting officers in processes where they are often faced with real adversity and where their very livelihoods can be at risk.

While there may be contentment with his service in the Force, that doesn’t mean it has always been an easy ride – Chris, 45, has been at the centre of a handful of Professional Standards Department (PSD) cases and has attended two Post-Incident Procedures as a key police witness.

Chris is on a mission to improve life for fellow cops.

Now, he is on a mission to improve life as much as possible for other cops in the same position.

He continued: “I think the people best placed to help in these situations are officers who’ve been there themselves because it is a very isolating experience.

“It’s fair to say I have been through the wringer – including a gross misconduct charge that followed a PIP, which ended up hanging over me for five years. For it to go on that long and for me to be cleared at the end, it’s pretty clear in my mind there were some basic failings in how I was treated.

“I want to be that person who doesn’t leave things alone until I know the officer is cared for to the absolute maximum.”

PIP experiences

In his Federation duties so far, Chris has sought to equalise his difficult PIP experiences as a witness through his presence at two procedures as a compassionate workplace rep.

He has facilitated legal guidance, got in touch with relatives, provided refreshments, and given invaluable advice – all while helping to maintain the integrity of the investigation.

“One of the PIPs I have done as a rep had firearms officers as witnesses who I had trained myself,” he continued.

“I’d like to think, them knowing me as a professional and knowing me as a person, there was a sigh of relief when they saw me walk into the PIP suite.

“That’s the sort of influence I want to have – officers see me and know they are going to be looked after.”

Before that point, however, Chris wants to see police officers receive formal training to handle these situations better themselves, so regardless of who emerges to be in their corner, they already feel calm and in control.

The same level of care goes for the PSD cases passed onto him once the workload of the Federation’s Complaints and Performance Liaison Officer (CAPLO) lead, Helen Gallear, is at capacity.

While this duty can be tough, he says, having to prepare colleagues for worst-case scenarios, Chris maintains there are many 'little victories' to enjoy.

Representative

“An example is when you see first see the case on paper, and in writing, it reads as very damning against the officer. Then you sit them down and ask them to tell you about it, and the reality feels different, and you think, ‘I can help things get to justice here’," he explained.

“Being that go-between can make a world of difference. I’ve seen people I’ve represented further down the line look in a much better place, mentally, and it’s so nice to see them having got through the case and moved on.”

Now settled into life with Bruno, a Belgian Malinois-German Shepherd cross who was licensed a police dog in December 2023, and ready to see out the remainder of his police career as the canine's handler, Chris’ appetite for his Federation work remains.

He ended with some advice for any Fed members considering following in his footsteps as a representative.

He said: “It [being a rep] becomes very personal. When you’re representing people, you feel the successes and the failures greatly, and there’s no getting away from that.

“But I don’t regret doing it for a second. The sense of reward you feel is incredible

“And I want to continue having that feeling for many years to come.”