National Response Policing Wellbeing & Resilience Week: Let's put welfare at the heart of thinking

15 March 2021

Police leaders need to put welfare ‘at the heart of their thinking in order to look after the officers in their care.

Surrey Police Federation says this week’s National Response Policing Wellbeing & Resilience Week aims to remind all officers of the importance of looking after themselves and each other.

It’s particularly important right now, she added, given the year frontline policing has had dealing with the pandemic.

She wants police leaders and supervisors to think welfare and ensure the messages of the event are applied every day.

“Response officers are hard-working, even more so during the pandemic,” Mel said.

“It has been absolutely relentless for them, risking their safety daily and being up close and personal with the public with no let-up.

“The Wellbeing week needs to highlight not just the good work they do, but to remind supervisors and senior leaders of their staff’s wellbeing – lunch breaks are really important, as are any breaks that their team members can take.

“Sometimes, it might just be about taking their body armour off when they are sat at the computer in the office catching up on their workload.

“We need to remember that many are struggling with financial stress and how that may affect them in the workplace and to check that colleagues are okay.

“This week will highlight what should be happening every day to every police officer, response or not.

“Wellbeing should be at the heart of what every leader is thinking about when it comes to their teams, not just a one-off now and again,” Mel added.

Part of the plans to mark the week in Surrey include giving away a free week at the Federation’s holiday home in the New Forest.

One officer and their family will also get a break with a Merlin Entertainment Pass at a location and date of their choice, while breakfast bars, provided by Cadbury’s, will be delivered to all divisions and shared with officers.