Podcasts about Police Federation

Liam Kelly, Chair of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland, discusses the ongoing unrest in Northern Ireland.

Police officers aren't allowed to strike or join a trade union. They rely instead on an organisation called the Police Federation to represent their interests. It's a surprisingly powerful body that ultimately affects the way all of us are policed. This is the story of how it lost its way. Reporter: John SimpsonProducer: Katie GunningSound design: Dominic DelargyArtwork: Blythe Walker SibthorpEditor: Jasper CorbettTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.comAd: Go to www.incogni.com/slownewscast for your exclusive discount. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the FSU's support, the Chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation – Rick Prior – is suing his own union after he was ‘cancelled' for suggesting frontline officers are increasingly nervous about challenging people from ethnic minorities whom they suspect of breaking the law, given the spate of internal investigations into officers accused of being ‘racist'. Following an interview on GB News in October 2024 which led to his suspension, Mr Prior was also locked out of his emails and IT system and told he wasn't allowed to speak to the press or comment on social media. As reported in The Telegraph and with the backing of the FSU, Mr Prior is taking legal action against the Police Federation of England & Wales and you can support Rick here. In other news, on Monday 17th March, the Online Safety Act's latest phase of duties came into force. They require social media platforms – on pain of massive fines – to identify and remove illegal content. Sites must complete risk assessments detailing how they deal with illegal material and implement safety measures to deal with the risk. The Telegraph reports that dozens of small internet forums have already blocked British users or shut down as new online safety laws come into effect, with one comparing the new regime to a British version of China's “great firewall”. Interestingly, the importance of internet forums and online anonymity was raised at our ‘From Faith to Faithless' event last week. When labouring under the pervasive influence of a ‘high control' religion, anonymous online communication becomes an essential ingredient for those taking their first tentative steps back to the wider world.   ‘That's Debatable!'  is edited by Jason Clift.

In this episode of the POLICE podcast, Acting National Secretary, John Partington, brings you the details of the 2025 PFEW police officer pay recommendations submitted to the Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB).The PRRB's annual recommendation forms part of the Government's approach to police pay and how it should increase year on year.Find out more about the PRRB process and what the Police Federation is doing to highlight shortcomings when it comes to police pay. 

Kevin Morton, President of the NSW Police Association and the Police Federation of Australia, spoke with Mark about the current bail and ankle-monitoring system, which has allowed dangerous criminals to walk the streets without appropriate tracking.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thousands of people cross Pheasants Nest Bridge on the Hume Highway every day, probably unaware of its haunting past. Beneath this towering structure lies a history shrouded in tragedy—suicide, dismembered remains, mysterious deaths, and dozens of unanswered questions. In 1989, the bridge became the site of a chilling case: the untimely deaths of two 15-year-old boys, Matthew Kelly and Jaymie Egner, who were discovered inside one of the bridge's 33m high pylons. Forensic Investigator Esther McKay was brought in to examine the scene—a task that would forever change her life. If you or anyone you know needs help: Lifeline (Crisis support and suicide prevention) 13 11 14 1800 Respect (National sexual assault, family and domestic violence counselling line) 1800 737 732 Full Stop Australia (National violence and abuse trauma counselling and recovery Service) 1800 385 578 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gibraltar's Coroner's Court will open an inquest touching on the death of Simon Parkes, the sailor who disappeared in Gibraltar on the 12th December 1986. The Minister for Justice, Nigel Feetham, has given his consent. This follows a campaign by GBC Journalist Ros Astengo, with the support of lawyers acting on a pro-bono basis, to help bring justice for his family. Over the course of the morning the MET office issued a weather advisory for heavy rain from ten this morning until one tomorrow night. A separate heavy rain warning may be issued if the total rainfall is expected to be more than 50 millimetres in six hours. We spoke to Principal Meteological Officer, Katy Lowe.The Police Federation says a strong message needs to be sent out to anyone who believes they can use violence against emergency service and care workers with no more than a slap on the wrist. The police union says officers dedicate their lives to protecting the public and all they ask in return is to be protected in return. Chairman of the Police Federation, Calum Bruce, stressed this further in the studio. Jose Mari Ruiz brought us the latest in sports, with both men's and women's football, the Special Olympics in Monaco, and Ironman 70.3 over in Tangier.And, tomorrow is Stroke Awareness Day - there are several symptoms that you can look out for which can make a difference for the patient. In 2014 our Sports Co-ordinator, John Sheppard suffered a stroke during an indoor football match. The reaction time by those around him saved his life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

GUEST: Chris Voller, Director of the Pacific/North Region for the National Police Federation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Liam Kelly, chair of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland, tells us why he believes the Stormont administration is failing to address policing problems.

In this episode of Crime Time Inc, hosted solo by Simon Maclean, the focus is on the multifaceted challenges facing Police Scotland. The show features an insightful interview with David Threadgold, the national chair of the Scottish Police Federation, who discusses the morale of officers, resource constraints, and recent changes within the force. The conversation highlights inefficiencies in the criminal justice system, health-related demands on police resources, and the decline in community engagement due to the hub model. They also address the benefits of body-worn cameras and the impact of rural officer housing policies. A portion of the episode is dedicated to examining current drug policies, questioning the effectiveness of the Misuse of Drugs Act, and considering alternative approaches observed internationally. Historical reflections, such as Jim Duffy's 2005 views on drug policy and Lord John McCluskey's criticisms, underscore the ongoing debate about the 'war on drugs.' The dialogue extends to the potential of safe consumption rooms and proportionate responses to crime. Furthermore, the complex dynamics between maintaining law enforcement standards and societal adaptation, alongside reduced police presence, prison system critiques, and hate crime legislation challenges, are covered. The episode emphasises the importance of public trust in the police and provides information on how to communicate with the Police Federation. It concludes with an invitation to a live Crime Time Inc podcast event in Glasgow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Liam Kelly, chair Police Federation for Northern Ireland, outlines his reaction to the €750,000 fine imposed by the UK's Information Commissioner's Office on the Police Service of Northern Ireland following a data breach in August 2023.

Last week I had the pleasure of interviewing Chris Thompson, Treasurer and Dep Secretary of Sussex Police Federation. This followed an exciting engagement event they ran for officers at Sussex Police. It was a really interesting perspective speaking to the Federation about support for officers, including shining a light on some innovative practices here in Sussex Police. Pay and morale survey, national and local Federation issues, the role of the Federation, professional standards, supporting officers to achieve success, training, scrutiny of officers, the fairness of promotion, their new Sussex Fed magazine, and more. I'd like to thank Chris again for spending the time on this informative discussion. I'll be posting a write-up on my policepromotion.blog soon about this event, the interview, and a question I asked all attendees, but for now, grab a coffee, sit back, and enjoy the show! This is one of my FREE episodes, but if you want regular more in-depth content targeted for your ongoing police leadership CPD, or would just like to support my work, please consider becoming a premium subscriber today for just £4.99 per month. ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ranksuccess/subscribe⁠ __________ About me and Rank Success: As a coach/mentor supporting police promotion candidates across the UK and beyond, I aim to provide valuable and meaningful insights to help you succeed in promotion; especially those aspiring to Sergeant, Inspector and Chief Inspector. I hope you find this podcast helpful leadership CPD. Please 'pass the ladder down' and share with colleagues to support their leadership development too. As always, I welcome your thoughts/feedback. For FREE support on your promotion journey to success, check out my other open-access podcasts, blogs and YouTube videos. If time is of the essence and you want comprehensive, structured information on promotion aligned to the CVF, my unique Digital Toolkits, CVF explainers and Masterclass super-briefing supports you throughout, whatever your force's competitive promotion process. FREE Blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://policepromotion.blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Premium eGuides, CVF deep-dive, & video Masterclass content: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ranksuccess.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRM4aUxiSEPzmslrur6KToQ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ _______ Consider becoming a premium podcast subscriber... REVIEWS: "Gold dust!", "Really enjoyed", "Reassuring", "Easy listening", "Simplifies things", "Paid off". WHY SUBSCRIBE? BONUS subscriber-only regular podcasts, EXCLUSIVE access to the BEST of my archives, FIRST for new episodes, supports my free content, 25% DISCOUNT off premium toolkits upon request. ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ranksuccess/subscribe⁠⁠ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ranksuccess/message

