LGBT+ Hate Crime

Conference is concerned about the rise in hate crime against the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender plus (LGBT+) community over recent years. Although there is no direct evidence as to the root cause of this, Brexit and a reduction in police staff numbers due to austerity are considered to be contributing to empowering a shift […]

Promoting Inclusion and Diversity in Sports

Conference notes that LGBT+ people continue to face discrimination and exclusion in areas of sport and face barriers in terms of accessing sport, both as a fan and as a participant. People continue to be exposed to homophobic, biphobic and transphobic language, and although this might not always be directed at individuals this impacts on […]

Promoting and Expanding LGBT+ Education in Schools

Conference, new statutory Government guidance was issued in 2019 for on Relationship and Sex Education (RSE). RSE covers a range of subjects including families, carers, friendships, relationships, sexual health, safety, consent, abuse, sex and love. From September 2020, all primary schools will be required to teach relationships education and all secondary schools will be required […]

LGBT+ Ally Training

Conference, it is no secret that LGBT+, people have a worse experience at work than people who identify as cis-gender and heterosexual. The Government Equalities Office in 2018 stated that 23% of respondents to their survey had experienced negative reactions from people in their workplace due to being, or the perception of them being, LGBT+. […]

Working to protect the Human Rights of LGBT+ People around the world

Conference, ILGA (the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association) have just published their 2019 Sexual Orientation Laws across the world map. It makes alarming reading. There are still 6 countries in the world with the death penalty for being gay, 26 where you can get 10 years in prison and 31 where you […]

Career progression for Police Staff

In the recent survey that UNISON undertook into wellbeing amongst Police Staff nearly 80% of respondents said that they had no defined career structure. Conference rightly agrees that this is unacceptable to both the individual staff members and also the forces. Forces need to work harder to retain talented and hardworking police staff. Conference also […]

Supporting LGBT+ members in police and justice

Conference notes that despite the government telling us that ‘austerity is over’ cuts to our public services continue, with lack of funding to police and justice services causing mass job losses, department closures, and outsourcing. Whilst UNISON leads the way in the fight to save jobs there are times when jobs cannot be saved, such […]

Privatisation of Approved Premises

Conferences notes that… Approved Premises or AP’s are one of the core elements of the Probation Service’s responsibilities. They accommodate, in local communities, recently released prisoners to support and enable them to return to society post release from custody, most often from lengthy sentences. The National Probation Service (NPS) is moving its AP estate from […]

Serious Further Offences

Conference notes that the current process for Serious Further Offences (SFO’s) in the National Probation Service is to assess the quality of practice in the management of an individual case leading up to the SFO. Conference further notes that during this investigation, information is gleaned in order to improve future practice. The process is not […]

National Collective Bargaining and Protecting Members’ Terms and Conditions

Conference recognises the importance of national collective bargaining for the protection of members’ terms and conditions across all sectors in the Service Group. The Police Staff Council for England and Wales and the Police Scotland and the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS) negotiating machineries are essential for this protection. National collective […]

Custody – Is it Time for a Detention Officer to Cell Capacity Ratio?

Conference will recognise the devastating impact on staffing levels in the police service as a result of Austerity led reductions in funding to the service. Many cell blocks have been closed and staff made redundant or not replaced when they leave to save money. As a result, our members in Custody are often being forced to […]

Bring Back All Probation Work into the Public Sector at Local Level

Conference notes that the government intends to leave unpaid work, programmes and other rehabilitative services out in the private or voluntary sector when offender management is transferred into National Probation Service (NPS) Wales/NPS in 2019 and 2021. Conference is totally opposed to this latest arbitrary split in probation which will only serve to extend and […]

A Call to End Overly Intrusive Vetting Practices

Conference recognises the necessity for all police staff and officers to undergo vetting checks before a career in the police service begins. It is also acknowledged that these checks need to be reviewed at regular intervals, for the safety of staff, the public and the police service. However, many Forces are overreaching their authority by […]

Time for a Police Staff Mobile App

Conference will note that since the introduction of the revised Police Staff Council Pay & Conditions of Service Handbook in April 2017 many of our members continue to struggle to understand their workplace rights. Our members often have to make immediate decisions and will most likely not have quick access to the Handbook and Guide […]

Future Model of Probation

Conference notes the Government’s intentions to dismantle its failed Transforming Rehabilitation reforms by bringing all offender management work currently undertaken by the private Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) under the control and direction of the public sector National Probation Service (NPS). Whilst Conference welcomes the return of this important part of probation to public ownership, Conference […]