Meet The Humberside Police Federation Reps – Insp Tony Tinsley

22 November 2021

Q. Can you give us a brief summary of your career history and your current rank and role?
A. Joined South Yorkshire in 1994, transferred to Humberside Police in 1996. 5 years as a PC in traffic 1997-2002, promoted to Sgt in 2002, worked rural and urban, did around 5 years in CID in a couple of different roles, then moved back into uniform in 2009. Two separate stints as a custody Sgt, promoted to Traffic Insp in 2017 and I have been there ever since. I love it and I have no plans to move elsewhere before I retire after 30 years service. Although I keep telling people it’s not retirement. I have no plans to stop working so it’s just the next chapter in my career.

Q. What made you want to be a Fed Rep?
A. I like the idea of helping people and reassuring them that someone is there to listen. I want to make sure my colleagues understand their rights so they are in the best position to be treat fairly. Regs are complicated and sometimes difficult to interpret. Even with the best of intentions people sometimes get it wrong and just need steering in the right direction.

Q. Why do you think it’s important for members to be supported by fellow officers as their Reps?
A. I feel that some officers, for a variety of reasons, do not have the confidence to approach supervisors and managers direct with their issues. The Federation overcomes that problem by maintaining an open dialogue with more senior members of the organisation which enables them to have those conversations and negotiations on the members behalf.

Q. Which areas in particular are you looking forward to focusing on?
A. Discipline because already in my short time as a Rep I have seen the way people are treat when subject to a misconduct investigation and the extreme anxiety it causes. Things really should be better in this area.

Q. What should members do if they’re concerned about anything?
A. That’s easy…… contact your friendly Fed Rep!