Chairmanship of the Police Federation #PFTP

The election of a new Police Federation Chairman is set to take place in September 2012. With the current period of extreme change to British policing, whoever takes up the role will have a great deal of important work to do. They will also carry a weight of responsibility on their shoulders for the future of policing, not only for the officers but just as importantly for the public they serve.

Julie Nesbit, who chairs the Constables’ Central Committee (CCC), has been the first candidate to break cover in the election race to succeed Paul McKeever. It would seem that Julie, her ambitions and/or abilities may not be popular with the membership. Despite her pledge to deliver “strong leadership” if elected, the news has been greeted with dismay from many people who have been prepared to comment (see below).

“What a sorry state of affairs” – “Disaster looms” – “She has not delivered leadership” – “No no no!” – “Julie certainly is not the best or right candidate”

So not a popular candidate it would seem however, a comment on a similar news thread summed the situation up by saying; “Sadly we have no natural successor to Paul McKeever.”

I knew Paul personally and have worked with him, all be it at a lower level than the JCC. So with personal knowledge of the man I can be confident in repeating that which I’ve said previously (see here); Paul McKeever will be an extremely hard act to follow. This worrying factor may partly be the driving force behind some of the disparaging comments about possible successors.

The Federation membership is rightly worried about who will take up the important post but more importantly, will the person eventually elected actually be capable of delivering that which is undoubtedly required?

I’ve also met Julie on more than one occasion during my work with the Federation. She’s a perfectly pleasant person and like the vast majority of Federation representatives, is passionate about the rights and welfare of all police officers. I have no wish to add further brickbats to those being aimed at the lady however; I wouldn’t personally feel confident that she possessed the skills, ability or personality to follow in Paul’s footsteps and deliver what is so urgently required.

Many members of the Federation are calling for the right to personally vote for their next chairman, as opposed to that function being carried out by the Joint Central Committee. As Federation rules currently stand, the JCC containing 30 elected representatives from across England and Wales, vote for the new chairman on behalf of their members. There are pros and cons for both this method of election and the use of a more widespread electorate.

Not without standing calls which voice concern about cronyism or collective narcissism, those who work closely with any prospective candidate should surely possess better first-hand knowledge about that candidate’s skills and ability. Conversely, a vote by a wider membership would perhaps be more reflective of that person’s general popularity and how they will be perceived on mass.

Given that the ‘new face’ of the Federation has to not only be listened to but also be acceptable to the public, the media and politicians, as well as the membership, perhaps the general perception of any new post holder is even more important than it has been previously?

“I may be retiring but I will not stop fighting for what is right and for public safety.” (Paul McKeever)

Whoever is appointed to this high office needs to possess sound intellect and good oratory skills. They also need to show quantifiable credibility, as well as being highly personable and liked by all those they deal with. Despite some calls for more vociferous militancy, the role of Police Federation Chairman requires so much more. Or it does if our true aim is to restore the credibility of and understanding about policing for the people by the people.

I’ll say it again… Getting the right person to succeed Paul won’t be an easy task!

Related articles

• A Great Loss to British Policing! (bankbabble.wordpress.com)
• Police Federation: cut backs will put public at risk (telegraph.co.uk)
• Drop in cops with numbers down by 10,000 since election (thesun.co.uk)
• McKeever: I can’t stomach these cuts (morningstaronline.co.uk)
• 10,000 fewer police officers since general election (telegraph.co.uk)

The Aftermath of #London2012

To coin that famous sports commentary phrase – “they think it’s all over – it is now” - but only partly. In all the euphoria of all our recent achievements at the Olympiad, we mustn’t forget there are still the London 2012 Paralympics yet to come…

The Paralympics are set to be the biggest and most popular event of its kind so far. But it’s also destined to be an even greater display of sporting prowess, strength and achievement over adversity and disability. Probably more than that which we have already witnessed. In addition there is the not insignificant matter of that much-lauded “Olympic Legacy“ thingy.

The legacy is something that won’t be attained easily and also something that won’t happen overnight. Therefore, the ultimate success of London 2012 will be measured by how good we are at “inspiring a generation” then, and only then, will we witness the fruits of that legacy. Make no mistake, it will take a great deal of hard work, by ALL involved, to maintain the London 2012 momentum; whatever happens now, we mustn’t lose the impetus given to the cause, or lose sight of the importance of the work ahead.

