Members sign digital picket line at Coventry roadshow
27 March 2026
Members signed up to the Copped Enough digital picket line when they attended the West Midlands Police Federation roadshow at Coventry LPA.
Those signing are backing the Federation in calling on the Government to take immediate action to pay police fairly, stop the mass exodus of experienced officers and protect police officers on the frontline.
“We had really good footfall at the Coventry roadshow,” said Jess Davies, West Midlands Police Federation chair, “As well as asking the Federation officials questions and finding out more about the support we offer, every single person signed the digital picket line which was launched by the Police Federation of England and Wales as part of the Copped Enough campaign.
Initiative
“Earlier this week, as a further strand of this campaign, the Federation has also announced its Hands Off Our Rest Days initiative after the National Police Chiefs’ Council set out plans to reduce officers’ pay when they have to work on what would have been a rest day.
“These plans risk further damaging morale and just adding to the officer retention crisis. I don’t understand why police chiefs are putting forward a proposal that will be the detriment to our hard-working police officers when they are already under huge pressure.
“Instead they should be supporting the Police Federation in calling for long-term, sustained investment in the police service for the benefit of everyone who works in policing but also for the benefit of the communities we all serve.”
At the roadshow are (left to right): Federation workplace representatives Steven Mervyn and Matt Manwaring, branch chair Jess Davies and deputy chair Mat Minton.
The Federation visit to the Coventry LPA on Wednesday (25 March) was the latest in a series of roadshows as part of a drive to make branch officials and workplace representatives more accessible to the wider membership.
The branch was representative by chair Jess, deputy chair Mat Minton and Coventry based workplace representatives Steven Mervyn and Matt Manwaring.
As well as attending the roadshow, which ran from 10am until 2pm, Mat joined the late shift with Coventry Response to get a fuller understanding of the issues officers are facing.
The next roadshow is at Walsall LPA and will be held at Bloxwich Police Station on 22 April.
Copped Enough
The Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW), which represents more than 145,000 rank and file police officers, has warned that a “broken” police service of underpaid, overworked and under threat people risks a public safety crisis — with the loss of experienced officers set to cost taxpayers nearly £10 billion in five years.
Its research has shown that police officers are 21 per cent worse off now than they were in 2010 and that is having an impact on officer retention and recruitment. It also revealed that a third of officers are struggling to afford food, rent or heating.
The Copped Enough campaign calls for:
- Fair pay: urgent action on pay to recognise the unique demands of policing
- Support for frontline risks: including an army-style P-Factor allowance recognising the dangers officers face
- Retention not just recruitment: a real plan to keep experienced officers on the beat
- Better protection and mental health support: so, officers are not forced to suffer in silence.
