Cops and Cojones (20/02/15)
Trade unions are seldom good at reforming themselves or opening their practices up to independent scrutiny, but in the case of the widely discredited Police Federation the Home Secretary Theresa May is not messing about.
For years the police trade union has been indulged and feather-bedded, and successive Governments have backed away from introducing reforms that most sensible people will regard as being long overdue.
In this piece from The Sunday Times a retired senior officer is quoted as saying that Theresa May is the first Government Minister in his lifetime with enough balls to take the Police Federation on - and that has to be a very good thing in my view.
May shackles police union
By Tom Harper - The Sunday Times
May: forcing police to hold public disciplinary hearings (LNP)
THERESA MAY is rushing through milestone legislation before the general election to break the stranglehold of the Police Federation and tackle corruption among officers.
In one of her last key acts as home secretary before voters go to the polls, May has approved reforms including new protections for police whistleblowers, banning payoffs to discredited senior officers, and opening up misconduct hearings to the public, which will now be led by independent, legally qualified chairmen.
In a series of tough measures that will be seen as reinforcing her credentials as a future Tory leader, May has also sanctioned far-reaching changes to the Police Federation, the union that represents more than 100,000 rank-and-file officers.
In the past week, The Sunday Times understands May has signed off new laws that ban compulsory membership and subscriptions to the federation. It will also be forced to open up its books to independent scrutiny.
The moves will be implemented through a series of statutory instruments laid before parliament before MPs depart for the election campaign. The reforms follow a series of policing scandals including Plebgate, Hillsborough and allegations of corruption surrounding the murder of Stephen Lawrence.
Senior Whitehall sources say the recent disclosures have “profoundly shocked” May — and made her more determined to push through changes.
Proposals were put out for consultation before Christmas after a Home Office review of the police complaints system warned of collusion, lack of independence and even destruction of evidence.
The damning findings triggered immediate proposals for reform even though Home Office mandarins were sceptical of the ability to finalise any significant reform before the general election in May. Some feared the changes might be shelved if the Conservatives lost the election, or May was moved in a post-victory reshuffle.
But following weeks of intense negotiations, she has approved a series of new laws, including measures that will force the police to hold disciplinary hearings in public. Separate regulations to protect whistleblowers will make reprisals against them a disciplinary offence.
May has also approved powers to inspect the Police Federation’s financial affairs, after it emerged the union had £30m hidden in unmarked bank accounts.
One retired senior officer said: “She is the first home secretary in my lifetime who has had the balls to take us on.”
THERESA MAY is rushing through milestone legislation before the general election to break the stranglehold of the Police Federation and tackle corruption among officers.
In one of her last key acts as home secretary before voters go to the polls, May has approved reforms including new protections for police whistleblowers, banning payoffs to discredited senior officers, and opening up misconduct hearings to the public, which will now be led by independent, legally qualified chairmen.
In a series of tough measures that will be seen as reinforcing her credentials as a future Tory leader, May has also sanctioned far-reaching changes to the Police Federation, the union that represents more than 100,000 rank-and-file officers.
In the past week, The Sunday Times understands May has signed off new laws that ban compulsory membership and subscriptions to the federation. It will also be forced to open up its books to independent scrutiny.
The moves will be implemented through a series of statutory instruments laid before parliament before MPs depart for the election campaign. The reforms follow a series of policing scandals including Plebgate, Hillsborough and allegations of corruption surrounding the murder of Stephen Lawrence.
Senior Whitehall sources say the recent disclosures have “profoundly shocked” May — and made her more determined to push through changes.
Proposals were put out for consultation before Christmas after a Home Office review of the police complaints system warned of collusion, lack of independence and even destruction of evidence.
The damning findings triggered immediate proposals for reform even though Home Office mandarins were sceptical of the ability to finalise any significant reform before the general election in May. Some feared the changes might be shelved if the Conservatives lost the election, or May was moved in a post-victory reshuffle.
But following weeks of intense negotiations, she has approved a series of new laws, including measures that will force the police to hold disciplinary hearings in public. Separate regulations to protect whistleblowers will make reprisals against them a disciplinary offence.
May has also approved powers to inspect the Police Federation’s financial affairs, after it emerged the union had £30m hidden in unmarked bank accounts.
One retired senior officer said: “She is the first home secretary in my lifetime who has had the balls to take us on.”
