The proposed measure in the upcoming Sentencing Bill which will allow for the publication of names and photos of people subject to an unpaid work requirement is opposed by members of the Probation Service. This controversial measure seems to be trying to appeal to right wing voters and sensationalist press and we believe has been […]
Conference motions
Conference, the BBC Panorama program broadcast on Wednesday 1st October 2025 made for difficult viewing. When this sort of behaviour comes to light, it reflects on all of us who work in policing. We know that the majority of police officers and police staff are dedicated to providing a respectful, professional and fair service to […]
In September 2025 staff at a Probation Office in the Eastern Region were confronted by Right-Wing activists following protests outside council offices regarding their opposition to “Immigration Hotels”. Probation staff reported that demonstrators were in the staff car park and were not going to let staff leave unless they identified themselves. The demonstrators also made […]
Following that the High Court has ruled that participation by police officers in a Pride event was unlawful on the basis that it breached duties of impartiality; this conference believes that Police Staff members as employees have the right to be involved and take part in Pride events across the UK and to express their […]
Conference notes that the government’s Sentencing Review is exploring options to once again involve private companies in the delivery of community sentences. Including models where offenders carry out unpaid labour for private profit, with proceeds potentially directed towards victim support. As a trade union, we must firmly oppose any plans that amount to forced labour […]
Conference notes with concern the direction of travel of Accredited Programmes in the Probation Service over the past few years. The imposition of the Next Generation of programmes AKA Building Choices, saw the removal of the specialist sex offender programme and the disbandment of those specialist teams – a move that was strongly opposed by […]
Conference notes that the government’s Spending Review is prioritising a “cost-conscious culture across public services that roots out waste, drives efficiency, and protects taxpayers’ money”. These are words taken directly from the Spending Review however it is important to note that these words should not be interpreted to mean the on-going underfunding of public services […]
Conference notes that the Labour government has continued the Police Uplift Programme which has led to the continued surge in officer recruitment with significant investment and political focus. However, this officer focused approach has come at the expense of Police Staff. The uplift has placed unsustainable pressure on overall policing budgets, leading to Police staffing […]
Conference notes the Inspection into activism and impartiality conducted by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) which was published in September 2024. The inspection was commissioned by the previous government to review police involvement in politically contested matters, including “gender identity politics, critical race theory and climate activism”, as well […]
Conference welcomes the commitment of the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), and police services nationally, to the collection of data to better understand the demographic make-up of police services. College of Policing Guidance for Forces in Requesting Workforce Data (published in 2022) acknowledges the reluctance of staff to share protected characteristic data, especially around sexual […]
Conference since Police Forces have had to start making savings, Police Staff have been the ‘easy option’ to remove and replace with police officers. Our conferences over the last decade bear this out. With the inevitable cost cutting also comes the unskilled Police Officer put into the vacated role. The result is that any police […]
The Probation service claims it is committed to providing a workplace free from discrimination, where staff feel valued and safe and where diversity is celebrated. But do they really mean that? Or is this all words without any substance? Our members frequently find themselves experiencing discrimination. The Service claims it takes these matters seriously it […]
Probation Service reps are noticing an increase in the number of disciplinaries which feature the use of CCTV as evidence against our members. The current disciplinary policy does not mention the use of CCTV and only refers to the disclosure of documentary evidence. The CCTV framework policy also does not reference disclosing CCTV footage to […]
Sexual harassment remains a widespread and persistent issue in workplaces across the Police Probation and Cafcass Service group. Many workers experience harassment at work but feel unable to report it due to fear of victimisation or lack of effective support. Employers continually fail to take proactive steps to prevent sexual harassment. Despite improvements, existing reporting […]
One HMPPS – unless its pay, then it’s not. Earlier this year the Probation Service rolled out its shiny new Bail Information Service. As part of this, they developed the role of Bail Information Officer. The Probation Service failed to consult with the Trade Unions on this matter and subsequently lost a Trade Dispute brought […]