Secretary looking forward to second term in office

8 December 2021

Hertfordshire Police Federation secretary Al Wollaston is looking forward to continuing the work he has started over the last three years after being elected to serve another term of office.

Al first took up the position in 2018 after serving as branch chair for a year and said his key priority had always been officer welfare.

He said:  “In relation to Police Federation work I can’t single out jobs that have really stood out over the last three years, but the main thing for me was to ensure the welfare of officers was paramount.

“So this has always been at the forefront, alongside trying to get the Police Federation into the 21st century, listening to what the issues are and then acting upon them.

“Getting the welfare caravan and welfare van are two good examples of what we have achieved as well as ensuring we hold the Force to account.

“I am always being told by senior officers that I am too emotive but I don’t see this as a negative and it shows that I care.”

Al first put himself forward for the Police Federation role after going through a Crown Court trial as a result of a criminal allegation made against him.

He explained: “I was told that our then chair was retiring and it thought it was the right time for me to look at working within the Police Federation full-time.

“I feel proud and pleased that I am now able to continue what I have started over the past three or four years.”

And he said his focus over the coming three years would continue to be “welfare, welfare, welfare”.

He said priorities would include pushing for a South East Allowance and getting the Force executive and senior officers to acknowledge that officer welfare is critical and not something to be viewed as “just another process”.

He acknowledged fighting for fair remuneration, meaningful pay rises and officer allowances would be among the biggest challenges faced by Hertfordshire Police Federation alongside the long-running pension issues and their potential remedies.

But he also warned a lack of experience among officers could also become an issue for the Police Federation as this, the College of Policing’s new Policing Education Qualifications Framework (PEQF) and officer retention were already key concerns for the Force.

Al, who first became a Fed rep in 2008 after being encouraged to stand by a colleague who performed the same role, predicted an increase in media scrutiny and being continually under the spotlight would be among the biggest challenges for policing in the years ahead.