Police Covenant Supported By Chief Constables

IT’S positive that Chief Constables are supporting the Police Covenant, the Chair of South Yorkshire Police Federation has said, adding he hopes it means the Government will be held to account.

Chief Constables from all forces across England and Wales have pledged their support for the Police Covenant, which was recently enshrined in law.

South Yorkshire Police Federation Chair Steve Kent said: “I’ve heard a lot of negativity about the Police Covenant and I understand that, because officers are weary of hearing about things that will supposedly make their lives better. I get it.

“But what’s really important with the Police Covenant is that it’s actually something tangible. It is a fixed place that we can refer to and that can hold Government and police forces to account in terms of how they treat and look after officers. So I warmly support it.

“Again, we’ve got to see things come out of it. We’ve got to see the tangible results from it before we can celebrate it. But it’s nice to have a lightning rod where we can funnel evidence of difficult working conditions and difficult situations for officers. Like the pay award, it’s a small step in the right direction – these little pieces add up to a bigger jigsaw, and that’s great.”