The National Chair is elected by members, with candidates coming from the National Board and National Council, the National Secretary is selected from the National Board via an interview process, and all other roles are elected from among the National Board.

Acting National Chair

Brian Booth began his policing career with Lancashire Police in 1995 before transferring to West Yorkshire Police in 2001. With the majority of his service spent on the frontline, he has built extensive operational experience, particularly in Armed Response and Roads Policing roles. This operational background continues to shape his practical, officer‑focused approach to leadership and representation.

Driven by a strong belief in fairness, integrity, and effective support for officers, Brian became actively involved with the Police Federation in 2014. He was elected Branch Chair of the West Yorkshire Police Federation in 2018, working closely with members to strengthen representation and engagement at a local level. In 2022, he joined the National Board and, from 2024, supported the National Chair through his work in the National Chair’s office, contributing to national strategy, policy development, and advocacy.

In his national role, Brian leads on Parliamentary engagement, working closely with Members of Parliament and Government stakeholders to ensure police officers’ voices are heard at the highest levels. He is committed to securing meaningful dialogue, influencing policy, and delivering the very best representation for officers on issues that directly impact their working lives, welfare, and safety.

Alongside his policing and representative responsibilities, Brian holds a master’s degree in Police Leadership, reflecting his commitment to continuous professional development and effective leadership within modern policing. Beyond the service, he volunteers with a local management company and serves as a director of Blueline Health, reinforcing his long‑standing focus on officer wellbeing and support.

Brian is a passionate advocate for policing and is particularly committed to highlighting the positive work carried out by officers every day. He works to promote balanced, constructive public discourse and to ensure the professionalism, dedication, and impact of policing is accurately represented in the media and wider public debate.

In July 2025, Brian was elected Deputy National Chair, continuing his dedication to serving and representing colleagues at a national level.

Acting National Secretary

Mel Warnes joined Hampshire Constabulary in 1994 as a response PC, before becoming a detective in 1999 in the main CID office, undertaking high-risk missing person cases and a historic rape and murder investigation. She transferred to Surrey Police in 2002, becoming a Fed rep in 2014 to support her colleagues.

Mel became chair of Surrey Police Federation in 2016 and continued representing and supporting colleagues through conduct investigations as well as high profile inquests alongside the full-time role as chair. Mel has been part of the Police Federation National Detectives Forum (PFNDF) as a local rep and since she was elected to the National Board in June 2022, she has been PFNDF secretary and the national co-lead on conduct and performance.

In July 2025 Mel was elected as the Deputy National Secretary. She takes up the post from 1 September, assisting in setting the strategic direction for the organisation on pay and conditions and liaising with the Government on pay negotiations.

Acting Deputy National Chair 

Paul Williams joined Cumbria Police in 2000, building extensive frontline experience across response policing, public order, firearms, counter-terrorism search, and officer training roles.

Throughout his career he has worked closely with officers operating in high-pressure environments, giving him first-hand insight into the challenges emergency service personnel face and the importance of effective wellbeing support.

Initially joining the Police Federation as a workplace representative, Paul supported members through a range of issues including misconduct, health and safety, equality and welfare matters before becoming Branch Chair in 2019.

His experience advocating for officers and helping to shape national discussions on policing has informed his passion for ensuring emergency service workers receive the support they need to protect their mental health and wellbeing.

Acting Deputy National Secretary 

Simon Kempton joined Dorset Police in 2000 working as a frontline response officer, both as a constable and as a sergeant, where he gained qualifications as a licensed search team leader and a hostage and crisis negotiator.

He has also worked in some more covert roles, including undercover policing, surveillance and counter-terrorist policing. This breadth of experience has given him the opportunity to build a well-rounded career with experience across a range of disciplines. Some of the roles have been subject to enhanced vetting, requiring the upmost levels of integrity and personal ethics.

Having become a Federation representative in 2009, Simon trained as a misconduct, equality and health and safety rep, and still maintains a role on his home board as a misconduct rep. This, alongside his occasional operational work, has enabled him to maintain links with operational colleagues.

After becoming a National Board member, Simon’s was elected as Deputy National Treasurer in 2017 and as National Treasurer in 2019.

Interim Chief Executive Officer

Gabriel Milland joined the Police Federation in November 2025 as Director of External Affairs and was appointed Interim Chief Executive Officer by the National Board in April 2026.

Gabriel brings substantial experience from senior roles across government. He held Senior Civil Servant positions at the Department for Education, the Ministry of Justice, and the Cabinet Office, leading large, multidisciplinary communications and strategy teams.

At the Ministry of Justice he served as Head of External Communications, and at the Department for Education he led all communications during the largest reform programme in British education for 70 years. He also served as a Special Adviser to the Prime Minister on COVID-19 communications. After leaving the Civil Service, he spent four years as a Partner at Portland, one of the UK’s leading public affairs and communications consultancies, advising major organisations on policy, research, and communications strategy.

Since joining the Federation, Gabriel has worked to support the delivery of PFEW’s strategic priorities and the Transformation Programme, bringing clarity and pace to the executive team.

As Interim Chief Executive Officer, Gabriel leads the Federation’s staff and operations at a critical period for the organisation, supporting the National Board in advocating for the 145,000 members PFEW represents across England and Wales.