I don’t know about you but I’ve never been that much of a sports fan. But, thanks to BBC TV, I’ve  probably watched more sport in the last two weeks than I’ve watched over the last two years. A sceptical and doubting Thomas at the outset, even I can admit to the fact, London 2012 has been amazing and inspirational.

The swelling of pride in British chests up and down our small island nation has been phenomenal over the last couple of weeks. Ok, so it’s mainly thanks to the (partly) unexpected success of our Olympians, that and a dose of good old British apathy. But, despite the initial cynicism displayed by so many (me included), it appears that now its OK to be British and proud again. Long may that feeling continue!

Pride about of our Nation, pride in our communities and pride about a job well done was something the British people always used to excel at, until more recent years that is. A sense of pride, duty and service and care for others was something that put the “Great” in Britain. It’s a trait that has systematically been beaten out of us by politicians and the PC Taliban. We have been told that pride is socially unacceptable, unless you are part of a minority group. We have been told that pride has a negative impact upon embracing and furthering the diversity of our land, in short, pride is second only to racism and totally taboo!

But irrespective of the naughtiness of our new-found pride, how the rest of the world saw the Olympic Games is probably one of the more important questions. Thankfully and in general, the whole spectacle appears to have been enjoyed and well received, both near and far. So we got that bit right, our athletes mostly exceeded expectation and a good time was had by all.

Irrespective of all the media hype that’s gone on, masses of political rhetoric and party points scoring, before during and after the games, along with some astute marketing and brand warfare, sport has (surprisingly) been key to the success of the event. It shouldn’t be about political agenda or money-making opportunity, the Olympiad is actually supposed to be about sport and sporting values. The enjoyment of sport, the participation as an athlete (or volunteer Games Maker) and the pleasures derived from observing that sporting greatness.

Partly as a celebration of their undoubted success, but also probably yet another slick marketing tool, some British medallists from Team GB have turned their skills to the performing arts. Athletes including Sir Chris Hoy, Jessica Ennis, Victoria Pendleton and Louis Smith, along with a little imput from David Beckham, have recorded their own version of Queen‘s hit song Don’t Stop Me Now! Great sentiment and powerful rallying cry for our sporting future but don’t give up the day job guys!

The song title does however reflect the building process that now needs to follow; always assuming we are genuine about actually realising the London 2012 Olympic Legacy. We now have some solid foundations on which we can build however; there is still much debate around the real values of the Olympic legacy – will it prove to be a White elephant or economic viagra? Have we been conned by our government and swallowed a convenient placebo for a couple of weeks, designed to disguise further social and financial pain still to come?

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park will be unlike any other park you’ve visited. As a whole new piece of the city, there will always be something exciting going on, from the low-key to the larger than life…(Read More)

The London Legacy Development Corporation may already have great plans for Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park but isn’t the legacy also supposed to benefit all parts of the nation, not just London?

Olympic Legacy: Winning for the North (guardian.co.uk) …We must still work hard to ensure that the Olympic legacy benefits the north’s poorest communities too… The Olympic legacy will mean nothing if it doesn’t reach our inner-cities and our neediest kids – our future Olympians…(Read more)

I have to admit to being an incorrigible cynic but I’m also an eternal optimist and, on this occasion, I’m also living in hope that my glass is half-full (for a change). I believe the desires and aims of ‘our’ olympic legacy can actually be achieved however; I’m not so sure about the will, ethics and drivers of our politicians, or those responsible for managing that realisation?

If nothing else comes from the legacy at least the G4S debacle, subsequent security bail out by our military and the requirements for extra police, London 2012 has proved the professionalism, flexibility and true value of our military and police personnel. It has also proved a point that many have been trying to impress on our politicians for months… Money spent on public resources, despite being often expensive, actually proves to be valuable and money well spent.

Defence secretary Philip Hammond has suggested the failure of security firm G4S to fulfil their contract to guard the London 2012 Olympics has made him rethink the role the private sector…(huffingtonpost.co.uk)

The G4S failures, of olympic proportion (pun intended), are now well documented. I for one now expect David Cameron to be good to his word when he vowed to “go after” G4S to recover the millions of pounds of public money paid to them (see here). Back in July, Ed Miliband the Labour leader also called for a government ”rethink of police outsourcing” by saying that G4S “should be blocked from getting government contracts” after failure to meet their Olympic commitments (see here).

