Wendy offers wide range of support to Fed members

17 January 2022

It has been a busy nine months for Suffolk Police Federation case handler Wendy Leah.

Wendy, who spent 30 years as a police officer, joined the Federation in a new role in April last year but has already had an impact on the members she has supported.

“I feel I have established myself in this post,” she explains, “I have built up a wide range of contacts across the Force and that really helps me to offer assistance to members.

“It is a busy and varied role and one of the ways I help make a difference is by contacting those officers who have been off work for 21 days or more to see if there is anything we can do to support them.

“More and more members are understanding that I am here to help and getting in touch.”

Wendy manages the administration and case work for sickness management, ill-health retirements, injuries, accidents and deaths and provides support to members and families involved in those processes. 

“I also sign-post members in respect of any benefits they may be entitled to through Federation membership or their subscription to our Group Insurance Scheme,” says Wendy.

“I deal directly with members, work-based Fed representatives and others representing the Force and feel very privileged to be in this role.

“I feel it really helps when I am talking to members that I can totally understand the challenges they are facing. I was an officer for 30 years and I do appreciate the difficulties of the role.”

Wendy spent the last eight years of her service as a DC on the major investigation team but she also acted as a family liaison officer (FLO) supporting many families who were dealing with the loss of a loved one through murder or manslaughter. This work, in particular, she believes has stood her in good stead when speaking to officers who are perhaps suffering due to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Having retired on Christmas Eve 2019, Wendy worked for Kent Police in Hampshire in a FLO role before joining the Federation on 1 April 2021.

To help her understand the role of the Federation, she has undertaken the Police Federation of England and Wales reps’ induction course and the conduct and performance training.

Wendy says: “I am really enjoying this role. I feel I have the empathetic and compassionate approach that is needed in this position. With an officer subjected to conduct proceedings, I get how rotten it can be, in terms of being demoralising and upsetting.

“When I read the job description before applying for this post, my immediate thought was I want this job; it was written for me!”