Hertfordshire Police Federation, Stanborough Road, Welwyn Garden City (2025)

05/08/2025

💐 REECE IS HONOURED AT MEMORIAL SERVICE

Hertfordshire Police officer Reece Buckenham was among the fallen officers remembered in the roll of honour at the annual Care of Police Survivors (COPS) Service of Remembrance at the National Memorial Arboretum (pictured) in Alrewas, Staffordshire on Sunday.

Reece, who was an acting sergeant, was riding his motorcycle on the A10 between Rush Green and Great Amwell shortly after finishing a night shift when he was involved in collision with a car on 29 June 2024. He was 36.

His name was read out along with those of four other officers to have lost their lives in the last year by Gill Marshall, the COPS national president.

Gill, whose own police officer husband died in 2006, reassured the families of fallen officers at the service that their sacrifice is never forgotten despite the day-to-day challenges of policing.

This was echoed by Hertfordshire Police Federation chair Luke Mitchell. He said: “The policing family comes together at events such as the COPS service to stand shoulder to shoulder with the loved ones left behind when a police officer dies.

“But while the service is committed to remembering and honouring fallen officers, it also perfectly demonstrates the support the charity offers to the family members left behind.

“It is an incredible charity which is dedicated to helping those families rebuild their lives. It really does offer them a lifeline with peer support having such a critical role to play.”

READ MORE: https://bit.ly/4l9opzG

01/08/2025

POLICE PAY AWARD - FED RESPONDS

Responding to the Government’s police pay award announcement, Brian Booth (pictured), deputy chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said:

“Today’s pay award of 4.2 per cent barely treads water, with inflation currently at 4.1 per cent.

“We note that chief constables argued for a pay rise of just 3.8 per cent. We welcome the Government’s decision to reject that position and instead listen to the strong case we have been making on behalf of police officers across the country.

“However, after more than a decade of real terms pay cuts, this award does little to reverse the long-term decline in officers’ living standards or address the crisis policing faces."

READ MORE: https://bit.ly/45wcTd5

01/08/2025

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31/07/2025

🚵 POLICE UNITY TOUR

Late Hertfordshire officer Reece Buckenham is set to be remembered a year on from his death at the 2025 Police Unity Tour (PUT).

Sergeant Reece lost his life on 29 June 2024 in a road accident on the A10 between Rush Green and Great Amwell. Shortly after finishing a night shift, his motorcycle collided with a car.

He will be honoured by the joint Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Chapter at the annual bike ride held in memory of fallen police officers, which takes place from this Friday until Sunday.

One cyclist within the chapter is Bedfordshire Constabulary’s PC Sam Sparkes (pictured), who will dedicate her ride to Reece by sporting a wristband engraved with his name.

FULL STORY: https://bit.ly/45jODd1

25/07/2025

🗣️ PAY AWARD DELAYED: A STATEMENT FROM THE FEDERATION

The Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) has issued the following statement following the pay award delay:

At this point in the year, we would ordinarily have received confirmation of the police pay award due to take effect in September. Unfortunately, no announcement has been made—and with Parliament now in summer recess until 1 September, it is unlikely we will hear anything further before then.

As a changed Federation, focused on putting members first, we are committed to sharing information with you as much as possible—whether it is good or bad.

The continued delay is simply unacceptable. Every other major public sector workforce has had their pay award confirmed. Yet once again, police officers—who are serving under intense pressure—have been left waiting. This failure does not rest with the Government alone. Chief Constables also have a responsibility to stand up for their officers and challenge a system that continues to undervalue those on the frontline.

The timing of this delay is particularly concerning. Officers are working flat out—responding to rising public order threats and being diverted from local policing to support personal visits by world leaders—and yet, with just weeks to go, they still don’t know what their September pay will be.

As your Federation, we are continuing to fight—holding both the Government and policing leaders to account—and stepping up our Copped Enough campaign to ensure your voice is heard. We encourage all members to show their support by signing the digital picket line and sharing the campaign with colleagues.

We will continue to keep you informed as this situation develops.

Thank you, as ever, for your continued service.

SHARE THE 'COPPED ENOUGH' CAMPAIGN: https://bit.ly/45j6SjL

24/07/2025

The Government has been accused of a “calculated” delay in the announcement of the 2025 police officer pay rise – as the service prepares for a summer of potential discontent.

As MPs across the country head off on their summer holidays, the nation’s police officers prepare for a busy period of work - with leave limited and mutual aid across the country required.

Memories remain fresh of the civil unrest of last summer – with fears similar scenes could happen once again.

And yet these same stretched officers still wait for the announcement of their 2025 pay award – scheduled to come in on 1 September.

Tiff Lynch, Chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said: “Anger is building. Every other public sector profession — from NHS staff to teachers and the Armed Forces — has had its annual pay award confirmed. Police officers, alone, are still waiting. With just weeks before the new pay period begins, there has been nothing but silence.

“It’s hard not to see that delay as calculated — an attempt to avoid fuelling discontent in a workforce already under strain. If that’s the plan, it is both cynical and dangerous. Officers don’t need a message of reassurance. They need action — and respect.”

She added in an article in the Telegraph: “Instead of strengthening our front line, we are continuing to sap its energy. More than 1,500 officers have been pulled from local forces to police a private visit by the US President. This was not a state occasion; it was a leisure trip.