What's the FAIREST police promotion process of the land? Interviews? Applications? Job performance? Inspired by commentary on police promotion processes recently by the Chief Constable of Dyfed-Powys Police, I discuss the zeitgeist of police promotion processes. In this FREE episode (open first to subscribers), I'll cover some common issues and discuss what it means for you as an aspiring police leader. Promotion processes are topical at the moment (plus ca change!), in light of the recent Police Federation report on pay and morale (including perspectives on promotion and CPD), along with NPPF to SIPP changes on the horizon. So I hope you enjoy the content and I extend an invite out for a podcast interview to Dyfed-Powys or indeed Chief Officers elsewhere if you'd like to give your views on this issue - just get in touch to arrange at your convenience! Want to read more about the postcode lottery of promotion processes around the UK? Check out my 2 part blog below: https://policepromotion.blog/2020/09/06/the-postcode-lottery-of-police-promotion-part-1 This episode is part of my FREE content. But if you want to be first to access podcasts, and get exclusive regular premium episodes, you can become a subscriber today for just £4.99. ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ranksuccess/subscribe⁠ __________ About me and Rank Success: As a coach/mentor supporting police promotion candidates across the UK and beyond, I aim to provide valuable and meaningful insights to help you succeed in promotion; especially those aspiring to Sergeant, Inspector and Chief Inspector. I hope you find this podcast helpful leadership CPD. Please 'pass the ladder down' and share with colleagues to support their leadership development too. As always, I welcome your thoughts/feedback. For FREE support on your promotion journey to success, check out my other open-access podcasts, blogs and YouTube videos. If time is of the essence and you want comprehensive, structured information on promotion aligned to the CVF, my unique Digital Toolkits, CVF explainers and Masterclass super-briefing supports you throughout, whatever your force's competitive promotion process. FREE Blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://policepromotion.blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Premium eGuides, CVF deep-dive, & video Masterclass content: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ranksuccess.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRM4aUxiSEPzmslrur6KToQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ _______ Consider becoming a premium podcast subscriber... REVIEWS: "Gold dust!", "Really enjoyed", "Reassuring", "Easy listening", "Simplifies things", "Paid off". WHY SUBSCRIBE? BONUS subscriber-only regular podcasts, EXCLUSIVE access to the BEST of my archives, FIRST for new episodes, 25% DISCOUNT off premium toolkits upon request. ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ranksuccess/subscribe⁠ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ranksuccess/message

In this podcast episode we hear from Mukund Krishna on his appointment as the PFEW CEO.  He also tells us more about his previous work and shares some of his thoughts about the challenges that face the Police Federation of England and Wales.

Why do some people find it so hard to condemn Hamas? Police Federation Chair Steve Hartshorn takes your calls & how much school discipline is too much?

In S3E19, I have another discussion prompted by questions from my friend Adrian. We start by talking about whether officers have sufficient leadership and management training upon their appointment in post after successful promotion. Then we explore a recent article by the Police Federation introducing the College of Policing's new Leadership Standards, critiquing as we go. I mention how reading is an important part of your CPD. As such you might find this book helpful: https://amzn.to/48adZKL -------- As a coach/mentor supporting police promotion candidates across the UK and beyond, I aim to provide valuable and meaningful insights to help you succeed in promotion; especially those aspiring to Sergeant, Inspector and Chief Inspector. I hope you find this podcast helpful leadership CPD. Please 'pass the ladder down' and share with colleagues to support their leadership development too. As always, I welcome your thoughts/feedback. For the best FREE support on your promotion journey to success, check out my blogs and YouTube videos. If you want comprehensive, structured information on promotion aligned to the CVF, my unique Digital Toolkits, CVF explainers and Masterclass super-briefing supports you throughout, whatever your force's competitive promotion process. Even better, discount code RSGUIDES20 gives 20% off at checkout! See more Rank Success content to read, watch and listen in the following places... FREE Blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://policepromotion.blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Premium eGuides, CVF deep-dive, & video Masterclass content: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ranksuccess.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRM4aUxiSEPzmslrur6KToQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ I provide this support entirely for free. If you'd like to help support new content and better podcasting kit, you can buy me a coffee on my blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://policepromotion.blog/buy-a-coffee --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ranksuccess/message

They also voted no confidence in the Chief Operating Officer and Assistant Chief Officer

On today's #NCFNewspeak, NCF Director Peter Whittle and Senior Fellow Rafe Heydel-Mankoo are once again joined by Amy Gallagher of Stand Up To Woke to discuss: * A major survey of Anglican clergy finds that a majority of clergy believe Britain is no longer a Christian country and want the Church to abandon traditional teaching and adopt modern social trends. * Sadiq Khan's ULEZ -- is it a war on cars and the poor? * Notting Hill Carnival: With this year's carnival resulting in the arrest of 245 and incidents ranging from stabbings to biting of police -- and with the Police Federation stating the event is getting out of control and a nightmare to police -- is it time to call time on the Notting Hill Carnival? --------------- SUBSCRIBE: If you are enjoying the show, please subscribe to our channel on YouTube (click the Subscribe Button underneath the video and then Click on the Bell icon next to it to make sure you Receive All Notifications) AUDIO: If you prefer Audio you can subscribe on itunes or Soundcloud. Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-923838732 itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/s... SUPPORT/DONATE: PAYPAL/ CARD PAYMENTS - ONE TIME & MONTHLY: You can donate in a variety of ways via our website: http://www.newcultureforum.org.uk/#do... It is set up to accept one time and monthly donations. JOIN US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Web: http://www.newcultureforum.org.uk F: https://www.facebook.com/NCultureForum/ Y: https://www.youtube.com/@NewCultureForum T: http://www.twitter.com/NewCultureForum (@NewCultureForum)

We speak to former RUC officer Dr William Matchett, Brian Rowan and UUP MLA Mike Nesbitt.

Naomi Long, Leader of the Alliance Party, on a PSNI data breach affecting thousands of officers and staff.

Liam Kelly, Chair of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland, on a PSNI data breach affecting thousands of officers and staff.

National Police Federation Recommends Progressive, Data-drivien Approach to Bail Reform in Canada. The NPF made their voice heard during the premiers meetings in Winnipeg. Guest: Scott Newark. Former Alberta Crown Attorney, senior policy advisor to federal and Quebec public safety ministers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2023 marks the 28th year of the National Police Bravery Awards and in this podcast, we hear from the event organisers and each of the judges.Find out more about the event itself and some of the judges' reflections.Get involved in the conversation on social media using #POLICETalk.Host - Anoushka Dovey, Head of Communications, Police Federation of England and Wales.

And the RSPB comment on the attacks on the public by Seagulls.

The Today Debate is about taking a subject and pulling it apart with more time than we could ever have during the Today programme in the morning. Today presenter Mishal Husain is joined by an expert panel in the BBC's Radio Theatre in Broadcasting House to look at the future of policing in 'The Today Debate: Policing and us - how can we fix it?' Her guests include Baroness Louise Casey, whose year long review into the Metropolitan Police found the force suffers from "institutional racism, misogyny and homophobia". The Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley. Mina Smallman, whose daughters Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry were murdered in London in June 2020. Two Met officers were subsequently jailed for sharing images of their bodies in a WhatsApp group. Steve Hartshorn, National Chair for the Police Federation of England and Wales, one of the largest police staff associations in the UK representing more than 130,000 rank and file officers. And Sir Peter Fahy, former Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police.

What should the UK's retirement age be? Police Federation Chair takes your calls & does mediation work when it comes to child custody?

Police Federation for Northern Ireland chief Liam Kelly joins us today to discuss the threats to policing in the north after the attempted murder of John Caldwell. This is a fascinating insight into policing when there are paramilitary attempts on law enforcement, as well as budget cuts and churn within the forces. A really interesting chat that will help contextualise policing on the island of Ireland. Shattered Lives is produced for Reach Ireland by Ciaran Bradley. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Police Federation of England and Wales is demanding a minimum 17% pay increase for officers - and suggest their salaries are negatively affected by restrictions on their right to strike.Police officers have been prohibited from striking by law for over a century, with the most recent legislation being the Police Act 1996. Steve Hartshorn, National Chair of the PFEW, discusses the difficulties involved with policing right now amid a lack of public trust and explains what could happen next if their demands aren't met. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In S3E4, I give my thoughts on the recent article published by the Police Federation about 'worryingly low promotion success rates down to a lack of learning time during work'. They point out how around only 1 in 6 of their survey respondents were successful in promotion last year, demonstrating how brutally.competitive promotion processes are. The key angle the PFEW take is protected learning time, especially for the exam (which you'll find I've blogged on before). But the real competition begins when competing with other officers for substantive positions. I discuss the ins and outs of this article, the ramifications on promotion processes across the country, and how you can better navigate the minefield. I also explore what's on the horizon and recent changes by the College of Policing; for example, consider the fact they're already mooting a new police promotion framework for officers within the Federated ranks, to replace NPPF, provisionally called the Sergeant and Inspector Promotion Process (SIPP). It's good to see the Fed now taking an interest in the professional aspirations and leadership CPD of their members. As always, I offer an open invite to any Federation to provide entirely FREE promotion and leadership support seminars for their members, either locally or at the extensive national conference facilities. Just get in touch to arrange. As a coach/mentor supporting police promotion candidates across the UK and beyond, I aim to provide valuable and meaningful insights to help you succeed in promotion; especially those aspiring to Sergeant, Inspector and Chief Inspector. I hope you find this podcast helpful leadership CPD. Please 'pass the ladder down' and share with colleagues to support their leadership development too. As always, I welcome your thoughts/feedback. More support available: For more FREE support on your promotion journey to success, check out my blogs and YouTube videos. If you want comprehensive, in-depth and structured information on promotion aligned to the CVF, my unique Digital Toolkits, CVF explainers and Video Masterclass super-briefing supports you throughout, whatever your force's competitive promotion process. Even better, discount code RSGUIDES20 gives 20% off ANYTHING at checkout! See more Rank Success content to read, watch and listen in the following places... FREE Blog: https://policepromotion.blog Premium eGuides, CVF deep-dive, & video Masterclass content: www.ranksuccess.co.uk YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRM4aUxiSEPzmslrur6KToQ I provide this support entirely for free. If you'd like to help support content, you can buy me a coffee on my blog: https://policepromotion.blog/buy-a-coffee --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ranksuccess/message

