Princess Royal presents Tim with King’s Police Medal

21 December 2025

The Princess Royal chats to Tim Rogers as she presents him with his KPM.

West Midlands Police Federation branch secretary Tim Rogers has been officially presented with the  (KPM) - the most prestigious honour in British policing - by the Princess Royal.

The medal was awarded to Tim earlier this year in recognition of his long-running campaign to give police drivers better protection in law.

Tim, who has served with West Midlands Police for 30 years, led the successful push to change legislation so that police drivers are no longer judged by civilian standards when responding to emergencies. 

Tim was presented with the award at a service at St James Palace, London and said afterwards: “Receiving the King’s Police Medal was an incredibly proud and emotional moment for me. 

“What made it so special was the warmth of The Princess Royal, her smile and the genuine connection she brought to the conversation. 

“She was exceptionally well informed about the work, the law and its impact, and we spoke in real depth about police driving and the challenges posed by modern collision-avoidance technology.

“It was an honour and experience I will never forget.  Her smile, curiosity and thoughtful questions about police driving, the law and emerging vehicle technology made the recognition feel truly personal.”

Thanks to Tim’s efforts, the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 now ensures that officers’ driving is assessed against that of a “competent and trained police driver”, rather than a “careful and competent member of the public”.

Tim has spoken previously of the obstacles he faced while seeking the reform required.

He explained: “I never realised the resistance I would face during this campaign - and some of it came from people you wouldn’t expect. But I knew how much this change mattered to officers on the ground. 

“They deserved to be protected in law for doing what they were trained and expected to do. That was the reward I fought for. This recognition is just the icing on the cake.”

Tim’s eight-year campaign involved persistent lobbying of MPs and extensive collaboration with national policing bodies, barristers and Government departments. 

He helped draft the Home Office’s public consultation document and worked to ensure post-reform training standards were embedded in police driving schools across the country.