PRESS RELEASE: DPA comments following Limited Duties conference

“Supporting Operational Resilience” DPA Limited Duties Conference, 13th January 2016 Salvation Army Citadel, St Chads, Queensway, Birmingham

The Disabled Police Association recently held a national limited duties Conference entitled “Supporting operational resilience”. West Midlands Police hosted the event that was opened by David Wilkin, Director of Resources. The theme for the conference was “Improving Deployability” and was useful to participants in enabling them to better understand the subject of ‘X-Factor’ pay reductions. Attendees also received informative presentations from Slater and Gordon Solicitors, The Police Federation of England and Wales, members of the Disabled Police Association Executive Committee and representatives of West Midlands Police Force.

The meeting provided a fine opportunity to network and discuss some of the pressing issues facing disabled people in the police service across the UK resulting from the new Limited Duties regulations. All participants in attendance were able to contribute to a constructive debate around Limited Duties reforms. Those participating came from a variety of backgrounds ranging from serving police officers and staff, Federation and Union representatives through to HR specialists and lawyers. In essence the meeting provided a mechanism to pull together views and ideas as to how the police service might consider addressing the proposals outlined in the Winsor report.

Visiting speakers included Andy Fittes, General Secretary of the Police Federation; DPA Vice-Chair Andy Garrett; Chair of the Metropolitan Police Staff Association Simon Tovee; and Tristan Hallam and Simon Cuthbert of Slater and Gordon Solicitors providing legal opinion.

Our congratulations were extended to Mr Mick Braycotton of WMP who was recently elected as national “Vice-Chair for Police Staff” within the Disabled Police Association. DPA Chair Robert Gurney said: “I have no doubt that he will be an extremely valuable asset to the police service and especially the disabled communities that we support”.

You may note that the DPA exists with no financial provision whatsoever and we rely on the generosity of Chief Officer Teams supporting us by acting as host forces to our quarterly meetings as we move around the UK.

Robert Gurney
Chair of the Disabled Police Association