Phil is the National Conduct and Performance Lead for the Police Federation of England and Wales In this episode, Phil talks us through the whole Misconduct and Gross Misconduct end to end processes. We cover all sorts of topics and answer a load of questions from members of the Blue Light Leavers Facebook group, covering everything from, what is Misconduct and Gross Misconduct, we talk about Fed Reps and the different types of training they have. We talk through the suspension criteria, we discuss the #IOPC and why investigations can take so long and a huge range of other topics, including the recent survey results, current Pol Fed priorities, retention and the impact of the mental heath and PTSD, along with the impact of a 20% cut in salaries in real terms under this Government, and the fact that some forces are having to open food banks to support officers. Phil also raises the shocking statistic that on average, there are 110 officers assaulted EVERY single day! That's absolutely staggering! I'm incredibly grateful to Phil for his time and expert knowledge, as he's exceptionally busy and he was incredibly open, honest and helpful. Early Bird tickets are now on sale for 'Out Of The Blue' event on Sat 29th April 2023 at the Millennium Point, Birmingham and you can view and purchase your tickets HERE Join our one-day event for Police and Emergency Services leavers and be ready to make the change! This episode is sponsored by Motor Source Group. They offer genuine, new car discounts to serving and retired emergency services personnel, including Police, NHS, Fire and Rescue, and the Prison Service. They're completely independent, offering a full range of makes and models, and are rated excellent by their customers on Trustpilot. To find out more, go to www.bluelightleavers.com You can join the private Facebook Group via www.facebook.com/groups/bluelightleavers The Academy Membership from Blue Light Leavers gives you all the help you need to find your new role or career, including weekly live sessions with Andy and others who've been where you are, along with subject matter experts talking CVs, LinkedIn, interviews and much more, so if you're looking for support and want to find out more, go to www.bluelightleavers.com Not sure what roles you can do after the police, check this out: 'What jobs can I do after the Police?' Scorecard (scoreapp.com) You can listen to the podcast on shift, walking the dog, pottering about, and do it on your phone, desktop, laptop, or tablet, anywhere and whenever suits you, pause and play and they're all completely free! Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bluelightleavers/message --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bluelightleavers/message

Liam Kelly, Chairman of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland, condemns the shooting in Omagh that has left a police officer in a critical condition.

RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki announced Wednesday that she will be stepping down as the head of Canada's national police force. What now for Canada's national police force? GUEST: Brian Suave, President, National Police Federation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chair of Police Federation Liam Kelly speaks to Nolan

Also, Belfast city council vote overwhelmingly to put up household rates by just under 8%

Police Federation for NI call for "campaign" to fight PSNI cuts.

Bonus EpisodeIain DonnellyFormer Superintendant of West Midlands Police,Iain Donnelly, has over 25 years in various intelligence, covert policing,counter-terrorism, and serious crime investigation roles in London and the WestMidlands. Iain is also the author of Tango Juliet Foxtrot and the presenter of a podcast of the same name, exploring how the British police have changed over the last 30 years inresponse to ten years of budget cuts combined with exponentially growingdemand.Iain joins me on the Community Safety Podcast to discuss why closing 50% of the policestations in England and Wales and 75% of the police stations in London had ahugely negative effect on effective relationship-building between policeofficers and the community they serve. We dig into neighbourhood policing'simpact on the rise of knife crime in the UK, and Iain shares stories about hisfirst postings in London and what he learned about policing and human behaviourduring his training period. "Neighbourhood policing, forme, was such an unbelievably flexible resource to be able to problem solve allsorts of issues." - Iain Donnelly Today on The Community Safety Podcast:● Iain's experience of growing up in Belfast at the height of the Troubles in Northern Ireland● How the British Army's loss turned out to be the Metropolitan Police's gain The differences between methods of policing when Iain joined the service and when he left.● Iain's views on the efficacy of communitypolicing● Why the Police Federation and the Superintendent's Association have been proved correct when they said ten years ago that harsh budget cuts would have far-reaching consequences for public safety ● The impact of COVID-19 on the relationship between the police and the public● Why Iain feels that social media has been toxic for policing● Whether policing is seen as an attractive career option in 2022 Connect with Iain Donnelly:● Iain Donnelly on LinkedIn● Tango Juliet Foxtrot: How did it all go wrong for British policing? by Iain DonnellyConnect with The Community Safety Podcast:● TheCommunity Safety Podcast Website

Welcome to Episode 60 of the Blue Light Leavers Podcast Today I'm talking to Jamie Stenton, who is a former police officer and now, Marketing Director of Lilac James, who are a Digital Marketing specialist agency. In this interview, we talked through Jamie's policing career and the roles, skills and experience he picked up in the way, and we also talk about the tipping point when he realised that the additional pressure, timescales, responsibilities and relative salary increase, really wasn't worth it, and there had to be easier ways. During this time, he was developing a family business alongside his day job, and the support he got through, Shifts to Success and Alexander Seery. We talk about the day in the life of the type of work that he actually does now, and we talk through the changes and benefits of being a business owner and getting some control back in his life. He helps signpost some courses and people to follow on Facebook if this is an area that interests you, and we also talk about the importance of investing in your own success and future. This episode is sponsored by the brilliant Motor Source Group, which, like Blue Light Leavers, is a very proud sponsor of the Emergency Services Football League. I've met CEO Steve Thornton a number of times now, I've interviewed him for the podcast and also met the team and been up to their head office and they're just a really lovely bunch of people who are genuinely doing the right thing and doing their bit to say thanks. Motor Source Group offer genuine new car discounts to serving and retired emergency services personnel, including Police, NHS, Fire and Rescue, and the Prison Service. They're completely independent, offering a full range of makes and models, and are rated excellent by their customers on Trustpilot. They also work closely with the Police Federation and with NARPO and they deliver direct to your door. I promise you; you will make savings. To find out more, go to www.bluelightleavers.com/partners Don't forget, you can also visit the website at www.bluelightleavers.com and join the private Facebook Group via www.facebook.com/groups/bluelightleavers The Academy Membership from Blue Light Leavers gives you all the help you need to find your new role or career, including live sessions with Andy and others who've been there and done it along with subject matter experts, talking CVs, LinkedIn, interviews and so much more. DOORS ARE NOW OPEN after 3 months of no new application, so if you're looking for a little more help and support and want to find out more, you can go to www.bluelightleavers.com/academy If you're not sure what roles you can do after the police, check this out: 'What jobs can I do after the Police?' Scorecard (scoreapp.com) You can listen to the podcast on shift, walking the dog, pottering about, and do it on your phone, desktop, laptop, or tablet, anywhere and whenever suits you, pause and play and they're all completely free! You can now even ask Alexa to 'Play Blue Light Leavers Podcast' and up it pops. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bluelightleavers/message --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bluelightleavers/message

Welcome to Episode 59 of the Blue Light Leavers Podcast Ian Grant is a former police officer who's now a Senior Lecturer at a very well-known and hugely respected University, having left school with no qualifications. He talks us through his police career, we talk about the conversations we had towards the end of his service and coming to terms with that transition, along with the interview processes that he went through for his first role, and how things have just exploded and expanded for him from that point. This is all with a backdrop of a really significant health condition, so this episode comes with a bit of a warning that it is quite graphic in places with regards to the type of medical condition he has. We also talk about some of the skills and behaviours required for the role, and he gives some amazing advice about what to do and how to plan a year or so before you leave, the importance of networking and how it's had a massive impact on his career success, post-policing. This episode is sponsored by the brilliant Motor Source Group, which, like Blue Light Leavers, is a very proud sponsor of the Emergency Services Football League. I've met CEO Steve Thornton a number of times now, I've interviewed him for the podcast and also met the team and been up to their head office and they're just a really lovely bunch of people who are genuinely doing the right thing and doing their bit to say thanks. Motor Source Group offer genuine new car discounts to serving and retired emergency services personnel, including Police, NHS, Fire and Rescue, and the Prison Service. They're completely independent, offering a full range of makes and models, and are rated excellent by their customers on Trustpilot. They also work closely with the Police Federation and with NARPO and they deliver direct to your door. I promise you; you will make savings. To find out more, go to www.bluelightleavers.com/partners Don't forget, you can also visit the website at www.bluelightleavers.com and join the private Facebook Group via www.facebook.com/groups/bluelightleavers The Academy Membership from Blue Light Leavers gives you all the help you need to find your new role or career, including live sessions with Andy and others who've been there and done it along with subject matter experts, talking CVs, LinkedIn, interviews and so much more. Doors open again soon, so if you're looking for a little more help and support and want to find out more, you can go to www.bluelightleavers.com/academy If you're not sure what roles you can do after the police, check this out: 'What jobs can I do after the Police?' Scorecard (scoreapp.com) You can listen to the podcast on shift, walking the dog, pottering about, and do it on your phone, desktop, laptop, or tablet, anywhere and whenever suits you, pause and play and they're all completely free! You can now even ask Alexa to 'Play Blue Light Leavers Podcast' and up it pops. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bluelightleavers/message --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bluelightleavers/message

Warning of black-outs this winter, the Police Federation chair takes your calls, plus Scottish Parliament approves rent free law

