Home Affairs CommitteeWritten evidence submitted by Detective Constable Chris Panther [LSP 26]

I would like to thank you for the opportunity to attend the Conference yesterday. I found it interesting and I would of liked to add something to it unfortunately time was short and only a few questions were posed.

I would like to raise a point on the standards of policing which I believe to be very relevant. DR Julian HUPPERT asked a question of the speakers whether too much change in the police service at once can have a negative impact on the ability of the police to maintain standards and leadership. Sir Hugh ORDE answered in that he felt the police has a can do attitude towards change. Which to a certain extent is correct. I would like to say that we have had WISOR part I and II, then the HUTTON report into our pensions and also the report from Peter NEYROUD on police leadership. The police are being beaten with a very large stick by the current government, if they wish to maintain the high standards that the public expect, then the government would be foolish to expect Standards and Moral to remain high in light of all these changes. After all the future leaders are our current sergeants and constables, most are as you said “felt no support from the government” and some felt like leaving.

They (the government) can go some way to re-balance this. I feel it is safe to say that most officers above the rank of SUPT will not be affected by the pension changes, it will be the constables, sergeant and inspectors. These are the future leaders of the police. The current proposals are divisive and equally unfair, a colleague of mine is set to lose out to around £300,000 if his pension is changed.

The government in one sweeping moment can raise Moral and therefore standards will raise through officers natural enthusiasm will return if they didn’t apply the Hutton report retrospectively. It should apply to new recruits only.

On another point of Integrity, I found it difficult to listen to Tom WINSOR when we were discussing Police integrity, his reports integrity has been questioned as it is a carbon copy of the speech from David CAMERON in 2006. This is not new information to you. Yet the police’s integrity is being questioned and even a report has been produced on it! By Dr WESTMARLAND.

When officers see integrity issues at the top of the pile not being dealt with properly and challenged and dealt with. How do you think they feel when their integrity is constantly challenged.

It appears there is one rule for the lawmakers and another for everyone else.

Lastly on that point I found it an eye opener that Lord WASSERMAN referred to the resignation of a Chief Constable as not a big deal as there are plenty of capable officers who can fill his shoes. That is a clear message that the law makers actually don’t give a hoot for my colleagues at high rank, so they certainly don’t give a hoot for the constables who are significantly worse off after this governments changes.

Mr VAZ you are in a position to advise this government and are championing the debate on police pensions. All are interlinked and if a sensible outcome is reached standards and leadership will absolutely increase. However if the government continue then you don’t need me to tell you what will happen.

Detective Constable Chris Panther

January 2013