- Conference
- 2022 Police & Justice Service Group Conference
- Date
- 29 June 2022
- Decision
- Carried
As a result of the release of Part 1 of the Winsor report, there became a requirement for police officers to prove their ability to remain fit for their role and for this to be tested annually. The JRFT became the test that to be successfully completed before personal safety training could be taken.
It was never intended to be used for members of police staff and has never been discussed at the Police Staff Council.
Some forces, despite objections made at the time by UNISON, took the decision to apply the JRFT to groups of police staff employee’s e.g. PCSOs and Detention Officers.
The standards applied to the JRFT make no allowances for either the nature of the police staff role.
Nor does the JRFT make any allowances for any person with disabilities, menopausal woman or the fact we have an ageing workforce.
Increasingly the failure of police staff to successfully complete the JRFT is leading to disciplinary, redeployment and dismissals.
In summary we say the JRFT is not fit for purpose.
Conference this motion calls upon the Service Group Executive to survey branches to collect data on the use of the JRFT: Open discussion with relevant bodies including the Police Staff Council, NPCC and C.o.P. with a view to eradicating this risk to our members continued employment.