Welcome to Episode 58 of the Blue Light Leavers Podcast In this episode, I'm talking to Steve Thornton. Steve is a multiple business owner and he's the co-founder and CEO of 3 organisations including Motor Source Group and Forces Cars Direct. Now, you may have heard of them as they're trusted and preferred partners for NARPO and the Police Federation, and I'm very proud to say that they are the new sponsors of the Blue Light Leavers Podcast Today, I talk to Steve about his background, his troubled childhood and his military career and we also discuss the transition from the military to civvie life, and we also discussed how he went about creating his businesses. Steve is really candid, honest and open about some of the challenges he had, particularly around leadership, managing others after the military, and that transition from the military into civvie street. We also talk about what's really important to Steve in terms of the core values and behaviours that he looks for in his employees. We discuss problem-solving and that initial setup, and we talk about some of the massive challenges that he had along the way. In this interview, we talk through transition, through leadership, and business ownership. There are some fantastic things to learn here, and I'm very proud that they are the new sponsors of the Blue Light Leavers Podcast. Don't forget, you can also visit the website at www.bluelightleavers.com and join the private Facebook Group via www.facebook.com/groups/bluelightleavers The Academy Membership from Blue Light Leavers gives you all the help you need to find your new role or career, including live sessions with Andy and others who've been there and done it along with subject matter experts, talking CVs, LinkedIn, interviews and so much more. Doors open again soon, so if you're looking for a little more help and support and want to find out more, you can email me at andy@bluelightleavers.com If you're not sure what roles you can do after the police, check this out: 'What jobs can I do after the Police?' Scorecard (scoreapp.com) You can listen to the podcast on shift, walking the dog, pottering about, and do it on your phone, desktop, laptop, or tablet, anywhere and whenever suits you, pause and play and they're all completely free! You can now even ask Alexa to 'Play Blue Light Leavers Podcast' and up it pops. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bluelightleavers/message --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bluelightleavers/message

Nearly 1000 PSNI officers overdue firearms refresher training/ training for use of force.

Dame Cressida Dick, the newly-departed Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, says policing has become ‘too politicised'. When her force has been criticised on the right for investigating ‘Partygate' and on the left for letting the Prime Minister off too lightly, and when the Durham Police must now decide whether to end the career of the leader of the Labour Party, it's hard to argue with her. The Public Order Bill, which had its second reading this week, will create new legal powers to prevent or punish disruptive demonstrations. That too, critics say, is putting politics into policing. Meanwhile, the newly-arrived Chief Inspector of Constabulary, Andy Cooke, has been talking about priorities. He predicted that the cost of living crisis will trigger an increase in crime and advised officers to ‘use their discretion' when people are caught shop-lifting. One columnist wanted to know exactly how much he could nick without getting banged up. Police officers in Scotland have asked for guidance on how to enforce new hate crime legislation after being ‘inundated' with complaints about posts on social media. At its conference last week, the Police Federation of England and Wales was given a list of horror stories about misogyny in ‘every single force'. This week the National Police Chiefs Council declared itself ‘ashamed' about racism in law enforcement. Only six per cent of all crimes resulted in a charge last year. For reported rapes, the charge rate was 1.3 per cent. Some reformers want police priorities and targets set locally by the communities that are being policed. Others say it is precisely the new requirement that the police should be sensitive to everybody's feelings that's stopping them from locking up law-breakers. Where should the police's priorities lie? With Morag Livingstone, Dr Victor Olisa, Zoe Strimpel and Dr Roy Bailey Producer: Peter Everett.

Iain DonnellyFormer Superintendant of West Midlands Police,Iain Donnelly, has over 25 years in various intelligence, covert policing,counter-terrorism, and serious crime investigation roles in London and the WestMidlands. Iain is also the author of Tango Juliet Foxtrot and the presenter of a podcast of the same name, exploring how the British police have changed over the last 30 years inresponse to ten years of budget cuts combined with exponentially growingdemand.Iain joins me on the Community Safety Podcast to discuss why closing 50% of the policestations in England and Wales and 75% of the police stations in London had ahugely negative effect on effective relationship-building between policeofficers and the community they serve. We dig into neighbourhood policing'simpact on the rise of knife crime in the UK, and Iain shares stories about hisfirst postings in London and what he learned about policing and human behaviourduring his training period. "Neighbourhood policing, forme, was such an unbelievably flexible resource to be able to problem solve allsorts of issues." - Iain Donnelly Today on The Community Safety Podcast:● Iain's experience of growing up in Belfast at the height of the Troubles in Northern Ireland● How the British Army's loss turned out to be the Metropolitan Police's gain The differences between methods of policing when Iain joined the service and when he left.● Iain's views on the efficacy of communitypolicing● Why the Police Federation and the Superintendent's Association have been proved correct when they said ten years ago that harsh budget cuts would have far-reaching consequences for public safety ● The impact of COVID-19 on the relationship between the police and the public● Why Iain feels that social media has been toxic for policing● Whether policing is seen as an attractive career option in 2022 Connect with Iain Donnelly:● Iain Donnelly on LinkedIn● Tango Juliet Foxtrot: How did it all go wrong for British policing? by Iain DonnellyConnect with The Community Safety Podcast:● TheCommunity Safety Podcast Website● TheCommunity Safety Podcast on Facebook● The Community Safety Podcast on Twitter

The President of the Police Federation of Minneapolis with Paul Douglas today, discussing the failure to pass Question 2 on Tuesday's ballot in Minneapolis.

Vice President of the Police Federation of Australia, Colin Riley joined Brian to chat about Cleo Smith.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Iain and Jacqui discuss the NHS payrise, the Police Federation's no confidence in Priti Patel, Dawn Butler being expelled from the House of Commons, the Olympics and much else besides. Smut quota: Middling to low.

Leader of Reform UK Richard Tice starts the show discussing the latest on COVID-19 vaccinations and passports, in addition to the ongoing migrant crisis on the English channel. Head of campaigns for The Freedom Association Andrew Allison comes on to discuss the future of mask wearing in public (or lack thereof), followed by Baroness Kate Hoey of Lylehill and Rathlin who chats to Mike about Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen's failure to reach an agreement on UK demands to reshape post-Brexit arrangements in Northern Ireland. Finally, former police officer and co-founder of the Fair Cop group Harry Miller explains why the Police Federation of England and Wales no longer has confidence in Home Secretary Priti Patel and his despair for the police force in regard to the ever increasing focus on loosely defined "hate crimes." See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Adam Carter talks to Mark Ross about the police video showing state representative John Thompson being pulled over on a traffic stop during the 4th of July. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

LBC Newshour | Israeli Ambassador Tzipi Hotovely takes your calls | National Chair of the Police Federation John Apter takes your calls

Mark Lindsay, Chair of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland condemns an attempt to murder a police officer after a booby trap bomb was planted outside her home in Derry..

Mark Lindsay, Chair of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland, says the current unrest is placing a massive strain on the PSNI.

The Metropolitan Police Federation has released a statement following HMICFRS findings that the Metropolitan Police 'acted appropriately' at the Sarah Everard vigil. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://emergency-services.news/met-police-federation-releases-statment-following-hmic-report-into-sarah-everard-vigil/

The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill is a series of Government proposals for major changes to crime and justice legislation that will effect the way police can act in England and Wales. One part of the legislation covers the measures police can put in place for protests. It comes at a time when questions have been raised about police tactics during the Covid pandemic, resulting in multiple nights of 'Kill the Bill' protests, with some turning violent in Bristol. Distressing scenes on Clapham Common surrounding a vigil for Sarah Everard made many question the way police handled the event - the vigil had been deemed illegal under Coronavirus restrictions, yet a large gathering took place anyway. Andy Bell speaks with John Apter, Chairman of the Police Federation for England and Wales. In his role, John represents over 100,000 officers and he himself has been a serving Police Officer for 28 years. John says that while the Police Bill may contain contentious proposals, the vast majority of the legislation has been back and campaigned for by the Police Federation in an attempt to protect their officers and make legislation fit for purpose. John Apter is keen to stress that the police are not the law-makers, but are here to serve the public and will do so as they've been told. He says that the pandemic has put many officers in an impossible situation at times, feeling that they are "damned if they do, and damned if they don't" while trying to navigate the various Covid restrictions that are "alien" to everyday policing. He notes that during the pandemic the crime that has risen most has been crimes of abuse against police officers, and tells Andy why he hopes all frontline services will receive their Covid vaccines sooner rather than later. How did we get here? Explaining the news is a podcast from 5 News. Join Andy Bell as he explains the world's biggest news stories through interviews with politicians, experts, and analysts.

Guest: Brian Sauve, President of the National Police Federation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've got an important interview for you. Brian Sauvé is the president of the National Police Federation and that's the union that represents the RCMP. We asked him to join us because we have questions about the federal policy to ban and buy back hundreds of guns and types of guns, and the NPF has publicly come out in opposition to that policy. Our Vice President of Communications, Todd MacKay, spoke with Sauvé. You can sign the PETITION calling on the federal government to scrap the buyback here: https://www.taxpayer.com/petitions/scrap-the-gun-ban-and-buy-back Like this show? Subscribe and give us 5-stars! This podcast is brought to you by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, Canada’s premier grassroots advocacy group pushing for lower taxes, less waste and accountable governments. Sign-up as a Canadian Taxpayers Federation supporter at no-charge TODAY: https://www.taxpayer.com/join.

