Season’s greetings

20 December 2019

I just want to wish all officers and staff a merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

I know many of you will be working at least part of the festive period but I hope that you are still able to spend some quality time with your loved ones celebrating the festive season.

As the year draws to a close, it is a good time to reflect on all that has happened in the last 12 months. 2019 has not been without its challenges both locally and nationally, partly due to the demands placed on the police service as a whole but also due to a number of horrific incidents. The tragic death of Thames Valley PC Andrew Harper had an impact on us all and our thoughts remain with his family, friends and colleagues, particularly over the Christmas period. Closer to home, two of our own officers – Gaz Phillips and Chris Burnham – were seriously injured while on duty and continue on their road to recovery.

Despite the inevitable lows of the year, we have also seen some positive developments in terms of extra funding for policing and that is definitely something for us all to celebrate.

Enjoy the festive season and stay safe.