PFEW Annual Conference begins with a focus firmly on ‘true state of policing’

21 October 2026

This year’s Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) Annual Conference opened today (Wednesday 21 October) with a call to address the realities police officers face every day.

PFEW Acting National Deputy Chair Paul Williams kicked off proceedings by outlining what the national event will cover, which is set to welcome over 600 attendees over two days.

At the heart of this speech was a firm emphasis on this year’s conference theme around ‘the true state of policing’, assessing the pressures and demands placed on officers and their families, which Paul argued are reflective of an ‘unsustainable workforce’.

He also discussed the need for reform that materially improves individual workers' lives and sustains this moving forward.

Acting National Deputy Chair Paul Williams addresses Conference

Paul said: “Over the course of this Conference, we are going to talk about the true state of policing, including morale, welfare, working conditions, and the future of the service.

“I want this event to remind us of something behind every debate that happens around this profession, and behind every statistic and headline: people, who put on a uniform and accept a responsibility which the overwhelming majority of the public will never have to carry.

“Not only that, but they are then expected to fill the gaps which others are responsible for  - causing them to start shifts still utterly wiped out from the last one. 

“And at the end of that, going home to be a mother, a father, a wife, a husband, a friend and a human being.

Pressures

“As a national Federation, we will also look at ourselves, and at the organisation we need to become, so we can properly support and represent our members through these overwhelming pressures.”

Paul went on to pay tribute to the officers who have lost their lives while giving everything to policing, including those who have died in the line of duty over the last 12 months.

He reminded the audience to stand together with these colleagues in their thoughts throughout both days of the Conference, as well as the relatives and friends left behind by such tragic losses.

These sentiments were echoed by Policing Minister Sarah Jones, who commemorated the lives of fallen officers in her own speech on the morning of day one.

Line of duty

She said: “Today and always, we remember their sacrifice and think of their loved ones, which is what we have done in this past year for the likes of PC Matthew Blades, PC Tom Clough and PC Jess Turnbull.

“Any death in the line of duty is the most painful reminder of the risks you and your colleagues face to keep us all safe. That’s why my main message is one of thanks, to each of them and to every officer here today and all over the country.

“Policing is a public service, and like any other, it simply wouldn’t function without its rank-and-file workers.

“Day after day, you are out there on the frontline, attending emergencies, arresting suspects, supporting victims and reassuring communities – and it is all done out of a sense of duty and calling which is about much more than just a job.

Support

“For this service and sacrifice, you deserve to be supported in every way possible.”

The Policing Minister also highlighted the need for officers to have proper access to this support, discussing the £2.4 million committed by the Government to expand services around trauma assistance, psychological risk assessments and round-the-clock confidential mental health support.

This year’s Conference continues today (Wednesday 21 October) and tomorrow (Thursday 22 October).

We will keep members updated over the next two days.