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Police Federation of England and Wales
15-17 Langley Road
Surbiton
Surrey KT6 6LP
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| Letter to: |
Carys Evans
Secretary - Richard Commission |
| Dear Ms Evans |
| Evidence to Richard Commission |
| Thank you for inviting the Police Federation
of England and Wales to inform the independent report
commissioned by the National Assembly for Wales on how
Wales will be governed in the future. I apologise
for the delay in responding to your letter of 10 July
2003, which for reasons unknown was not received at these
offices. |
| The Police Federation of England and Wales
has statutory responsibility for the welfare of all police
officers between the rank of constable and chief inspector.
Unlike other staff associations we also have a
statutory responsibility for the provision of an efficient
police service. |
| You will be aware that there are four forces
that police Wales; Dyfed Powys, Gwent, North Wales
and South Wales. We currently represent 7,121 officers
in these forces. |
| National Standards |
| We support national policing standards
throughout England & Wales, but recognise that policing
is delivered locally, responding to local problems and
by working closely in partnership with all parts of the
local community. We have voiced concerns that national
targets sometimes obscure and frequently fail to take
account of local needs and believe this is an area where
the National Assembly for Wales should have an input. |
| Funding |
| We recognise the National Assembly currently
has the ability to access different funding streams for
local initiatives. Funding for policing needs to
be consistent, we are concerned that mainline policing
should not become dependant upon the success or otherwise
of applications made in a piecemeal and non-strategic
way. |
| Police Powers |
| England and Wales currently share similar
laws and law-making machinery. As a direct result
all police officers in England and Wales exercise powers
that extend to all areas of England and Wales. If
the Welsh Assembly were to adopt a different legal system
this could impact on the ability of English forces to
receive mutual support from Welsh forces and vice versa.
it might also restrict movement of officers between forces
if standards or training were different. |
| Pay & Conditions |
| The Police Negotiating Board of the United
Kingdom currently negotiates all pay and conditions of
service for police officers in England, Wales, Scotland
and Northern Ireland. Members of the federated ranks
have no wish to move from this negotiating position, although
it is recognised that some conditions of service are more
suited to local consultation and negotiation, which is
now recognised following police reform changes. |
| I am grateful to you for drawing our attention
to the work of the Commission. The Police Federation
of England and Wales is keen to participate further in
this process as the emerging findings of the Richard Commission
become known. |
| Yours sincerely |
Jan Berry (Mrs)
Chairman |
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