Politicians Must Listen To Officers At PFEW Conference

The upcoming national Police Federation Conference is an opportunity to tell politicians about the critical issues affecting officers, South Yorkshire Police Federation has said.

The first Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) Conference in over three years will be held on 18-19 November. It will update delegates on the work the Federation has been doing and what it will be focusing on in 2026 and beyond. It will also recognise excellence across the service with the presentation of national awards.

The Conference is in-person and open exclusively to elected delegates. However, it will also be live-streamed on PFEW’s YouTube channel so Reps and members can watch live or catch up later.

South Yorkshire Police Federation Chair Steve Kent said: “Conference is really important and I’m very glad it’s returning. I’m pleased it’s a shorter event than before and I think that will have more impact. I want to see politicians engaging with us, and they need to hear the strength of feeling from officers from our force and across the country.

“For me, the big two topics are police pay and conditions, and the IOPC (Independent Office for Police Conduct). It’s getting to the point where the IOPC is in an untenable situation – it is a critical issue that affects our police officers. These are certainly the two things that come up the most when I do briefings.

“We are bringing some of our workplace Reps to the Conference who aren’t used to going to the National Council, so it’s an opportunity for them to have their views heard as well.”