Detectives in focus at conference

10 June 2021

The chair of the Police Federation’s National Detectives’ Forum has hosted a discussion on the pressures faced by detectives at the 2021 Federation conference ahead of the launch of a specially-commissioned wellbeing toolkit.

Glyn Pattinson, who is also secretary of Staffordshire Police Federation, discussed issues around recruitment, retention and the growing problem of officer wellbeing with Detective Chief Superintendent Martin Brunning from Cambridgeshire Police and Thames Valley’s Deputy Chief Constable Jason Hogg, who is also detectives’ lead on the National Police Chiefs’ Council.

Glyn asked the pair about the launch of the new wellbeing toolkit which has been specifically designed for investigators.

He said: “I know that the toolkit is going to get a big launch on the week commencing 21 June and I am conscious that as senior officers with Detective backgrounds you understand what it’s like  - been there, seen that, done it.

“But that’s not always the case with some of our senior command team and executive officers across the country.

“So when the emails and correspondence lands with those officers back in their own forces, what can we as Federation reps do to help you help our members?”

Det Ch Supt Brunning said: “I would plead with everybody to get behind this because it is the product of a lot of people with a lot of experience in investigations who also get what it’s like to be a young in service new detective or police staff investigator.

“So when this launches, can I ask you to share it with all your members at force level and have conversations with your chief officer teams around their appetite for this because there is a role for them to play in this by getting right behind it.”

Delegates were also able to ask questions of the panel members.

The detectives’ forum has long campaigned for leaders to provide better support for investigators in relation to the unique challenges they face.