Tributes paid to an "outstanding" Hertfordshire sergeant

Sergeant Leah McDermott, who was 46-years-old, was passionate about joining the police from a young age, and her father had been an Inspector in Hertford. She first joined the force as a call handler in 1995 and became a PC in 2002. She met her husband Karl, a former Hertfordshire… Family, friends and colleagues have been paying tribute to a “much-loved and respected” Hertfordshire Police Sergeant who died on Friday 26 June after battling cancer....

First UK force achieves national equality and diversity standard

Avon and Somerset Police have become the first force in the UK to have achieved accreditation for the National Equality Standard (NES). NES was developed for businesses and sets equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) criteria against which companies and other organisations are independently assessed. It is supported by the Home Office… Avon and Somerset completes one year assessment process backed up by 600 pieces of supporting evidence ...

Eating and exercise: how Humberside turned around welfare

How’s lockdown going? We’re finding some health and wellbeing challenges with our teams working agile in that they are not stopping. They are getting literally heads down with their laptops. And if you have children, it’s tough. We’ve moved as an organisation to quite a lot of agile working but… Humberside Police has gone from inadequate to Oscar Kilo award winner in three years. Police Oracle interviews the force's Head of People Services Sarah Wilson and finds out how simple things such as bringing back staff gyms has helped...

Busy autumn could be turning point for officer welfare, says Apter

Changes to legislation on emergency driving, the Police Covenant and Specials being able to join the Federation will be contained in a Policing Bill that looks set to begin progress through Parliament after the summer recess. The Police Covenant, which will enshrine welfare rights for officers and their families for… A raft of new policing related legislation on emergency driving, the Police Covenant and Specials being able to join the Federation will be contained in a new Policing Bill shaping up for the autumn says the Federation ...

Home Office claims officer numbers have exceeded 130,000 due to uplift

Forces recruited 3,005 extra officers in the first six months of the recruitment drive – taking the “overall provisional headcount” of officers in England and Wales to 131,596 according to Home Office figures. This is a 5% rise on March last year, of which the recruitment drive accounts for approximately… Figures not based on Full Time Equivalents but uplift shows that 78,000 applicants received in first six months ...

All change as BTP deputy joins Chief in retirement announcement

DCC Hanstock has announced he is retiring after 37 years’ service. He is finishing at BTP after six years overseeing the operational and governance functions of Britain’s only national public police force. During that time the force has had to tackle the rise of County Lines drug gangs using the… The British Transport Police is set to change its two most senior leaders. The search is on for a new Deputy Chief Constable as well as a new Chief after DCC Adrian Hanstock revealed he is standing down. ...

Tri-force ACC retires after leading COVID-19 response

After joining the army aged 17 and serving several overseas tours, Paul Fullwood started his policing career in 1992 with Sussex Police working in Brighton in various uniform and detective roles. He transferred to Cambridgeshire in 2002 as a DI, was quickly seconded to the National Crime Squad working extensively… ACC Paul Fullwood, who is currently the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire (BCH) COVID-19 Gold Commander, is retiring after many years of police and army service....

Lancashire chief constable to step down after 30 years with same force

Lancashire Constabulary will start the process of looking for a new Chief Constable in September this year as the current incumbent Andy Rhodes has announced his intention to retire next year. Mr Rhodes, who has spent his entire policing career with Lancashire Constabulary and has been in his current post… Andy Rhodes who headed up the establishment of the national police wellbeing service will retire next year ...

Conservative MP pushing for more support for retired officers

Ms Davison is the MP for Bishop Auckland and a member of the Home Affairs Select Committee. She says she is committed to support the mental health of retired officers and met with NARPO to hear about their work and what support is currently available. She raised how retired officers… Conservative MP Dehenna Davison has asked the Home Office what steps they’re taking to support the mental health and wellbeing of retired officers after meeting with the National Association of Retired Police Officers (NARPO)....

Leicestershire bids fond farewell to Caz Steptoe after 48 years' service

Caz first joined Leicestershire Police as a 17-year-old cadet in 1972. Within a year, she had joined the Policewomen’s Department and became WPC Steptoe. At this time she was mainly working with children. After the 1975 Sex Discrimination Act came in and all aspects of policing opened to women, she… This week, after 48 years’ service, Leicestershire Police is saying goodbye to Carolyn ‘Caz’ Steptoe as she leaves for her “very well earned retirement”....