Another year over… almost

20 December 2019

So, 2019 is drawing to a close and, as usual for this time of year, I find myself reflecting on all that has happened in the last 12 months.

It has been the usual mix of ups and downs but, since it is the season of goodwill, I am going to try to concentrate on the positives and, as well as looking back, also look ahead to what 2020 may bring.

I genuinely think we may have come to something of a crossroads for the police service. After 10 challenging years of cuts, it seems the Government is committed to putting money back into policing. Next year we should welcome the first 6,000 new recruits join forces nationwide as part of the Home Office’s three-year drive to boost our numbers by 20,000. We should also see forces given the funding they need to increase the roll-out of Taser.

These two developments alone should make a real difference for us all but they are part of a wider package of initiatives aimed at improving the lot of police officers. Let’s hope this genuinely is a turning point and that we can start to re-build the police service so that we can not only serve and protect the public but also maintain the health, safety and wellbeing of our own officers and staff.

Of course, much hinges on the Government but forces have their part to play too. From a Derbyshire Police Federation perspective, however, we are definitely going to be putting an emphasis on wellbeing during 2020 so look out for our updates on this.

So, all that remains is for me to wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy new year. I know many officers and staff will be working over the festive season but I hope you all also manage to enjoy the Christmas and New Year period with your families and friends.