On the show today we have Paul Odle Chair of Black Asian Minority Ethnic &BAME BELIEF at Police Federation of England and Wales. He is a member of the Police Federation, a Federation Representative & MBB Diversity sub committee and also national and metropolitan Black Police Executive member. Having had first hand experience with the National Front (far right group) in his teens. Paul had to be street wise and learn to deal with racism head on. From being chased through the streets of London to then facing racism in the police force. Paul talks about how racism in the police force and from members of the public affected his a mental health. At one point he started to suffer with anxiety often waking up in cold sweats. It wasn't until meeting another black man did he open up and speak about what he was going through. We chat on this episode about him tackling a bank robber and tackling soul food on his beat. Paul wants to bring about change in the police force and society. This is Paul Odle!

Refusing to self-isolate when told to is now illegal in England, with fines of up to £10,000. In Greater Manchester, which is currently under a local lockdown, more than 1,700 students at Manchester Metropolitan University have been told to isolate after more than a hundred tested positive for coronavirus. The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, told Mishal Husain: "I think there needs to be an urgent review of the emerging evidence from police forces across the country" about the impact of the 10pm curfew for bars and restaurants. He went on to say: "My gut feeling is that this curfew is doing more harm than good. It creates an incentive for people to gather in the street or more probably to gather in the home. That is the opposite of what local restrictions here are trying to do." With John Apter, National chair of the Police Federation and BBC reporter Mike Stevens. Credit: Press Association

Andy Fittes was a police officer in London for 31 years and is a former General Secretary of the Police Federation. He talks about his career and what he is doing now, which is something very different and interesting. 

This is the audio only version of Jon Gaunt's new Facebook Live and Youtube TV show from Monday September 14. Government Minister, Kit Malthouse has said that people should inform the Police if their neighbours break the new Rule 6 and have more people in their house. Ken Marsh from the Police Federation says that  this is unenforceable. Jon asks whether you would call the police in these circumstances. Jon's TV show is Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7 pm on his Facebook page and on Jon Gaunt TV here https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj8D6iM0mO27Wiz71ddNzHQ?view_as=subscriber Please subscribe @youtube to Jon Gaunt TV Please follow jongaunt on Facebook and Twitter.

