The Government is planning to make law a police covenant, to apply to serving and former police.
Home Secretary Priti Patel announced the proposed covenant in a virtual speech to the Police Superintendents’ Association (PSA) during their 2020 conference. She said: “The police and the families that stand behind them deserve special recognition. Their bravery and sacrifices are what keep us and our loved ones safe. I will put the police covenant in law to ensure they will always have the support of the nation.”
The consultation covering England and Wales ran from February to April. It acknowledged that front-line officers, staff and volunteers feel ‘undervalued’, that there’s a disconnect between those working on the front line and decision makers; and ‘scepticism about well-being measures’.
Over 1,000 responses to the consultation were received, the Home Office said. A few disagreed with it, arguing that ‘they felt nothing would change as a result’ and that they lacked ‘confidence that it would make any difference in real terms’.
In her speech, Priti Patel mentioned the recently released ‘Staff Safety Review‘ by the College of Policing and National Police Chiefs’ Council, that as she said ‘found that almost nine in ten officers have been assaulted throughout their career. That is an ugly, but an unsurprising fact.’ Likewise during his speech to the conference, PSA president Paul Griffiths recalled how during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in the spring lockdown, ‘officers were being intentionally and daily, coughed or spat at by people choosing to use Covid-19 as a weapon’.
The covenant covers physical protection, health and well-being; and support for families. Explicitly not included are pay and pensions. According to the Government’s response, the covenant is the next step to ‘provide comprehensive, meaningful and lasting support to those working in policing’.
Comment
In his conference speech, Paul Griffiths dwelt on workforce well-being, and recalled speaking at the 2019 conference about the ‘relentless workload facing our members’; that is, before the ‘national emergency’ of Covid-19. He also went over what he termed ‘the next national emergency facing our country: diversity and inclusion’.
John Apter, National Chair of the rank and file police body, the Police Federation of England and Wales, welcoming the covenant, said that it will mean much more than words to serving or former police officers. “It recognises the unique position they hold in society and the fact they very often put their lives on the line.”
Also welcoming it, Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) Chair Paddy Tipping said: “It is absolutely right that we recognise the contribution made by those working in the police service and a Police Covenant is an important way of doing that.”
The wording for the police covenant, as included in the Home Office’s response, is:
This covenant acknowledges the sacrifices made by those who serve or have served in our Police Forces, either in a paid or voluntary capacity, whether as an officer or as a member of staff. It is intended to ensure that they and their families are not disadvantaged as a result of that commitment and seeks to mitigate the impact on their day to day life or in their access to justice.
Police officers are required at all times to uphold the important principles of policing by consent, the foundation of their long-standing relationship with the public. We ask a great deal of our police and we expect the highest standards to be maintained. In return, we have a responsibility to provide protection and support to the police.
The covenant recognises that working within policing comes with a high level of personal accountability, duty and responsibility requiring courage and personal risk both on and off duty. This recognition extends to all those who support police forces in upholding the principles and practices of their vocation. Recognising those who have served in policing unites the country and demonstrates the value of their sacrifice. This has no greater expression than in upholding this covenant.
