For several months, I have been urging Ministers to establish a new ‘Policing Covenant’ and I, along with a number of colleagues in the Blue Collar Conservatives group, laid down the gauntlet to the two men vying to be the next Prime Minister to commit to giving Northamptonshire Police officers, and indeed those across the country, a guarantee in law they will be looked after both in and out of the job – in the same way as Armed Forces personnel are.
Indeed, I signed an open letter to both Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt urging them to commit to a new covenant, which would recognise the risks officers take, guarantee inflation-proof pay rises each year, and set out how they will be best supported.
Having grown up in a policing family, I am acutely conscious that the police have been asked to do more and more in increasingly challenging circumstances, and while the police continue to deliver outstanding service for our communities, it is time to show them we are on their side.
Both Boris and Jeremy have spoken quite rightly about the need to increase frontline resources and presence on our streets, but I do not want to see them pay lip service to our officers - I want action. Delivering extra frontline officers is of course important, but we must also “heal the broken bond” between the police and the government, by setting out detailed and considered policies to support the service and ensure the welfare of individual officers.
The Blue Collar Conservatives proposal that I supported also recognises the unique challenges officers face and the support needed at different stages of their career, and would offer guaranteed support to those who have suffered physical or mental injuries as part of their job.
I have to say therefore that I am delighted that the Home Secretary has today announced the Government is to adopt this proposal and establish a new ‘Policing Covenant’ - a huge step forward and something I wholeheartedly welcome. I now eagerly await the policy detail and look forward to the consultation taking place later this year to get this right, to the benefit of our hard working police officers across the country. You can find more information about his announcement, here:
https://www.gov.uk/…/home-secretary-announces-plans-for-a-p…