Officers’ views must be listened to

The Home Office wants to hear from frontline police officers and staff on how support and career development in policing can be improved as part of a Front Line Review.
 
The Review aims to engage all frontline officers and staff, and seek their feedback on their operational experience of leadership, professional development and wellbeing.
 
PFEW’s vice-chair and lead on wellbeing Ché Donald said the review was welcomed but needed to be meaningful. “Broadly speaking we are supportive, but only if a tangible positive difference can be made for our members.
 
“It is no point seeking views and then doing nothing about what they are being told – officers must be listened to otherwise it will be a fruitless exercise. It is good that we have a seat at the table and have been helping to shape the review but we must see action from it.
 
“Ideally we would have liked to see demand and capacity included within the remit as this is a key issue for our members but we do welcome the recent interest in officer wellbeing, by both the Home Secretary and the Home Office, and see this as a positive move in the hope that this will result in improved wellbeing across the police service.”
 
The review will set out its recommendations, for both the Government and its policing partners, in early 2019.
 
Police staff and officers up to chief superintending ranks will be able to contribute their ideas, albeit the Home Office has said it won't start until September 2018, "initially using digital channels to seek ideas." It is not clear what they mean by this but they go on to say "Opportunities to engage will be shared through force communication outlets, staff associations and partner networks. Once feedback has been received and reviewed, the Home Office will hold a series of regional face-to-face focus groups, giving front-line colleagues across England and Wales the opportunity to contribute to ongoing policing workforce transformation."