This Christmas and New Year’s Eve will be very different, we’ve had to change our plans and it will be tough for many of us. This year has been a long and brutal one for us all, we have had to live our lives in a very different way, some of us have lost loved ones. The impact of this pandemic has and continues to be very real.

For my colleagues, those brilliant men and women in policing who face whatever society throws at us, thank you! It’s never easy and it can often feel that whatever we do is never enough, we are damned if we do and damned if we don’t. The job can take its toll. The constant and often relentless exposure to horrific trauma, the violence we face and the abuse we receive has an impact. We are not robots, we are human beings. It’s important we look after ourselves and each other. You are not alone!

It’s important to remember, the vast majority of the public support us, never forget that. For those of you working over Christmas and New Years Eve, please stay safe and I hope you are all able to spend some quality time with your loved ones.

From me and all my colleagues at the Police Federation of England and Wales, have a safe and very happy Christmas.