Following growing calls to boycott the Winter Olympics in China 2022 Dan asks whether we should all get behind the idea. Shaun Custis, Head of sport at The Sun and Founder of the Henry Jackson Institute Dr Alan Mendoza debate the topic and Chairman of the Police Federation, Ken Marsh tells us about a worrying trend of assaults against police officers See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Hello and welcome to the Alcohol Alert, brought to you by The Institute of Alcohol Studies. In this edition:Super Saturday night’s alright for drinking – UK Government declares pubs open for business again while research uncovers worrying levels of home drinking since MarchLocal spending cuts a potential driver of alcohol-related hospital admissionsOn-screen alcohol leaves lasting impression – study of Britain’s most popular homegrown TV soaps find alcohol playing a starring role 🎵 Podcast feature 🎵A review of the first Early Career Alcohol Research Symposium conference from Ines Henriques-CadbyGovernment promises addiction strategy – which will include alcoholAlcohol calorie labelling in Obesity Strategy – Department of Health and Social Care promise a consultation over the display of ‘liquid calories’ on beverages by the year’s endLicensing laws relaxed in Northern Ireland – Stormont Assembly agrees to abolish Easter opening hours restrictions, but consultation on minimum unit pricing appears on the horizon We hope you enjoy our roundup of stories below: please feel free to share. Thank you.Super Saturday night’s alright for drinkingBilled as ‘Super Saturday’, 04 July 2020 marked the official day in which hospitality sector providers reopened their doors for business. For those eager to resume their usual socialising habits from the pre-pandemic days, this meant a return to licensed venues, especially pubs.Industry-funded regulator Portman Group warned people to drink responsibly (Night Time Industries Association, 03 Jul), anticipating the increasing opportunities for people to socialise and meet up in larger groups. However, despite a situation still far from ‘business as usual’, several areas were full with crowds of people by Saturday midnight.With greater numbers of people socialising under the influence of alcohol during the course of the evening, it became obvious that government-enforced social distancing rules were not being followed. Chair of the Police Federation in England and Wales, John Apter, tweeted after his late night shift in Southampton at 2:07am: A busy shift, we dealt with anti social behaviour, naked men, happy drunks, angry drunks, fights… What was crystal clear is that drunk people can’t/won’t socialy [sic] distance.The government also came under fire for initial plans to allow bars and pubs to sell alcohol off-premises: Speaking to The Telegraph (14 Jul), former Home Secretary Lord Blunkett said that whilst he was ‘totally in favour of kick-starting elements of the economy that have been so badly damaged by the lockdown’, giving permission for licensed premises to sell takeaway alcohol would ‘fuel the already worrying concerns about activity late at night, particularly in the major cities’.And as lockdown ease further, the damaging effects of combining social distancing with alcohol-fuelled socialising have become clear. For example, after the weekend, several pubs, including The Ravensdale in Mansfield, were forced to close due to ‘irresponsible behaviour’, potentially caused by the large gatherings of drinkers in and around the pub itself (Nottingham Post, 04 Jul). Moreover, as the government announced the following Monday that British tourists would be able to visit certain European countries without a compulsory fortnight’s quarantine upon returning, concerns arose over the drunken antics of British tourists at Magaluf, a popular holiday destination in Mallorca, Spain, just a few days later. Local residents reported ‘chaos’ to social media channels, some posting videos of tourists with ‘no face masks on, jumping on top of cars, drunk, drinking alcohol in the street’ (VICE UK, 14 Jul).Some local authorities reported experiencing similar problems even before the government eased lockdown measures: the day before the hospitality sector was due to reopen, Hackney Council announced a temporary ban on alcohol at London Fields due to ‘weeks of unacceptably high levels of litter, public urination and defecation and disturbance to local people’ (Hackney Gazette, 03 Jul). Meanwhile, polling data suggested that the government’s decision to permit the reopening of pubs and bars was not driven by public demand. A YouGov poll surveying 2,879 British adults on the same Monday after reopening found that just 5% had visited a pub the weekend of ‘Super Saturday’. The pollsters also found that most people were prepared to wait until later this year to revisit their local drinking establishment: 42% of 1,618 adults predicted that they would do so compared with just 3% who were planned on doing so on the day of its official reopening.Nonetheless, the government has pressed on with extending alcohol licensing provisions in the Business and Planning Act 2020 so pubs can purchase a pavement licence for eating and drinking on the public highway (Harpers, 22 Jul). Licences will last until September 2021.The effects of lockdown drinking reverberateMeanwhile, the lockdown has led to an ‘unprecedented surge’ in alcohol problems according to a One Poll survey commissioned by Help4Addiction, with four in ten British households, 53% of women and 71% of those made redundant admitting to drinking more than before (Daily Mail, 19 Jul). Experts believe that parents’ drinking to cope with the stresses of childcare and home-schooling since March are amongst the reasons for this.Nick Conn of Help4Addiction said of the ‘unprecedented surge’ in calls to their helpline:I have never seen anything like this. Anyone that was in early recovery we seemed to find was relapsing and anyone that was in addiction was getting worse.We are expecting another surge of calls when people go back to work because at that point they’ll realise they have a problem. They may not be aware of the consequences at this stage. They’ll want to stop but can’t.New Public Health England (PHE) data suggests a similar outlook: Since lockdown began, the estimated number of drinkers consuming more than 50 units of alcohol a week in England (harmful levels) has ‘soared’ by a third (to 5% of adults), and of the 500,000 drinkers who increased their intake to this extent, women and those in their 30s and 40s are most affected (Daily Mail, 26 Jul).Furthermore, the notion that the lockdown has been a stress-induced experience that people use alcohol to navigate it is supported by an Alcohol Change UK-commissioned Opinium survey (03 Jul), which found that:More than a quarter of people think they have drunk more during lockdownHeavier drinkers were more likely to drink more in lockdown: 38% of those who typically drank heavily on pre-lockdown drinking days (seven plus units) said they drank more during lockdownOne in five has drunk as a response to stress or anxiety.Parents of under 18s were more likely to say that they had done so (30%) than non-parents (17%) and parents of adult children (11%). Of those who drank more heavily during lockdown (nine plus units on each drinking day), 40% had drunk as a response to stress or anxiety.These findings add to a growing body of research about a unique period in the nation’s history, much of which has been documented in our briefing, Alcohol consumption during the COVID-19 lockdown in the UK, which has so far found that survey data points to roughly equal proportions of people cutting down and increasing their alcohol intake.But for heavy drinkers likely to do the latter, public health experts urge the government to support alcohol treatment services in order to reverse the potential tide of harm. Consultant psychiatrist and addictions specialist at King’s College London Dr Tony Rao, who analysed the PHE data for the Daily Mail, warned of the major impact that the surge in drinking will have on the health of the nation for years to come.He said: ‘COVID-19 has shone a light on the burning deck of the growing burden of alcohol problems in our society. We have been waiting for a proper alcohol strategy since 2012. This is today’s problem – not tomorrow’s.’Institute of Alcohol Studies Chief Executive Dr Katherine Severi, also stressed the importance of making sure that preventing alcohol harm is a priority for the national COVID-19 recovery plan, ‘to ease the burden on our health and social care services and improve the health of the nation’.Local spending cuts a potential driver of alcohol-related hospital admissionsA new study by King’s College London (02 Jul) has shown an association between increases in alcohol-related hospital admissions and decreases in spending on alcohol services since they came under the responsibility of local authorities in 2012.Social distancing measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic have undoubtedly resulted in a serious reduction in healthcare provision services available. However, even prior to the pandemic, funding for specialist alcohol and drug treatment services were reduced as the Health and Social Care Act 2012 meant that commissions were transferred from the NHS to local authorities, who in turn have received reduced public health grants from the government.As Dr Emmett Roberts writes in The British Journal of Psychiatry, ‘local authority funding cuts to specialist alcohol treatment services may be displacing costs onto the NHS hospital system’, and this may partially explain the increase in hospital admissions related to alcohol over time.Since around one in five people have increased the amount of alcohol consumed during lockdown and 15% drink more at one time, this potentially further exacerbates pressures on alcohol treatment services, as well as rendering them unable to cope with increasing demands. Overall, this is likely to have the most severe impact on patients who require regular support from these services, as they are faced with a service under pressure from high demands, as well as reduced visits due to social distancing rules. On-screen alcohol leaves lasting impression🎵 Podcast feature 🎵Some of the nation’s most popular soap operas (such as EastEnders, Coronation Street and Emmerdale) constitute a potential driver for alcohol consumption in young people, according to an article published in the Oxford Journal of Public Health (01 Jul). A study led by Dr Alex Barker at the University of Nottingham concluded that alcohol content before the television watershed is so common that it exposes audiences to billions of viewer impressions. Alcohol impressions were identified in 83 out of 88 episodes (95% of the time).Beer and cider were the main types of alcohol consumed (46% of the time), as well as 53% of those consuming alcohol being women. In addition, where alcohol appearances were implicit, it was identified that actors were seen either holding a drink, or through alcohol branding (through labels on bottles in the backgrounds) displayed on set. This implies that alcohol appearances in television are not only potential stimuli for increasing alcohol consumption at home, but also provide a means of normalising such behaviours, since soap operas often reflect the lives of British families. Young people and children are particularly susceptible, since many soap operas with alcohol branding are also broadcast before the 9pm watershed period, thus providing a significant impression of alcohol to millions. In other researchA poll held by pricing comparison site Confused.com has shown that a large number of drivers share potentially dangerous views on drink-driving that could have been acted upon during the lockdown. Their survey suggests that a third (33%) of drinking pub goers plan to drive, a quarter (24%) of drivers admit driving after a drink because they don’t ‘feel drunk’, and one in twenty (5%) believe it was fine to drive over the limit when the roads were quieter during the lockdown.Car insurance expert Alex Kindred said (you can listen to the full statement in the podcast) that drivers ‘need to clue up on the drink drive laws, as there is a steep price to pay when putting yourself and others at risk.’A systematic review of evidence on the impact of graphic warning labels for alcohol and food products found that health warning labels reduced selection of labelled products by 26% (Health Psychology Review, 02 Jul). However, the authors cautioned against drawing conclusions on the available data as all studies that looked at alcohol labels were conducted online or in laboratory settings. The research team called for further studies from real-world environments to improve knowledge about the impact of pictorial warning labels on drinking behaviours amongst the population. (IAS blog, 16 Jul). Failure to promote the drinking guidelines may be reflected in their lack of effectiveness on consumption levels, according to the results of a paper conducted by researchers at the School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR) at the University of Sheffield. The team found that apart from a brief drop in consumption in the first few months, the current drinking guidelines – announced in January 2016 – did not appear to bring significant changes in alcohol consumption within the first eighteen months (BMJ JECH, 19 Jul). The team were wary of the fact that at the time, ‘there was no large-scale promotion of the revised guidelines beyond the initial media announcement’. Alcohol contributed to a loss of 178,933 working years of life in 2018, 18% of total working years lost, and the highest level in seven years (Gov.uk, 17 Jul). Public Health England (PHE) estimate that a third of those years were lost among those aged 45-54 years (57,558). The top three causes of working years of life lost (WYLL) due to alcohol alone were liver disease (84·5%), accidental poisoning (44·5%) and intentional self-harm (32·8%). The figures also show disparities by socioeconomic status: the number of WYLL for those in the ‘most deprived’ decile was three times higher (34,697) than those in the ‘least deprived’ decile (8,748), and by sex: men lost almost three times more working years (131,403) than women (47,530). PHE aim to support the potential use of WYLL due to alcohol as a new indicator in Local Alcohol Profiles for England (LAPE).The Health Research Board (HRB) (BMJ Open, 22 Jul) have found that many people with harmful and hazardous drinking behaviours in Ireland are underestimating how much they drink. Based on data from Ireland’s Drug Prevalence Study 2014/15, which interviewed a representative sample of the Irish population on how much they thought they drank, and whether they deemed themselves to be light, moderate or heavy drinkers, they found that only one in three people who binge-drink were aware of their drinking habits. In addition, women were less likely to report heavy-drinking behaviour (just one in 10) as opposed to men (one in five). This study comes as annual alcohol treatment data show a total of 7,546 treatment cases in 2019, a slight increase from 7,464 in 2018 (HRB, 28 Jul). These results indicate that many of those with heavy-drinking behaviour in Ireland may be unaware of the risks of doing so, which potentially endangers them since they are most at risk of harm due to alcohol. HRB interim chief executive Dr Mairead O’Driscoll affirmed that ‘further initiatives to reduce overall consumption and hazardous and harmful drinking patterns, and raise awareness around drinking patterns are required’.UCL researchers come up with new iDEASThe University College London Tobacco and Alcohol Research Group have launched a new trial offering digital support to help drinkers reduce their alcohol consumption (UCL, 24 Jul). The iDEAS trial is seeking over 5,000 volunteers nationally to test two digital support tools for drinkers who want to cut down. Digital support tools for reducing alcohol intake, such as apps and websites, are thought to overcome some of the barriers encountered by traditional face-to-face support and may have potential for decreasing drinking. Research team member Dr Melissa Oldham says that iDEAS will ‘inform the recommendations we can make for alcohol reduction’ (full statement in the podcast), which with the apparent rise in drinking during the UK lockdown, makes the trial a timely one.#ECARS2020 conferenceCoverage of the event from Ines Henriques-CadbyIn a time where research interactions have been constrained or halted, particularly for doctoral students and other early career researchers, the Sheffield Alcohol Research Group (SARG) launched its first Early Career Alcohol Research Symposium (ECARS). The symposium aimed to give early career researchers, from first year doctoral students to more experienced postdocs, a platform to network, share their work and experiences, and interact with colleagues at different career stages.This year’s meeting took place online on 07 and 08 July, and included 16 research talks on four themes: Epidemiology and trends (featuring talks on inequalities in alcohol-related harm); Harmful drinking; Alcohol and cognitive processes; and Alcohol policy.The meeting also included a career progression panel, which was extremely well-received by the delegates. The panel gave delegates an opportunity to ask questions and gather advice on career progression and opportunities. The panel itself featured four guests from a diverse range of backgrounds, disciplines and experiences: Dr Sadie Boniface (IAS), Dr Lucy Gavens (University of Sheffield), Dr Andy Jones (University of Liverpool), and Professor Dorothy Newbury-Birch (Teesside University).The organisers of ECARS are Dr Ines Henriques-Cadby (an MRC Research Fellow with a Maths and Stats background), Dr Inge Kersbergen (an SSA Research Fellow with a quantitative psychology background), Ms Jane Hughes (a qualitative researcher in Public Health, with an economics background), and Professor John Holmes (the new director of SARG, with a background in Social policy). As a diverse team of researchers, they were eager to promote diversity and inclusivity in both speakers and delegates. The symposium counted 72 delegates, from 35 academic institutions (six international). As well as academic researchers, delegates came from public health teams in national government, local authorities, and health and prevention services, as well as UK-based charities such as the IAS, Alcohol Change UK (ACUK), and Have Your Tomorrows (HURT). The feedback received from delegates was extremely positive and highlighted the need for an on-going platform to support interactions between ECRs, and more senior members of the alcohol research community, both within and outside of academia.The organisers plan to make the symposium an annual event and planning for 2021 is already taking place. They also aim to facilitate the creation of an ECR mailing list that will allow dissemination of research and career opportunities and support networking amongst the next generation of alcohol researchers.Government promises addiction strategyThe Bury Times (16 Jul) reports that one of the region’s most prominent politicians – Christian Wakeford MP for Bury South – urged fellow ministers to ‘adopt a wide-ranging strategy’ to tackle alcohol addiction, drawing on the experience of how his family struggled to find help for his late older brother, who died five years ago.Wakeford spoke in the House of Commons about how securing assistance for Mark Jones had been ‘a postcode lottery’. Leader of the House Jacob Rees-Mogg replied (you can hear his full response in the podcast):The government are committed to tackling health harms from alcohol and supporting the most vulnerable to risk from alcohol misuse. We do aim to publish a new UK-wide cross-government addiction strategy that will include alcohol.Wakeford’s appeal came the day after he attended an online event for parliamentarians hosted by the Alcohol Health Alliance UK, Healthy recovery: Alcohol harm, COVID-19, and your constituency.Alcohol calorie labelling in Obesity StrategyLabelling alcoholic beverages with calorie information is potentially among ‘a raft of measures’ the UK Government is set to include as part of a new Obesity Strategy to get the nation fit and healthy (Department of Health and Social Care, 27 Jul).The new campaign comes after a ‘COVID-19 wake-up call’ in which the impact of the virus revealed how excess weight puts people who contracted it at greater risk of serious illness or death.The strategy’s plan to mandate the display of ‘liquid calories’ on alcoholic drinks will be put to a new consultation before the end of the year.Alcohol consumption has been estimated to account for nearly 10% of the calorie intake of those who drink, with around 3·4 million adults consuming an additional days’ worth of calories each week – totalling an additional two months of food each year. But research shows the majority of the public (80%) is unaware of the calorie content of common drinks and many typically underestimate the true content. It is hoped alcohol labelling could lead to a reduction in consumption, improving people’s health and reducing their waistline.Following the announcement, Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, chair of the Alcohol Health Alliance UK said:The government’s plans to consult on ending the current exemption for alcohol products from calorie labelling requirements are very welcome. When the calorie equivalent of a large glass of white wine is the same as a slice of pizza or a cocktail is the equivalent of a cheeseburger, it is clear why alcohol products should be included in the government’s plans to tackle the obesity crisis.Licensing laws relaxed in Northern IrelandStormont Assembly has approved plans to relax rules on the sale of alcohol, such as streamlining pub opening hours by removing Easter weekend restrictions (Northern Ireland Department for Communities, 16 Jul). Some of the other key changes include:the introduction of an occasional additional late opening hour for certain licensed premisesthe doubling of ‘drinking-up time’ after last orders, from 30 minutes to an hourthe alignment of the alcohol and entertainment licensing systems;changes relating to children on licensed premisesthe prohibition of self-service and vending machinesformal approval for codes of practice on responsible retailingchanges to the law affecting private members clubs.These changes come as Minister of Health in the Northern Ireland Assembly Robin Swann committed to holding ‘a full public consultation’ on introducing minimum unit pricing for alcohol (MUP) ‘within a year’, a move welcomed by Hospitality Ulster chief executive Colin Neill (Belfast Telegraph, 29 Jul), who said that he expected ‘the days of alcohol being sold at pocket money prices’ will come to an end under the legislation.In Memoriam: Roger Williams, ‘a true giant in the field of liver health’The public health world was saddened to learn of the passing of professor Roger Williams over the weekend of 26-27 July.Professor Williams CBE FRCS FRCP FRCPE FRACP FMedSci (born 28 August 1931 – 25 July 2020) was a pioneer in many areas of hepatology, including the delivery of an integrated model of liver care and being a key part of the team that performed the first liver transplant in the UK at King’s College Hospital London in 1968.His influence was also felt in liver disease research, publishing many of the key papers advancing care in liver disease, and founding institutes at King’s and University College London to further hepatology research. He founded The Lancet commission on liver disease in 2013, in addition to the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), on which he served as a chairman in 1983 and as honorary president in 2008.In 1993 professor Williams was awarded a CBE for his services to medicine. He remained an active and passionate advocate for improvement in the care of patients with liver disease to the end of his life.Dr Katherine Severi of the Institute of Alcohol Studies said:Professor Roger Williams was a true giant in the field of liver health, and demonstrated tremendous leadership in convening the Lancet Standing Commission on Liver Disease. Liver disease affects some of the most vulnerable members of our society and Roger used his indefatigable energies and powers of persuasion to raise awareness of its impact amongst UK policy makers, bringing an issue into the spotlight which for too long has been hidden behind closed doors. Roger was an inspirational role model who proactively sought out opportunities to support early career researchers and build enthusiasm for change. It is a privilege to have been his colleague and I will miss him dearly.He leaves behind an exceptional legacy and an abundance of fond memories.You can our obituary in full on our website.The UK Alcohol Alert (incorporating Alliance News) is designed and produced by The Institute of Alcohol Studies. Please click the image below to visit our website and find out more about us and what we do, or the ‘Contact us’ button. Thank you. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit instalcstud.substack.com

