The DPA is pleased to announce that the 2025 Disability in Policing Conference will take place from 29^th-30^th September at the Radisson Blu Hotel, East Midlands Airport

Our theme this year is: ‘How to maximise the diverse abilities of your police workforce, retaining their skills and experience’.

The conference will help and inspire you to:

• Invest in equality, diversity and inclusion posts
• Save money, as investment reduces number of employment tribunals, estimated cost £100,000 each
• Improve public confidence because we are getting it right for staff
• Increase reporting of disability hate crime
• Acknowledge the disability pay gap for recruitment and retention

The conference will be live streamed to allow wider access.

The annual Disability in Policing Awards will take place on the evening of 29^th September. Nominations for these will open soon, so please start to think about your amazing colleagues and friends who you could nominate for the following categories:

• Coaching and Mentoring Diverse Abilities
• Service to Disabled Communities
• Inspiration to Others
• Leading with Diverse Abilities
• Lifetime Achievement Award
• Officer with Diverse Abilities
• Staff Member with Diverse Abilities
• Volunteer with Diverse Abilities
• Disability Advocate of the Year (whether disabled or not)

The conference is Continuing Professional Development (CPD) accredited with ten CPD points.

For more information, visit the conference website. There are limited spaces available, so register now to secure your place.

If you have any questions regarding the conference, please contact CJS Event Solutions on register@cjsevents.co.uk or 0333 222 4061. ∎

25^th June 2025 marks the launch of the Disabled Police Association’s strategic vision for the coming years.

The new Strategy, which replaces the DPA’s previous Action Plan, sets out how as a national staff support association we will champion fairness and equality for disabled officers and staff across the UK police service.

DPA President Andrea Shoetan said: “This is an exciting week for the DPA as we push to get disability into the national agenda for all police forces by creating our own Pledge. We are asking all Chief Constables, Commissioners, Police Crimes Commissioners and Mayors to sign this to pledge their commitment to our key aims held within the DPA Force requirements.”

During the remainder of 2025, the DPA will strive to get all police forces signed up to the DPA Pledge.

Our strategy includes:

• Our Vision
• Our Mission
• Our Membership
• Short and long-term goals and objectives

Click on the link to view the Strategy webpage. ∎

Following the end of tenure of DPA President Tracy Betts, we are pleased to announce that Inspector Andrea Shoetan from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary has been appointed as Interim President of the Disabled Police Association.

Andrea comments: “I am honoured to have been elected as interim President of the Disabled Police Association. I hope to honour the hard work and commitment of all previous Presidents as I take the baton.

“I will be working with Tracy Betts, the current President, during this transition to learn as much as I can from her. I want to personally thank Tracy for her inspirational leadership of the DPA for the past two years. Tracy leaves a legacy of essential workstreams she initiated to benefit policing. I will ensure I do this work justice.

“The DPA Committee are euthanistic and driven. I look forward to working together with them to continue to raise the national profile of disability within policing. Supporting our staff and providing adjustments to remove potential barriers benefits everyone: it is a ‘must have’ – not a ‘nice to have’ – it helps with recruitment, retention, and service delivery to the public.

“I am excited about the journey ahead and what we will achieve together.

“Thank you in advance for your support.”

Andrea will remain in post until the 2025 Annual General Meeting, at which time elections will take place for the role of President and positions on the DPA Executive and Committee. ∎