Nicky intent on making a difference

14 April 2021

Nicky Ryan says she’s determined to make a difference for officers right across Wales in her new role as the Police Federation’s Welsh affairs lead.

Nicky says she wants to build on the work of her predecessor Mark Bleasdale, the former chair of Dyfed Powys Police Federation, who has retired after 31 years as a serving officer.

She said: “I want to further develop the work that Mark has started, ensuring that the differences that exist for officers based in Wales - which have been magnified by Covid - are the start of a much bigger conversation and educational piece of work.”

Nicky, who joined Gwent Police in 1996, has spent seven years as a Police Federation rep with the Force and for the last two years has been the branch secretary.

“The Federation had assisted me in my service,” she said, reflecting on her reasons for becoming a rep, “And I was impressed with the outcome my Federation friends had achieved.”

She had been secretary of the Gwent branch since July 2019 and before that was chair of the Regional Reserve reps, deputy secretary of the branch, trustee and the regional safeguarded seat.

“It’s rewarding when you get an outcome for a member,” she said, adding: “My biggest successes as secretary have been restructuring and updating the branch, achieving significant financial savings.”

Nicky started her new job with the Police Federation of England and Wales on Monday (12 April) after a hand-over period shadowing Mark, and is only the third person to hold the position.

The role involves leading on special considerations for Wales within the Federation and raising awareness of Welsh issues, as well as building relationships with key stakeholders such as Welsh government, parliamentarians and police and crime commissioners.

“It was natural next step for me,” she said, “Wales is different for officers and those differences are frequently overlooked.”

Nicky has spent most of her policing career in Blaenau Gwent and the Rhymney Valley. The first decade of her service was in response policing before working in intelligence for five years.

Her career experience also includes working as a neighbourhood officer, time in the Criminal Justice Department, a period in the Force Control Room and being a full-time rep on the Force Change Programme.

But she has also revealed that her Mum tried to stop her becoming a police officer in the first place.

“Becoming a police officer seemed like the perfect job for me,” Nicky told Forum, the magazine of Gwent Police Federation, “Mum was just being a typically protective parent. She tried to persuade me a different career would be safer.”