Drunk people can't properly socially distance, a UK police officer warned after finishing a late shift Saturday -- the first day that pubs reopened in England after the coronavirus shutdown."A predictably busy night and confirmed what we knew, alcohol and social distancing is not a good combination," tweeted John Apter, national chairman of the Police Federation, a staff association for police in England and Wales.Apter, who was on duty in the southern England city of Southampton, said he and colleagues had dealt with "happy drunks, angry drunks, fights" and antisocial behaviour. "What was crystal clear is that drunk people can't/won't socially distance," he said.In a post on Twitter, London's Metropolitan Police urged people to "please be responsible, stay safe and follow social distancing and other guidance that has been put in place" as pubs reopened.But images taken Saturday night in the central London district of Soho, known for its pubs and bars, showed crowded streets.Five pubs in Nottinghamshire, in England's East Midlands region, decided to close early following anti-social behaviour, police said, and officers made four arrests following reports of a smashed window and minor assault.However, Inspector Craig Berry thanked "the majority of the public who have acted responsibly throughout Saturday."Devon and Cornwall Police, in southwest England, said they had received more than 1,000 calls on Saturday from members of the public, mostly related to "drink-related disorder."And in Essex, southeast England, an officer tweeted to say police had made four arrests.UK Health Minister Matt Hancock told Sky News' Sophy Ridge that he was pleased overall with how Saturday went."From what I have seen, although there are some pictures to the contrary, very, very largely people have acted responsibly and this balanced message is so important. People should enjoy summer safely," he said Sunday."You have seen from Leicester and other places we don't shirk from bringing in drastic measures if that is what is needed to control the virus. But the overall plan has always been through the lifting of the lockdown to try to lift the national measures -- but be absolutely crystal clear we will tackle local flare-ups when we see them."Restrictions were reimposed Tuesday in Leicester, a city in the East Midlands, after a spike in coronavirus cases. It was the first in the UK to be put under a localized lockdown.  text by Laura Smith-Spark, Sara Spary and Zahid Mahmood, CNN

This week cop turned stand-up and star of BBC Radio 4's It's a Fair Cop, talks to Nottinghamshire Police Sergeant Phill Matthews. As Conduct and Performance Lead for the Police Federation of England and Wales, Phill discusses the police conduct and complaints system and the difficult challenges of representing officers who are under formal investigation.    

Our favorite morning-show anchor and Twitter celebrity Jason DeRusha joined Sheletta - filling in for Chad - for his weekly appearnce. He talked about his interview with Bob Kroll and the Police Federation and... dollar store deodorant?!

We were scheduled to talk with Minneapolis Police Federation President Bob Kroll. Minutes before the interview was scheduled, we were told that he had another commitment and couldn't do the interview. Instead we could talk with two other members of the Federation board. Take a listen to Chad explain why we chose not to do that and what we would've asked Lt. Kroll about had he come on with us.

06/10 A ray of hope on a Wednesday: MPD Chief Medaria Arradondo appears willing and eager to take on the the Minneapolis Police federation. We don't need to dismantle the Police department, we just need to fix it. Johnny Heidt with guitar news.

Health Minister Edward Argar discusses the coronavirus antibody test that is being hailed as a 'positive development'. Former Chancellor of the Exchequer Lord Norman Lamont reviews current Chancellor Rishi Sunak's warnings of a 'significant recession'. Julia is also joined by John Apter, Chair of the Police Federation who describes how difficult it is for his officers to police the lockdown. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Under lockdown, police have been given extraordinary new powers. What do the new rules mean for bobbies on the beat, and how will they change our relationship to the police force? Guest: John Simpson, Times crime correspondent Jonathan Ames, Times legal editorJohn Apter, chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales Host: Manveen RanaClips: BBC, Talkradio See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick talks about new government scheme to cut the cost of some new homes by a third. Chairman of The Police Federation tells Julia that according to a report the public are giving up on police solving crimes. And finally immigration lawyer Harjap Banghal reacts to the breaking news about Shamima Begum See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

GUEST: Bryan Sauve TITLE: President-Elect, National Police Federation

This week the First Sea Lord is at DSEI as the MOD announce Babcock will build the new Type 31 frigates. Police chiefs in Northern Ireland say a bomb in Londonderry was built with the aim of killing police officers.  We talk to the Chair of the Police Federation of Northern Ireland Mark Lindsay. We are joined by Dr Karin Von Hippel, the Director General of RUSI to talk about the sacking of the US National Security Advisor John Bolton and Fawaz Gerges explains what it means for American foreign policy. Chris Ryan, the former SAS soldier turned author has a new book out called Black Ops.  It's firmly based on his knowledge of how the regiment operates, so what's life like as member of the elite unit in today's trouble times?  Follow us on Twitter @bfbssitrep

This week the First Sea Lord is at DSEI as the MOD announce Babcock will build the new Type 31 frigates. Police chiefs in Northern Ireland say a bomb in Londonderry was built with the aim of killing police officers.  We talk to the Chair of the Police Federation of Northern Ireland Mark Lindsay. We are joined by Dr Karin Von Hippel, the Director General of RUSI to talk about the sacking of the US National Security Advisor John Bolton and Fawaz Gerges explains what it means for American foreign policy. Chris Ryan, the former SAS soldier turned author has a new book out called Black Ops.  It's firmly based on his knowledge of how the regiment operates, so what's life like as member of the elite unit in today's trouble times?  Follow us on Twitter @bfbssitrep

In this 87% podcast we speak with Che Donald, Vice Chair of The Police Federation for England and Wales. Che discusses how this notorious 'macho' culture that runs throughout the police is changing when it comes to the predominant male workforce (29% of the police workforce in the UK are women) talking about mental health. Che talks about how in 60% of cases, the police are the first port of call when it comes to mental health issues, and how they regularly work with mental health professions when assessing those in custody. Che also opens up about his personal mental health experiences which led to him taking 6 months leave from work. Thanks Che for a fascinating discussion!

