Inspector calls times on lengthy policing career

AFTER 38 years at South Yorkshire Police – and 18 years as a Police Federation representative – roads policing expert Alan Jones has retired.

Mr Jones joined the force in 1975 and spent much of his career in roads policing. “I joined in the days when the chief constable interviewed new recruits, when all you had to protect yourself with was a 15-inch lump of wood,” he recalls.

“There were no bulletproof vests in those days.”

“We would pick up calls from the public ourselves and drive around in a Ford Fiesta 1.1.”

Mr Jones was promoted to inspector in 1990 and joined the Police Federation as an inspectors’ representative in 1995. In 2003, he became the inspectors’ north east regional representative on the national Joint Central Committee and subsequently became chairman of professional development and the national federation lead on all matters relating to roads policing.

He also become chairman of the Inspectors’ Central Committee prior to his retirement.

“It has been an enormous pleasure to serve the Police Federation and satisfying to fight for the causes of those who are not always in a position to speak up for themselves,” he said. “It has been a fantastic journey and a fantastic career.”

While Mr Jones has left the police force, he will not be leaving the policing arena entirely, as he will be helping ACPO with a roads policing project. “I hope to continue in some way to making a valid contribution to the lot and lives of coppers who police the roads,” he said.

Neil Bowles, chairman of South Yorkshire Police Federation, praised Mr Jones’s contribution to the force and federation.

“We wish Alan all the best,” he said. “Although I doubt that he will take it easy, I’m sure he will apply his skills to something worthwhile in his retirement. He has been a long and valued member of the board.”