After eight years of dedication as a part-time workplace representative, Emma Arthurs-Newman has taken the leap into a full-time role with Suffolk Police Federation.

Bringing with her a deep passion for welfare, equality and proactive support for her colleagues, Emma says she is ‘excited’ to get stuck into full-time Fed life, having been successful in the recent election process. 

As the branch’s deputy secretary, Emma has spent the last three years building her experience and knowledge of the Federation. 

“I’ve always wanted to do more for our members,” said Emma, who has been in policing for 23 years.

She added: “Being a Fed rep is very rewarding. Sometimes, you might be directly helping one person but, in doing so, you change the job for many.”

Priorities

Having already launched the ‘Feels on Wheels’ welfare van as a workplace rep, Emma now plans on building upon the connections she has already forged.

“My priorities are centred around member welfare. Organisationally, I feel that welfare can be improved, and I want to work with support networks and occupational health to do just that.

“My aim is to dedicate at least one day a month to going out and visiting teams directly,” she said. “I’m also planning to host three welfare days in the next 12 months, each with a guest speaker from one of the support networks. 

“It’s about getting out and visiting our members - and increasing the contact we have with them. It’s about giving those networks exposure and giving our members more support.”

Emma believes that wellbeing isn’t just about helping officers cope - it’s about making sure they thrive.

“Ultimately, happy cops come into work and they do a good job. Unhappy cops might still come in, but they end up getting burnt out, and it impacts their life outside the job.”

Partnerships

Building stronger relationships with internal support networks is also on Emma’s agenda. “I want to develop partnerships and understand the challenges these networks face, so we can work together. For example, I facilitate the cancer network, and I know there are many more members who need its support but don’t know it exists.”

Citing a recent report revealing that more than 17,000 officers across England and Wales are signed off due to mental health issues, Emma sees an urgent need for change. “According to this survey, there are 181 officers currently off work in Suffolk due to mental health issues.

“These figures are worrying. I want to help people not only stay at work but also return to work sooner if they are off.

“I want to help build the resilience of our members. I want to support members, but I feel strongly that the Force needs to be accountable for its staff too.”

Her approach includes not just supporting officers directly, but also ensuring supervisors have the tools and understanding to support their teams.

Education

“It’s not just about the officers - we need to educate and support the supervisors too,” Emma said.

In addition to her work on welfare, Emma has served as the Federation’s equality lead for the past five years - a role she’s now able to fully invest in.

She explained: “As a part-time rep, you can only do so much. I want to give our members my all. I want to give the role my all. It really excites me.

“I'm determined to complement the hard work that Darren (Harris, branch chair) and Ben (Hudson, branch secretary) are already doing.”

Emma, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017, says being poorly ‘changed her career aspirations’.

“I’ve had a lived experience of how the Federation can support you when you’re ill,” said Emma, who is now cancer-free. 

“I can translate this to our members. I can tell them about the support I was given and, in turn, perhaps help them too.”

Support

Emma is also passionate about demystifying the Federation itself: “People don’t always know what the Federation does. I want to raise its profile and make sure our members know we’re here, what we offer, and how we can support them.”

With a wealth of experience and a clear vision, Emma is ready to take Suffolk Police Federation forward, with welfare and support at the heart of everything she does.