Officials announce new approach to work on Police Covenant

24 May 2023

Three new priorities have been identified by Home Office officials working on the new Police Covenant.

The Police Covenant Oversight Board (PCOB) said the additional priorities were a reflection of the rapidly changing nature of police work.

West Midlands Police Federation chair Rich Cooke welcomed plans to update the Covenant.

He said: “The Police Covenant is an important reminder that the sacrifices made by our members and their families do not go unrecognised.

“Society asks a lot of the people whose job it is to protect our way of life and this is a formal way of making sure that is not a one-way street.

“We worked hard on the Police Covenant so we are pleased to see it being treated seriously and with respect.”

The primary focus of the Covenant has always been ensuring the health and wellbeing of serving and former police officers, their physical protection and the support required by their families. 

And it was initially working on 11 key priorities agreed within the parameters set out in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. 

But three extra priorities have now been added to the list.

They are:

• To identify and implement a package of measures for individuals who have left the police workforce.

• To scope the current support in place in relation to healthcare pathways for the police workforce through further NHS Engagement

• To consider wider issues around police officer and staff safety at the roadside and propose non legislative options to improve safety

A spokesman said: “The Oversight Board will continue to review all priorities throughout the year to consider any further points to add, or the potential combining of priorities.”

Of the original eleven priorities, three have now been completed and signed off by the PCOB.

The work under the Covenant to consider the issues raised in the Officer and Staff Safety Review have been met through the changes to legislation around assaults on emergency workers brought in by the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. 

The workstream to support forces to put in place Operation Hampshire relating to assaults against officers and staff has also been implemented, with data collection on these assaults now a key part of recording practices.

And the third and final completed area of work is the inclusion of mental health training for new officers in initial training, as part of the Policing Education Qualifications Framework (PEQF) developed by the College of Policing.