Essex Fed Chair meets with MPs to discuss pressing policing issues

POLICE assaults, IOPC investigations and the effects of the menopause on officers are all on the agenda as Essex Police Federation meets with the country’s MPs to represent members’ interests.

The Federation has been at the Labour Party Conference in Brighton and the Conservative event in Manchester to lobby Members of Parliament and build the vital relationships that will help them make change.

Steve Taylor, Essex Police Federation Chairman, said: “When we’re talking to people like the Shadow Home Secretary, the Shadow Policing Minister, and the Chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, it is important that Essex members’ views are represented at both forums so we get the opportunity to talk about some of the wider national work the Federation does.

“We’ll be talking to politicians about time limits on investigations into police officers, for example, the Protect the Protectors campaign, and the menopause work that’s recently kicked off. It’s important to put a national context, wrap it up with a local Essex view, and then build relationships with potential political leaders of the future.”

This “unseen work” carried out by the Federation is even more important with a general election on the cards.

Steve added: “We are trying to build and foster relationships with political leaders. It’s something that’s alien to most police officers as we’re a-political, which is right and proper. But this is one of those unique