'Policing cannot take any more broken promises’

19 December 2019

Police officers have been battered and bruised and cannot take any more broken promises, the national chair of the Police Federation has said in a warning to Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

John Apter congratulated Mr Johnson on his success but also called on him to act on his pre-election pledges.

“I have written to Prime Minister Johnson to congratulate him and his party on their win but also to remind him of the promises he made about policing before and during the election campaign,” said John, “And while I want to continue the positive relationships we have been building with him and his ministers since the departure of Theresa May, I want to stress that we are not here to be their friends.

“My job is to work to ensure the very best for my members. I want a constructive and productive relationship and for the promises that have been made to us and our members to be more than just warm words. 

“It is about more than just police numbers. In order to really revive policing, the service needs sustained, centrally-funded investment from the Government. It’s also about ensuring my colleagues are supported by Government and are paid fairly. And I will do all that I can to ensure that this happens.”

He added: “But I must stress that police officers have been battered and bruised, and they cannot tolerate any more broken promises. Policing has been failed so many times in the past, if the safety and security of our public is truly a priority, then this must change.”

Mr Johnson announced a three-year programme to recruit 20,000 police officers nationwide when he took over from Theresa May as PM. In the first wave of recruitment, which would see 6,000 new people taken on, Hertfordshire was allocated an extra 91 officers.

Soon after the announcement on recruitment, the Government said it would centrally fund a further roll-out of Taser. It had already pledged to introduce a Police Covenant to improve support for officers, backed a change in the law to give police drivers better protection and said it would allow Specials to join the Police Federation.

Then at the Federation’s centenary celebrations in London, Home Secretary Priti Patel said she intended to double the maximum sentences for those who assault police officers and other emergency service workers to two years.

Geoff Bardell, chair of Hertfordshire Police Federation, has welcomed the national chair's stance.

“We have seen the police service crippled by funding cuts and that has meant our communities have suffered and so have our police officers,” he explained.

“While we appreciate the Government is making it a priority to deliver Brexit, it also has to ensure that it delivers on its pre-election pledges. The duty of any Government is to ensure the safety and security of its people and it needs a properly funded and resourced police service to ensure it can do that.”