(The Secretary of State for the
Home Department): Our outstanding police deserve
the upmost respect, support and recognition. Brave officers put
their lives on the line every day to keep us safe, demonstrating
remarkable courage, sacrifice and public duty.
They face extraordinary pressure as they protect the people they
tirelessly serve from terrorists, serious violence and
exploitation. Their families too often fear for their safety or
are left to pick up the pieces when something goes wrong.
From day one, this Government has put our world-class police
first and prioritised their wellbeing. That’s why we have
committed to introducing a Police Covenant in England and Wales
to recognise the exceptional job our frontline officers do in
unique and challenging circumstances.
We are determined to give our officers the enhanced support they
need, so I have accelerated work on this pledge to protect both
them and their loved ones. Our commitment to ensuring our police
have the recognition they deserve is absolute, so this Covenant
will be enshrined in law. This will leave no room for doubt,
creating a statutory duty to do more to support our police.
Police officers and staff are uniquely placed to tell me what
they need, so I am today launching a public consultation on what
the Police Covenant should look like. This sets out our proposals
to help the police in three key areas, to improve their
wellbeing, increase their physical protection, and support their
families.
We are asking for thoughts on our plans for the principle and
scope of the Police Covenant and for any new ideas to be
considered as at is developed.
The consultation will be available on GOV.UK ( here ) and will be open
for eight weeks. A copy of the consultation will also be placed
in the Libraries of both Houses. I would urge anyone connected
with policing, or who has ideas on how to protect our brave
officers, to respond.
Our outstanding police officers embody public service and do not
hesitate to run towards danger to keep us safe. Nothing is more
important that ensuring they have the support, protection and
recognition that they need to do their extraordinary job. This
consultation will explore how the Covenant can best deliver that.
I thank Members for their continued engagement on this important
issue.
