Drunken Jolly Claims

If this piece in The Times is anything to go by, the press is beginning to turn up the heat on the Police Federation, the police trade union.

Scrutiny will intensify as Westminster MPs in the House of Commons debate the role of the Police Federation - and in the wake of an independent report into the union by Sir David Normington which has recommended greater professionalism, transparency and accountability.  

Now any organisation facing criticism of that kind would do well to listen to what people have to say, especially in light of the Plebgate scandal.

Police ‘treated memorial day as a drunken jolly’

The Police Federation headquarters are in a lavish complex in Surrey

By Sean O’Neill

Police Federation officials were accused yesterday of treating a national memorial service for fallen officers as a “drunken jolly”.

The widow of an officer who died in a road accident while on duty took to social media to express her anger about the antics of officials of the police staff association at last year’s National Police Memorial Day in Cardiff.

“Their drunken excess upsets families every year, hangovers at the service — it’s a memorial not a party,” wrote the woman, who asked not to be named.

She complained that while the families of fallen officers struggled with the cost of travelling to the service, federation officials had their travel and accommodation expenses reimbursed.

She added: “Every year at National Police Memorial Day families are upset at Fed treating it like a drunken jolly, getting drunk on Fed credit cards. Every year the reps upset grieving families with their drunken antics late into the night and they treat it like a holiday.”

The federation, which represents 125,000 rank and file officers, is under intensive scrutiny as MPs prepare to debate this week whether they should legislate to reform it.

A programme for radical reform of the organisation, which was set up by law in 1919, was outlined last month in a report by Sir David Normington that urged greater professionalism, transparency and accountability.

The report, commissioned by the federation after criticism in the aftermath of its involvement in the “plebgate” scandal, revealed the existence of secretive “number two” accounts which hold an estimated £30 million of members’ money but are not available for inspection. It called for an “openness commitment” to include publication of expenses policies, hospitality given and received, bonus payments and minutes of meetings.

Federation leaders have declared their support for the proposed reforms but Fiona McElroy, head of communications, who was brought in to help drive the change programme, has been dismissed and Chris Webb, a senior adviser, has cut his ties with the body. Ms McElroy is believed to have clashed with federation leaders on issues including proposals that they publish their expenses, allowances and claims.

The organisation’s headquarters are in a lavish complex in Leatherhead, Surrey, on which a mortgage of more than £10 million has been paid off in recent years. The building houses a hotel, bars, swimming pool and gymnasium.

“Grace and favour” flats are provided in an adjacent block for 11 senior officials who remain serving police officers even though many have been full-time federation representatives for years.

A spokesman said that no complaints had been received about representatives’ behaviour at the memorial day. “We are not aware of any direct complaints about behaviour at National Police Memorial Day, which is an extremely sombre and poignant occasion. Any such complaints would be taken extremely seriously,” he said.