Fed secretary ‘privileged’ to represent members

28 July 2026

North Yorkshire Police Federation secretary Tony Barnes says he’s ‘privileged’ to represent members as he reflected on a busy and rewarding first year in the role.

Tony admits the year has ‘flown by’, but says his focus is firmly on supporting members and their welfare, and ensuring they have a strong voice.

He said: “It’s a privilege to be voted into the role by my peers and to support members.

“Being one of the voices of the local membership really is a privileged role, and I take that seriously."

Tony officially started in June last year but spent the first month balancing his Federation responsibilities with his role as a dog handler, before being released full-time from the dog section in early July.

Tony Barnes and retired police dog Thorn

He said: “It was difficult to start with because being on the dog section is a full commitment.

“You are responsible for the dogs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all year round.

“Alongside that, I was trying to support Federation members and fit in family life.

"For that first month, I was still covering my day job while trying to get to grips with the secretary's office at the same time."

Police dog Thorn

His transition was eased a little bit by the retirement of his general purpose police dog, Thorn, who remains part of the family, while his spaniel, Molly, was rehomed with another handler to continue her policing career.

The transition was also helped by the fact Tony said was already familiar with Federation work, having previously served as branch treasurer,

However, stepping into the secretary's role brought a new level of responsibility, he said.

“Although I'd been in the office before, I was never the secretary," he said.

“I'd been encouraged to come back into the Federation by some reps that were standing for election again, and some that were standing for election for the first time.

Branch secretary

“As secretary, you are responsible for running the branch, supporting the reps in their day-to-day work, and voicing the concerns of members to the Force. And it’s a real privilege to serve in that role.

“Coming back into the Federation after stepping down was a big commitment but I believed that to try and bring change you have to be on the inside.

“I've carried out a variety of frontline roles including response, NPT, Firearms, Dog Section and I know many officers, so when members need support, they often contact me direct.”

Tony said his commitment to members extends beyond office hours.

He recalled taking a call from officers who needed support while on holiday in Egypt in September and more recently in Prague.

Support

Tony said: “I could have ignored the call or sent a message saying I was on holiday, but my first thought was that I needed to answer the phone.

“I spoke with them, helped where I could, and explained what I would do when I got back.

“Sometimes just knowing someone is there to support you gives people some peace of mind.”

Looking back on his first year as secretary, Tony said there was not one particular moment that stands out.

Instead, he said his passionate for representing members and supporting colleagues remains as strong as ever.

Communication

He said: “The reward comes from the ongoing communication with members, giving them support when they need it and being the voice they sometimes don't have.

“This is an elected role and I never take it for granted. The members and reps place their trust in you and that's something I take very seriously.”

Looking ahead, Tony said that officer welfare will remain at the heart of his work

He said: “Promoting the welfare of officers comes first to me, and that will continue. “And providing that ongoing support to reps and making sure members having a voice in the Force.

“I don't shy away from saying what is right. If something doesn't support the welfare of officers or isn't in members' best interests, I will speak up.”