Anniversary of the 7/7 bombings
I had the great honour to represent BTP Federation at the Service of Commemoration for the 20th Anniversary of the London bombings. The service took place at St Paul’s Cathedral and was attended by Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Prime Minister, the Mayor of London, and representatives of world faiths.
It was a moving service with reflection from family members who had lost loved ones, and representatives from the emergency services who responded. The most poignant moment for me was when 52,000 petals fell from the Cathedral roof in solemn remembrance of the 52 people who lost their lives. As petals drifted down, the names of all those lost to the tragedy were read out.
Reiterating my earlier point, if the anniversary of this event has left you feeling like you would benefit from speaking about it, a range of support is available.
All people survey
We have been contacted by members who are concerned about offensive comments that have appeared in the All-People Survey report.
The concerns are firstly that colleagues would hold such views, and secondly, that distasteful comments would be published in the resulting report. A note posted on Tracks indicates that 71 inappropriate comments were redacted from the report. However, others were left in.
We offered support to the individuals who have raised this matter and undertook to liaise with the Force on their behalf. As a result, we have submitted a report to be included as part of the Chief Officer Group (COG) meeting paper, which will review this. We have a particular interest in survey expectations and boundaries, the approach to publishing results, and the broader discussion of the benefits (or otherwise) of anonymous versus identifiable survey responses.
We remain committed to promoting a culture of professionalism, respect, and accountability across BTP. We will continue to advocate for our members in all matters that affect their wellbeing and working environment.
Vetting
This is an important topic that will impact all our members, so it’s right and proper that we dedicate time to reviewing any proposals made by the Force regarding the new vetting regulations.
Our Conduct and Performance lead, Nigel Goodband MBE, has been leading the way, engaging with the Police Federation of England & Wales (PFEW), PSD and the BTPA around the draft vetting regulations document, and we have provided our initial feedback to them.
We will keep you updated throughout the consultation process, which provides an opportunity to ensure that vetting processes are not only thorough but also fair and transparent, thereby giving confidence to both our members and the public.
RDIL repayment
The RDIL Correct Project Team may have recently contacted some of you. This contact has come about due to a system issue that has now been resolved. Unfortunately, the issue allowed some lieu days to be used more than once. I completely understand how frustrating this may be, especially as it’s something that has occurred through no fault of your own. It’s natural to feel that this is a Force issue rather than a personal one; however, because RDILs carry a monetary value, they do need to be recovered.
What I can reassure you of, based on the discussions we’ve had, is that the project team will work with you to agree on a suitable and manageable repayment method. Repayment will only be expected when you’re in a position to do so, and importantly, there is no fixed deadline for this.
If you believe the data you’ve received is incorrect, I strongly recommend that you respond to the project team within seven days of receiving their email. Please include a full explanation and work with your line manager to resolve the issue.
Specials’ membership of the BTP Federation
We’ve noticed that a number of Specials have not taken up membership of the BTP Federation.
Federation membership was extended to Specials in January 2021, and BTP covers the monthly subscription of £19.50 for all Special Constables. By becoming a subscribing member, officers from the Federated ranks and Specials gain access to the full range of support and assistance provided under Federation rules.
Joining is simple: complete this form and return it to info@btpfed.co.uk. We’ll take care of the rest.
My first few months as your General Secretary
Many of you may not know me yet. I was elected as the new General Secretary at our last conference and officially took up the post on 1 April this year. Previously, I served with the Proactive Unit based in Middlesbrough.
I fully recognise the importance of this role and the responsibility I now carry on behalf of you, our members. I’m passionate about our Federation and deeply committed to ensuring it continues to grow, evolve, and serve our members effectively. My vision is to lead initiatives that have a lasting impact, particularly in attracting and retaining members.
I’m keen to embrace technology to improve how we communicate with you. Communication is a recurring theme for me; I aim to be transparent, keep members informed about decisions, and invest in the development of our reps so they can provide the best possible support and advice to you.
I’m keen to increase our visibility and influence in negotiations with the Force, ensuring we positively shape decisions made on your behalf, with a strong focus on officer welfare. In the short time I’ve been in post, I’ve already been involved in several key areas, including Design Authority, OPM consultations, the recruitment of a new staff member, and policy reviews. I’m also working to resolve an ongoing failure to agree with the Force regarding the substance misuse policy.
I have visited members in Dundee, Aberdeen, Inverness, Carlisle, Newcastle, Exeter, and Truro, and found the meetings to be of huge benefit. We’re working to arrange station visits on the south coast, the Midlands, and Wales next, and will communicate the dates once they are confirmed. I also manage our office team, which includes four staff members employed directly by BTPF, as well as our admin staff, an in-house solicitor, and the conduct & performance lead.
For me, it’s key that the Federation continues to modernise, remain relevant to the needs of its members, and hold the Force to account for the decisions they make.
And finally…
I would like to extend a warm welcome to Serena Minott, our new member of staff, who will be working in the admin office at West Dulwich. We will introduce her properly once she is settled into the role, but Serena brings a wealth of experience from the member service environment, is member-focused and will be a great addition to the team.
Serena is looking forward to speaking with and assisting you if you need any support or advice.
Thank you for reading this update.
Ryan Griffiths, General Secretary