Statement from the Norfolk Police Federation following the announcement of General Election on 4 July.

23 May 2024

The next Government must rebuild the trust and confidence of police officers, according to Norfolk Police Federation.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak yesterday announced a General Election, with voters heading to the polls to elect a Government on 4 July.

And Norfolk Police Federation Chair Andy Symonds has called for proper investment in the police service and a Royal Commission to decide what policing should look like over the next 20 years.

He said: “Whatever party forms the next Government they need to deal with a number of important matters that require urgent attention. Firstly, the new Government needs to focus on rebuilding trust and confidence with police officers.

“They can do this in a number of ways. One would be to work with the Federation on building a truly independent pay and conditions process that involves officers having a voice and the ability to negotiate on pay and conditions.

“They must review the recent introductions on the composition of misconduct panels and revert back to having an independent Legally Qualified Chair. The Government must review and implement whatever is required in order for my colleagues to be confident to use their powers lawfully, proportionately and reasonably without the fear of being prosecuted criminally or taken through the misconduct processes.

“Last, they must invest properly in the police service, but vitally launch a royal commission into policing engaging the public on what they want the police service to do going forwards into the next 20 years. The last royal commission was over 60 years ago.

“So much has changed in our country and so too has the world of policing. My colleagues and I will tell you that at the moment we are the sticking plaster for all of society’s ills – there is an expectation that the police will deal with anything and everything, as no-one else will.

“As a consequence, everything is a priority so therefore nothing is a priority. We need an honest conversation with the public and as a result the Government need to fund and resource the police service accordingly so that we can properly invest in policing the areas in which the public wish us to. 

“This way we will start to increase public confidence as our ability to properly deal with matters will increase, rather than place a sticking plaster over it and hope it lasts until we get called to deal with it again.

“If we have a clear steer and acceptance from the public that many of the matters the police currently deal with are not policing matters and that this work needs to be placed into the correct area with people with the right skills, such as mental health.

“At that stage we will be able to concentrate on our core role, which is prevention and detection of crime.

“But for a very long time we have been stretched so thinly dealing with an ever growing demand that we have seen our ability to actually substantively deal with matters has become hampered.