MPs Need To Be Aware Of Challenges Facing Officers

16 November 2020

Norfolk Police Federation has been putting the concerns of officers to local MPs during the party conference season, and has succeeded in “spiking their interest”.

Due to COVID, this year’s party political conferences have been held remotely. Home Secretary Priti Patel said in her speech to the 2020 Conservative Party Conference: “This year we have asked our police service to do more than ever before. And they have done so with relentless courage, commitment and professionalism.”

Federation Chairman Andy Symonds said he had sent a briefing document to Norfolk’s nine MPs about the issues police officers are facing locally and nationally.

Andy said: “During COVID I have spoken to a number of MPs virtually, raising issues around the pandemic, the access to PPE and being able to police the regulations that keep coming and going.

“We’re seen as the bad guys when we go out issuing tickets, which is a shame. I’ve just sent a briefing document to our nine MPs about issues we are facing locally and nationally. I’ve raised issues around COVID and the impact on resourcing and policing, making them aware of exactly what is affecting officers in Norfolk.”

He said that officers’ pay and conditions was “always a standing item”.

The issues around police pursuit driving had “spiked the interest of two MPs”, Andy said. He said: “I spoke to Chloe Smith, Minister of State for the Cabinet Office and MP for Norwich North, and she was really interested in police pursuits and also the length of IOPC investigations. She said she wants to support police in the county and will be contacting the Home Secretary and asking what she’s doing to support officers in Norfolk.”

Andy added that Jerome Mayhew, the new MP for Broadland, was interested in the issues as well, but that unfortunately the long-standing South Norfolk Conservative MP Richard Bacon had not yet engaged with them.