As part of the Home Office’s annual Lord Ferrers awards, winner of an Employer supported policing (ESP) award was Trafford Council, in Manchester.
Briefly, Employer Supported Policing (ESP) is an agreement between an employer and police. Trafford Council agreed that they would offer staff an extra ten days’ paid leave to staff doing volunteer police duties or training. The council already supported special constables who live and/or work within the Trafford borough by offering reduced council tax payments. Ten new applications were made to the Special Constabulary from council staff and Trafford Council based specials have given hundreds of hours of policing since the scheme began in 2016.
Nine winners were announced at a ceremony at Millbank Tower in central London, attended by Home Secretary Amber Rudd and Home Office Minister of State for Policing and the Fire Service, Nick Hurd. Amber Rudd said: “Policing volunteers across the country play a fundamental role in what is widely recognised as one of the best police forces in the world. The contribution all of this year’s nominees have made in keeping their communities safe is testament to the wonderful spirit of volunteering that exists in this country. I want to thank every winner, runner up and nominee for all that you do as we celebrate your true dedication and professionalism to policing.”
Among other winners was West Midlands Police’s puppy breeding scheme, and Andrea Phipps, a chartered accountant and a chartered tax advisor, who has been assisting the Economic Crime Team at Merseyside Police. The work in fraud and financial investigations and cash seizure cases would otherwise have had to have been outsourced to a forensic accountant.
The awards drew some 600 nominations were received, twice as many as last year.
The Policing and Crime Act including the powers and roles of police staff and volunteers will come into force on December 15. These reforms will enable volunteers to be given powers at the discretion of chief officers, and set out the core list of powers only available to a police officer holding the office of constable.