In the latest edition of The Police Federation on England and Wales’ FedCast, National Chair John Apter is joined by Operational Policing Lead Simon Kempton. Hosted by Ian Collins, this episode focuses on President Trump’s recent State Visit and the work the Federation has done to ensure their members’ physical and financial welfare was safeguarded. And as the Conservative Leadership contest hots up, the panel discuss why it is vital that whoever becomes the next PM prioritises policing.

The latest episode of the Police Federation of England and Wales’ podcast FedCast features National Chair John Apter and Equality Lead Peggy Lamont discussing what the Federation is doing to tackle discrimination and combat inequality. Hosted by Ian Collins, this edition also includes an update on the progress PFEW has made in securing legal recognition for the specialised skills trained police drivers possess, and we hear about the National Chair’s busy late shift spent with officers from Brixton.

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Hosted by Ian Collins the latest episode of our podcast “FedCast” features National Chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales John Apter and its Operational Policing Lead Simon ‘Kenny’ Kempton discussing issues facing frontline officers including the surge in violent crime, access to Taser, Body Worn Video and Spit guards, as well as highlighting the good work the Federation is doing to ensure that officers on Mutual Aid get the allowances they are entitled to.We take questions from members – via twitter @PFEW_HQ or email communications@polfed.org – so please do get involved.

Supporting members through difficult times is one of the main reasons the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) exists. More often than not, those difficult times stem from unfounded conduct or performance complaints. National Chair John Apter, Conduct and Performance Lead Phill Matthews, and broadcaster Ian Collins shine a light on PFEW’s work in this area and offer advice to members who find themselves under investigation.This episode also covers our input on new discipline regulations, our work with the Independent Office for Police Conduct to reduce the length of investigations, and moving the police service towards a performance and learning culture. We also take questions from members on police funding and industrial rights for police officers. Members are invited to put forward their questions for discussion I future episodes via twitter @PFEW_HQ using #AskFed or email communications@polfed.org – so please do get involved. Visit www.polfed.org/fedcast to find out more about the series.

Universities all over Britain are spending a lot of money to have police officers patrol their campuses. According to the data gathered by the news outlet, The Times, 27 universities have paid a sum of over £2 million to 17 police forces since 2016, and have earmarked approximately £1.2 million for police service in the current academic year. Five more universities also started investing in campus police in 2018. Among these universities, the University of Northampton is spending the most on police service, setting aside £775,000 for the next three years. Universities hire the police to deter offenders from targeting their students. This is because students are usually equipped with expensive devices, such as laptops and mobile phones. As a result, these students become vulnerable to criminal activity. Crimes like robbery and violence are some of the activities that are likely to trouble students. Despite the universities' efforts in ensuring their campuses' safety, some are not happy with the idea of investing in police service. Police officers are saddened that universities resort to spending money to make their campuses a safe place. According to the Police Federation of England and Wales' national chairman, John Apter, these universities are clearly aware of the importance of security on campuses. However, the situation is a reflection of the country's lack of police officers. This scarcity implies that the number of police officers in neighborhoods is also waning. Since universities have the means to retain good-performing officers, critics pointed out that this capacity might create a system wherein only those who can afford security are at an advantage, while those who cannot are left out.

In Episode 92, Tim Nagle and Stuart McCullough discuss the recent decision of the Fair Work Commission in The Police Federation of Australia (Victoria Police Branch) T/A The Police [2018] FWC 5695. Discussion starts at the 1.27 time mark. Watch Episode 92 here - https://tinyurl.com/vhia-episode92  

Iain gets a bit ‘totes emosh’ about the Irish abortion referendum, while Jacqui takes Donald Trump to task for his decision to cancel the North Korean summit. They discuss what it’s like for a Home Secretary to address the Police Federation conference and assess Sajid Javid’s performance this week. They also ask why Oxford is failing to attract more BAME and disadvantaged students. And we find out what Jacqui’s ‘sex noise’ sounds like. Gulp.

on February 23, Greater Manchester Police were called to Levenshulme by two witnesses who reported a man with a gun behaving in an agitated manner. The attending firearms officers tasered the man and subsequently discovered he was blind and that what had been thought to be a gun was, in fact, his folding white cane. This follows a similar incident in 2012 when a blind man's white stick was mistaken for a samurai sword. In last week's case, the police apologised, and the Professional Standards Branch of Greater Manchester Police, carried out an investigation. It found that the police had acted appropriately and the blind man has not, thus far, made a complaint. We speak to Solicitor Advocate Sophie Khan who represented the case in 2012 on her concerns about the training undertaken by police when it comes to tasering vulnerable people. Steve White, chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales, tells us that the training and policies in this area are constantly being reviewed. Red Szell tells us why he's decided to part with his firs guide dog after nine months. Presenter: Peter White Producer: Lee Kumutat Editor: Eleanor Garland.

Police forces in England and Wales are to get an additional fifteen hundred firearms officers to help protect the public from terrorism and organised crime. Most of the new officers will be trained within the next two years after the Prime Minister, David Cameron, set aside £143m to boost the country's armed response capability. But is it enough to meet the challenges they face? The number of firearms officers fell from nearly seven thousand in 2009/10 to under six thousand in 2013/14. And, despite the extra funding, the Police Federation is concerned the new firearms teams will have to come from existing staff. They say that will deplete the number of officers available for other duties. BBC Home Affairs Correspondent Danny Shaw investigates - and he examines growing unease at the way in which those who discharge their weapons are dealt with. Concern has been highlighted by the suspension and arrest of the officer suspected of shooting dead Jermaine Baker in Wood Green in December. Police representatives tell the programme that while they expect their actions to be investigated, people will not come forward to train as firearms officers if they believe they will be treated like a criminal who fires an illegal weapon. The Independent Police Complaints Commission acknowledges that firearms officers work in challenging circumstances but maintains that police shootings resulting in death or serious injury should be independently investigated. So, can the system for holding them to account be improved? Reporter: Danny Shaw Producer: Ian Muir-Cochrane.

The Police Federation says female drivers aren't heeding the drink drive warnings. Tim Harford attempts to find out the numbers behind this. Plus: the Rotterdam Effect; Death Row exonerations; pub closures; and owl counting.

Kirsty Young's castaway is the Right Honourable Theresa May MP - the longest serving Home Secretary in fifty years. For those who think her political lineage seems directly descended from the Iron Lady, Theresa May's metal has certainly been stress-tested in the past few weeks. She's apologised twice in parliament for having failed to appoint a suitable head to lead the historical child abuse inquiry; a minister in her department resigned, claiming working with her had been like "walking through mud". Then there has been the controversy over the non-vote on the European Arrest Warrant and finally news this week that 1 in 5 crimes are unrecorded. Just as well that she has a reputation as a woman who knows her own mind and is willing to speak it. She famously said the Conservatives were perceived as the 'nasty party'. Her excoriating speech to the Police Federation dealt head on with long-term corruption and incompetence in their ranks and was received with stunned silence. So unflinching, resilient, driven and, if a recent poll is to be believed, a popular choice among Conservative voters to be the next Prime Minister. She has, so far, remained tight-lipped on any ambition to lead her party. She says, "I think you have to believe in what you're doing - that's key. If you do believe you are doing the right thing - that gives you resilience".

Kirsty Young's castaway is the Right Honourable Theresa May MP - the longest serving Home Secretary in fifty years. For those who think her political lineage seems directly descended from the Iron Lady, Theresa May's metal has certainly been stress-tested in the past few weeks. She's apologised twice in parliament for having failed to appoint a suitable head to lead the historical child abuse inquiry; a minister in her department resigned, claiming working with her had been like "walking through mud". Then there has been the controversy over the non-vote on the European Arrest Warrant and finally news this week that 1 in 5 crimes are unrecorded. Just as well that she has a reputation as a woman who knows her own mind and is willing to speak it. She famously said the Conservatives were perceived as the 'nasty party'. Her excoriating speech to the Police Federation dealt head on with long-term corruption and incompetence in their ranks and was received with stunned silence. So unflinching, resilient, driven and, if a recent poll is to be believed, a popular choice among Conservative voters to be the next Prime Minister. She has, so far, remained tight-lipped on any ambition to lead her party. She says, "I think you have to believe in what you're doing - that's key. If you do believe you are doing the right thing - that gives you resilience".

Phil Kemp examines the Police Federation of England and Wales and its role in what has become known as "Plebgate", leading to the downfall of a cabinet Minister. Last October the Government Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell resigned over a row about what he told armed police officers when trying to leave Downing Street on his bike. The Report reveals internal divisions that led to one region of the Federation pursuing its own PR campaign against the wishes of the leadership and the new National Police Federation chair speaks, for the first time, about how he plans to build bridges with the government in the wake of the affair.

HARDtalk's Katya Adler speaks to the chairman of the Police Federation in England and Wales, Paul McKeever. The police in Britain, used to being revered, respected and admired at home and abroad, find themselves under a heavy black cloud. With allegations of bribery and corruption denting the public's trust, the force now also faces dramatic cuts to its budget and changes to its structure. Paul McKeever, himself a long-serving officer, says proposed government reforms could lead to the destruction of the police as we know it. But with the force untouched by change for decades, is now not an ideal opportunity to shape up for the challenges of the 21st century?(Image: Paul McKeever in 2011 Credit: Getty Images)