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6 August 2024

Meet the regional winners of this year’s national Police Bravery Awards in the latest edition of the West Mercia Police Federation magazine, Connect.

Sergeant Lee Baker, Sergeant Shannon Murphy and PC Thomas Simmonds were recognised for their efforts in saving a woman from a submerged car.

There’s a message from Annie Nisbet, the woman the three officers saved from drowning.

Branch chair Steve Butler urges the new government to make addressing the crisis in policing and committing to sustained investment in policing a key priority and says that he has already written to the newly-elected MPs in the Force area in order to start building an effective working relationship with them.

Steve also highlights the vote by members to give the Federation a mandate for a campaign for collective bargaining and binding arbitration.

Branch secretary Pete Nightingale, meanwhile, tells Connect that the announcement of a 4.75 per cent pay uplift for officers ‘is not a moment too soon’.

Steve praises the West Mercia Police officers who took part in the Police Unity Tour in memory of fallen colleagues.

Uniform

And he encourages members to have their say on issues relating to uniform in a new national survey in collaboration between the Federation and researchers at Lancaster University.

Steve renewed calls for the protectors to be protected after it was revealed there were more than 40,000 attacks on police officers across the country in the past year.

Steve and Pete also call for the Force to increase access to double crewing after highlighting the positive impacts in can have on officer safety, morale, and productivity.

Branch conduct lead Lesley Williams speaks out against the changes to the police disciplinary system, which gives chief constables greater powers to sack officers found guilty of misconduct.

Stephanie (Stephe) Dyer discusses her desire to help colleagues as a Fed rep.

Fellow Fed rep Rob Seewoosaha and firearms officer Chris Fowler tell their story of trekking over the Malvern Hills in full protective uniform to raise funds for the Emergency Services Aid Charity.

It’s all in the latest edition of Connect, which is available to read and download now.