It has also now emerged that G4S intends to donate £2.5m to armed forces charities (see here). G4S understandably refer to the cash as a “goodwill gesture” after 18,200 military personnel were drafted in to bolster up their security blunders. I (and many others no doubt) would actually see it as guilt money, designed to placate public opinion whilst attempting to prevent further financial loss for the company. The government should accept that payment but also, press on to recover the rest of the public money paid out for something that wasn’t delivered!

Historian Michael Wood wrote for the BBC News Magazine at the beginning of August – G4S and the echoes of the East India Company.

A private army making profit for the company’s shareholders with very little control from either the British or the Indian governments. Does this sound familiar? (Micheal Wood)

Wood goes on to describe how G4S has “been criticised in parliament and provoked global protests about its employment practices” and how the company ”uncannily echos exploits” (and failures) of The East India Company, the ”mother of all global multinationals.” It’s a well-known fact that history often repeats itself.

But chin up there are apparently 10 ways to fill the Olympics void and don’t forget that whatever happens, you can still own a keepsake from this historical event. Why not purchasing some London 2012 memorabilia at the official online shop as a reminder of how good we really can be?

No matter how things pan out for any of us in the future, remember to… Always look on the bright side of life!

Related articles

• UK’s Olympic ‘generosity’ praised (bbc.co.uk)
• Olympic legacy: winning for the north (guardian.co.uk)
• London 2012 euphoria has died, but will the Olympic legacy live on? (guardian.co.uk)
• The Olympic Park to reopen to public next year (itv.com)

Road Safety: KSI increase a consequence of police cuts?

Last year saw the first increase in death and injury on our roads since 2003 but like many I have to wonder; what impact have the cuts in roads policing over recent years had on road safety?

With the additional 20% cuts to frontline policing currently in the pipeline, along with constant (often politically motivated) changes to policing priorities, not to mention the selling off of enforcement responsibilities to other agencies and private companies, I can’t help thinking this worrying increase is set to continue at some pace.

Yes, the statistics for road collisions involving people being killed or seriously injured (KSI) may be on the increase, it may be the first time in nearly ten years there has been an increase but, despite the figures being worrying, the full reasons for the actual increase are myriad. And, as John Morrison pointed out in The Guardian recently, all be it predominantly from a cyclist’s viewpoint, this “narrow focus on casualty statistics is misleading” (see here).

Raw statistics never tell the whole story, and exclusive reliance on them can lead to absurd outcomes…(John M Morrison)

We have seen so many times before (see here) how crime statistics rarely paint a true picture of reality, why therefore should the ones relating to road casualties be any different? Even the Department for Transport (DfT) will tell you their figures are only a “best estimate” of the total number of road casualties in Great Britain each year (see here).

You could also bet your bottom dollar that any FOI request to a police force, asking about the number of motoring offence prosecutions, would probably reveal a decline over recent years. But that decline would have as much to do with continued reductions in police officers. Reductions that have resulted in the decline of police officers able to influence and control driver behaviour. However, many politicians (and some senior police officers) would probably suggest that; drivers are better behaved and more complaint with road traffic laws and regulations these days?

The fact that traffic legislation, which was mostly designed to make our roads vehicles and drivers safer for all, isn’t being complied with (let alone enforced), is a major contributory factor to the increasing number of casualties on our roads. Sadly, traffic police were always seen by many drivers as tax collectors for the government, as opposed to professionals able to influence driver behavior and make an impact upon road safety. But our roads, like any part of our community, need a visible uniformed presence too.

The way in which our media generally reports road collisions often doesn’t help the situation. Our perception of the risks involved in driving, along with our individual responsibilities as drivers, are often skewed by emotive headlines. Details of yet another “horrendous accident” where a ”killer road claims another victim” and a “driver dies at accident black spot” all do little to help us understand the facts. I.E. Collisions are generally the fault of drivers and in reality, it’s often the actions/inactions of drivers that kill, not the roads!

Since the Preston Bypass opened in 1958 (Britain’s first motorway), our ‘high speed’ road network has increased beyond all recognition. The M1, our nation’s longest motorway, was originally designed to cope with about 14,000 vehicles each day however; more than 50 years later, that same piece of highway infrastructure now bears the weight of around 140,000 vehicles per day.

Great Britain has one of the best road safety records in Europe and the world. Despite massive increases in traffic over the last few decades, the number of people killed on our roads has fallen from around 5,500 per year in the mid 1980s to well under 2,000 in 2011. However, the number of deaths rose in 2011, from 1,850 the previous year to 1,901. This means that five people die on Britain’s roads every day…(RoSPA)

But motorways are (statistically) amongst our safest roads and speed, although sometimes a contributory factor in the severity of many collisions, usually isn’t the real cause of death and injury. It’s more about the inability of drivers to take appropriate avoiding action when things go wrong at speed. A vehicle can be travelling at 75mph but if the driver’s brain is only working at 35mph, rest assured it’s going to be painful when it hits something solid.

