BTP Federation Chair, Stuart Cowan's speech at the organisation's annual conference, focused on the physical harm, mental harm and financial pressures facing officers. Stuart told the audience that BTP officers will always stand on the front line for the public, and it is time for the government, the Authority and the Force to stand on the front line for his colleagues.
I want to begin with a story. A young officer, let’s call her Abigail, joined BTP straight from college. She was bright, determined, and full of pride in the uniform she wore. She wanted to make a difference, to help people travel safely and with confidence, to be there on the worst day of someone’s life and make it better.
Three years in, Abigail has been assaulted twice. She has had more cancelled rest days than she can count. She has been first on scene at multiple tragedies, and more than once has driven home in silence, unable to speak about what she has seen.
Abigail’s pay barely covers her rent and travel costs, and now her local station is being closed due to budget constraints, so she faces an even longer journey to work.
She is dedicated to her job and passionate about helping people, but she is also exhausted and is starting to ask herself: How much longer can I do this?
I wish I could tell you that Abigail is an exception. But she isn’t.
And today, my message is simple: we join to serve. But we should not have to break ourselves to do it.
Our job is to protect the public. It is the job of the British Transport Police, the Police Authority, and the government to protect us in return.
