Category: News

Responding to the latest ONS crime figures, which have shown an increase, Association President Gavin Thomas, said:  “These figures have shown a widespread increase in offences of violence. But behind these statistics is a human story of loss, and broken and damaged lives.    “I stated last year that policing was facing a perfect storm with a rise in conventional crime coupled with demand from new volume crimes such as online fraud.   “Policing is frequently now described as stretched, but rising demand as demonstrated by these figures, fewer people in policing, and a funding model that is not fit for purpose actually suggests a service in crisis.    “Despite these enormous challenges, the leadership and the people in this...

The Association’s National Officers are representing the PSA at the National Police Memorial Day service in Belfast. The Memorial Day, now in its 15th year, honours police officers throughout the UK who have given their lives in the line of duty. The service is held each year in one of the four countries of the UK, and takes place on the nearest Sunday to September 29, St Michael’s Day, who is the Patron Saint of Police Officers. This year’s service is held at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast and will bring together colleagues, family and friends from across the police service in remembrance of more than 4,000 officers.  Association President Chief Superintendent Gavin Thomas said:  “Not a day goes by...

The Police Superintendents’ Association has partnered with Deloitte and the Police Foundation in a new report on the future of policing, now available.  Policing 4.0: Deciding the Future of Policing in the UK was launched at an event in London by a panel including Association President Gavin Thomas, NPCC Chair Sara Thorton, and Home Affairs Select Committee Chair Yvette Cooper MP.  The reports finds that policing in the UK is changing: rapid developments in technology, spending reductions and profound shifts in society and patterns of crime have contributed to changes in police structures, recruitment approaches, ways of engaging the public, investigative methods, approaches to preventing crime, supporting victims and protecting the vulnerable.  Key findings include: Policing leaders are working tirelessly and...

Outstanding work by Superintendents across the country in leading complex murder and terrorism investigations, mentoring and developing colleagues, and championing LGBT community issues and has been recognised in this year’s Police Superintendents’ Association President’s Awards. The awards, sponsored by Police Mutual, are presented at the Association’s annual conference. Judged by the President and Vice President of the Association, they recognise the achievements of Superintendents and Chief Superintendents and the contribution they make to policing, to their colleagues and to the public.   This year’s winners are: Lifetime Achievement – Superintendent Nora Holford, Thames Valley Police The force’s longest-serving Superintendent, Supt Holford has held some of the biggest and most demanding roles within the force as well as a tactical firearms...

Good afternoon colleagues and guests, and of course to you Home Secretary.  You are most welcome at our annual conference. Home Secretary, you hold one of the most important Offices of State and are charged with keeping our country and its people safe. My Association has always enjoyed a productive relationship with your predecessors and with your officials. I believe this is important and I can assure you that my Association will always endeavour to nurture that good relationship. We may not agree on every issue, but I think the hallmarks of a healthy relationship are respecting each other’s perspectives, valuing each other’s expertise, and working transparently together. I also believe it’s important that my colleagues once a year hear...

Responding to the National Audit Office report on the financial sustainability of police forces, released on 11.9.2018, Association President Chief Superintendent Gavin Thomas said:  “This report raises many of the same issues that we are concerned about.    “Through localism, the Home Office has delegated responsibility for policing to individual forces, including overall financial management, which has left a void in the vision for the service and put Chiefs in an invidious position of choosing between fair pay and staff numbers.    “The service is really feeling the strain and as the pressure on policing continues to increase, everyone needs to understand what they are working towards.    “We urgently need a conversation with the public about what they want...

This is the speech by Vice President Paul Griffiths to the Association’s 2018 conference. You can also view this as an infographic: PSA Collaboration 2018 web PDF.   As your national team have been travelling around the country and meeting our colleagues, we started to see increasing problems emerging around collaborations and alliances. As senior operational leaders, our members dominate the collaboration leadership and hold a unique position across the shared landscape. We started to hear stories of collaborations and alliances being under strain. Changes in Leadership appeared to be eroding previously strong relationships. We were also started receiving feedback on the impact on our members who were undertaking these roles. We were receiving stories of excessive hours, travelling great distances,...

Reform of the police service is likely to fail because of a void in the long-term vision for the service, the Home Secretary will be told at the annual conference of senior operational police leaders. Chief Superintendent Gavin Thomas, President of the Police Superintendents’ Association, will voice what he calls “genuine fears for the future of the police service and the hard-working people who make up that service” now that policing is routinely based on fewer people working longer and harder. The head of the body that represents senior operational police officers will set out his message to Home Secretary Sajid Javid MP at the Association’s annual conference ,which starts in Leicestershire on Monday 10 September. He will urge the...