It should be obvious that a major factor behind the increase in collisions, especially those involving death and serious injury, is the actual increase in the number of vehicles on our roads. Vehicles that are being piloted by inattentive drivers with inadequate skills and poor standards of driver behaviour. But, as Safer Motoring have pointed out recently; despite our roads being “very dangerous” places, if you follow ”some simple and sensible advice, you can significantly reduce your chances of being involved in a road accident.”

• 1,901 people killed on our roads – the first annual increase in road deaths since 2003
• Road accidents are biggest killer of young adults aged 16 to 24
• ‘Government should show more leadership on road safety’, says Commons select committee chair

Recently MPs called for ”Councils with the worst road safety records being named and shamed” intended to cut casualty rates (see here). But as usual, this simplistic interpretation of statistics is probably more about the popularity of politicians, rather than any tangible action designed to combat a worrying trend.

Much of the public understanding (or misunderstanding) about any given issue, and road safety is no different, is developed from our personal perceptions and experience of the issue. Statistics probably have a much smaller part to play in that process than our perception mostly influenced by the media.

As John Morrison’s article highlighted; the Department for Transport doesn’t measure perceptions, only crash statistics. He goes on to suggest how perhaps they should copy the Home Office, which annually supplements its crime statistics by publishing the British Crime Survey, that measures perceptions. He concludes by suggesting if this took place ”then we might come closer to a more holistic view of whether our roads are really getting safer or more dangerous.”

Despite the fact we can be rightly proud of Great Britain’s  road safety records – some of the best in the world – with around 9 fatalities and 80 personal injuries every day (source – RoSPA), there is still much more to be done. Higher standards of driving along with individual capability of our drivers is the real answer to the problem, if we really do want to combat the situation presented by these recent sad statistics.

How we remedy this situation is mostly a matter of divided opinion. Especially as many people already think they are the best driver in the world. That said, we can also all be better drivers than we are now, can’t we? It may be a matter of personal choice but it’s also one that’s not expensive and is can be considered as a skill for life, in more ways than one!

The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) offers the opportunity for drivers to improve their driving standards, helping to make them (and our roads) safer for us all. You can also find a great deal of road safety advice, information and resources at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).

In my opinion as a retired police officer (and Advanced Driver), and no doubt also the view of many other safety professionals; roads policing is actually one of the most important and highly influential factors involved in road safety. It may be a relatively expensive resource however; that expense pales into insignificance when you compare it the high financial costs and human impacts involved in all KSI collisions.

One highly trained and professional roads policing officer is also worth numerous ‘safety camera’ systems, which despite lauded statistics, really are little more than a stealth tax collection tool. British drivers have little or no fear of being caught for their driving misdemeanors any more. They rarely see a police patrol car on their travels, they receive prior warning of most safety cameras via their SatNav and, they are more or less able to race around the country in defective vehicles with impunity.

Like many other areas of policing, the preventative aspect of their role is being lost. This important root part of British policing, one that is often difficult to quantify and measure, has long been dismissed and undervalued by bean counting managers and their political driven masters.  Despite the fact prevention is generally more desirable than the cure, since 1829 that was, until relatively recent times, always the primary responsibility of efficient policing.

“The primary object of an efficient police is the prevention of crime: the next that of detection and punishment of offenders if crime is committed. To these ends all the efforts of police must be directed. The protection of life and property, the preservation of public tranquillity, and the absence of crime, will alone prove whether those efforts have been successful and whether the objects for which the police were appointed have been attained.” (Sir Richard Mayne)

Succesive governments (and senior police officers) may have lost sight of that fact but motorists (and criminals) are reaping the benefits of their oversight. Perhaps it’s time to reverse the almost terminal decline in preventative policing, not least on our roads?

Related articles

• How have roads changed since the Queen’s coronation? (castlecover.co.uk)
• Government blasted on road deaths (bbc.co.uk)
• Road safety: narrow focus on casualty statistics is misleading (guardian.co.uk)
• Clear vision on road safety sought (independent.co.uk)
• The horrific facts about UK road safety from the BBC [Robert Craven] (ecademy.com)