“While he plays golf, communities hundreds of miles away are left without coverage, and already exhausted public order units are stretched even further. It would be comical if it weren’t so serious — and so familiar.

“Local commanders are once again being forced to choose between keeping the peace at home or plugging national gaps.”

This week it was revealed more than 17,700 UK police officers were signed off work over the past year due to stress, depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder.

It also emerged that 8,795 police officers left the 43 police forces in England and Wales in the past financial year - that's 6% of the workforce. The most common reason for leaving was voluntary resignation (53.1% of leavers).

Tiff concluded: “Through our Copped Enough campaign, we hear from officers who are at breaking point. Working relentless overtime, not as a choice but as an expectation. Taking second jobs to keep up with rising costs. Watching friends and colleagues walk away because the personal toll has become too great.

“Behind each uniform is a person — someone with a family, responsibilities, and limits. When officers are stretched to breaking point, the effects ripple far beyond the frontline. It impacts home lives, mental health, and long-term wellbeing. These are not just statistics or headlines. These are real people carrying the weight of a system in crisis.

“This goes far beyond pay. This is about whether the country still values the men and women who step forward when everything else breaks down. Right now, many of them feel utterly abandoned.”

22/07/2025

📞 24/7 MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS LINE LAUNCHED FOR POLICE OFFICERS AND STAFF

Police officers and staff across Hertfordshire now have round-the-clock access to a new confidential crisis line, providing immediate support for those experiencing mental health difficulties.

Launched yesterday (21 July) by Oscar Kilo, the National Police Wellbeing Service, the Mental Health Crisis Line is designed to help anyone in policing who may be struggling with issues such as suicidal thoughts, self-harm, grief, or exposure to trauma.

The helpline is staffed by trained and qualified counsellors who have extensive experience supporting emergency service personnel. They understand the specific pressures that come with a career in policing and are equipped to deliver immediate care, emotional support and follow-up assistance where appropriate.

Confidentiality is at the heart of the service. Nothing shared with the crisis line team will be passed to the Force, managers or occupational health. It’s a safe, non-judgmental space for officers and staff to speak freely and get the help they need.

MORE INFO: https://bit.ly/40tVGhD

21/07/2025

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21/07/2025

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16/07/2025

📈 NEW FIGURES SHOW SURGE IN POLICE OFFICERS TAKING SECOND JOBS

Hertfordshire Police Federation has warned of a deepening crisis in officer welfare as shocking new figures reveal that the number of officers taking second jobs has more than doubled in just five years.

Data obtained under the Freedom of Information Act shows that in 2019, 90 Hertfordshire Constabulary officers had second jobs. By 2024, that number had surged to 187, a 108 per cent increase.

Hertfordshire Police Federation chair Luke Mitchell said he is ‘disgusted’ and ‘shocked’ by the figures: “It’s frankly appalling that nearly 200 of our officers now feel forced to take on second jobs just to survive financially.

“These are professionals working in one of the most difficult and dangerous public service roles imaginable. That they have to spend their time off doing additional work to keep their heads above water is unacceptable and utterly disheartening.”

Luke said that this is ‘no longer about topping up income, it’s about survival’.

He continued: “Officers are telling us they’re struggling to pay rent, mortgages and feed their families. They’ve copped enough - and frankly, so have we.”

The figures were uncovered as part of the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) ‘Copped Enough’ campaign, which lays bare the devastating impact of falling police pay, rising workloads and soaring living costs on officer wellbeing and public safety.

The rise in second jobs in Hertfordshire reflects a national trend, with more than 4,000 police officers across England and Wales now registered with secondary employment - double the 2019 figure. The Federation says the increase is being driven by a long-term erosion in police pay, which has fallen by 21 per cent in real terms since 2010.

FULL STORY: https://bit.ly/40WM3Ii

29/06/2025

🕯 IN MEMORY

Today marks the first anniversary of the death of APS Reece Buckenham.

Reece, who was 36, died when his motorbike was in collision with a car as he rode home from a night shift on 29 June 2024. The father-of-two was travelling on the A10 between Rush Green and Great Amwell at the time of the accident which happened at around 7am.

‘Superhero daddy’ Reece was described by his family as a ‘wonderful father’ who ‘lit up any room with his smile and infectious personality’.

Hertfordshire Police Federation chair Luke Mitchell said: “Today will, I am sure, be a tough day for Reece’s family, friends and colleagues as they mark this first anniversary. Our thoughts remain with them.

“We also remember Reece’s service to the Force and to the people of Hertfordshire. It feels particularly sad that at the time of the accident, Reece had completed his shift and was returning home to his family.”

28/06/2025

🕯 IN MEMORY

Today marks the 20th anniversary of the death of Hertfordshire PC Kevin Church.

Kevin was killed in a motorcycle collision on 28 June 2005 while on a plain clothes policing operation. He was 46.

Luke Mitchell, chair of Hertfordshire Police Federation, said: “Today, as a Federation and a Force, we remember Kevin and the service he provided to the people of Hertfordshire, fighting and preventing crime, but we also remember his family, friends and colleagues as they mark this 20-year milestone. Our thoughts are with them.”

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