Elections to the National Executive Committee 2019

At the Annual Conference of the Defence Police Federation, to be held in June 2019, it will be necessary to hold elections to the National Executive Committee from both the Northern and Southern Areas. 

Rule 9 of the Rules & Constitution of the Defence Police Federation (2017 version) lays out the election process for the National Executive Committee. 

Rule 9 (d) stipulates that following the nomination process, voting for seats on the National Executive Committee will take place at the Annual Conference. Voting will be by the Branch Representatives present from the Area in question.

The nomination process having been completed; I am pleased to advise the following:

Northern Area

There are two vacancies for Northern Area representatives on the National Executive Committee. 

CASOC has received two valid nominations in the names of:

Mick Reynolds (Firearms)

and

Davy Rodden (MDP / CNI St. Fergus)

A ballot is required in this instance of Northern Area Branch Representatives present at the Annual Conference to determine which nominated member serves for a 3-year term of office and which nominated member serves for a 1-year term of office. 

Whichever nominated member receives the highest number of votes will receive the 3-year term. The other nominated member will receive the 1-year term. 

Southern Area

There is one vacancy for a Southern Area representative on the National Executive Committee. 

CASOC has received two valid nominations in the names of:

Noel Collins (AWE Aldermaston)

and

Paul Hunter (MOD Oakhanger)

A ballot is required in this instance of Southern Area Branch Representatives present at the Annual Conference to determine which nominated member will be elected to the one vacancy. The successful nominated member will receive a 3-year term of office.

The successful nominated members will take their seats on the National Executive Committee immediately following the declaration of the ballot for each Area.

Federation biographies for each of the nominated members is given below for your information.

 

DEFENCE POLICE FEDERATION BIOGRAPHIES

NORTHERN AREA 

Name:  Michael Reynolds

Age:  52 / Length of Federation Membership:  28 years

I joined the MDP in May 1991 being posted to Marchwood. In 1992 whilst at that Station I attained the position on the Station Committee of Branch Secretary and since that time I have held Federation Representative Status wherever I have served.

As the Federation evolved, I became the sole Marchwood station Federation Representative; this led to a position on the Southern Area Committee for a number of years progressing to the roles of Southern Area Vice-Chairman and then Area Chairman, a position that I held until the latest Federation reorganisation reduced the areas to two and dispensed with Area Committees. 

In June 2003 I moved to a full time Firearms role with South East Division Firearms Training Team and became Branch Representative for the newly created South East Division HQ Branch of the Federation. In mid-2014 I became Branch Representative for the newly formed Firearms Branch, a position that I still hold to date.

As part of the responsibility of being Southern Area Chairman I served on the National Executive Committee for around six years. I had responsibility for the Health & Safety Portfolio of the Federation and organised & ran Branch Rep Health & Safety courses. I am a current member of the NEC & have responsibility for the Firearms Portfolio. I have held that responsibility for a number of years whether as a serving NEC Member or not.

I have been an Accredited Federation Friend for twelve years and have organised & ran initial Friend courses for both Southern & Northern Areas on a number of occasions. I have been a trained Federation Post Incident Friend since May 2014 and acted as such following a recent incident.

 

DEFENCE POLICE FEDERATION BIOGRAPHIES

NORTHERN AREA

Name: David Rodden

Age: 51 / Length of Federation Membership:  29 years

I have been a DPF member since joining the Force in 1990. 

I became the Branch Rep at St Fergus in 2012 until present and have had a busy time representing the station on many issues but especially with welfare cases. With the representation of a DPF rep, our disciplinary record has massively improved during this period. I have successfully represented officers at the former IGAP hearings for the unfair treatment they received regarding job opportunities. 

I was also instrumental in formulating the business case to find a solution to the historical recruitment and retention issues that plagued St Fergus, as a result of this, CNI Scotland now receive a 5K recruitment and retention allowance which has proven to be successful. 

I consider myself to be quite a proactive Branch Rep as I am sure the Northern Area secretary and DPF HQ would acknowledge.  

If I am successful in my application for an NEC position, I appreciate that I would be given a portfolio. Given my length of service and experience, especially within CNI and overseas policing, I feel I can offer a strategic approach to any portfolio given to me. 

I have also obtained an IOSH health and safety certificate which will help to assist in all H&S matters. 

Earlier this year I became an accredited DPF friend and I am hoping to partake in any future PIP and PFOA Mental Health awareness courses. 

With my length of service and experience, I feel I can add to the existing experience of the current NEC and National Officers in the hope that as a collective committee, we can continue to assist, represent and protect our members and ultimately leave a legacy of working practices and conditions that our members deserve. I am aware of the expectations on consultation, attending meetings and being available outside of working hours and I am prepared to make that commitment.

 

DEFENCE POLICE FEDERATION BIOGRAPHIES

SOUTHERN AREA

Name:  Noel Collins

Age:  52 / Length of Federation Membership:  12 years

I am a Constable based at Aldermaston and I would like to stand for the position of Southern Area NEC Rep of the Defence Police Federation.

I became Aldermaston Branch Chairman in 2010, serving on the Southern Area JBB and then stood for the National Executive Committee after a qualifying period in June 2014. 

On appointment to the National Executive Committee I took on responsibility of the Radiological Protection Portfolio and then further to that I took on the Health and Safety Portfolio, which is a wide-ranging Portfolio with possibly the most beneficial impact for our officers. 

Because of these Portfolios I have represented the DPF viewpoint in many strategic level meetings at Wethersfield and consulted on various policies.

I consider my role on the NEC as to continue representing the needs of our officers on every level, and every topic, particularly Fitness, Medical, Health and Safety and if possible, progress to the next level on all of these areas of concern.

In pursuit of this I have recently undertaken the nationally accredited Nebosh course of National General Certificate in Health and Safety. I have concluded the training period over two months in this and taken three exams in that period. I was fortunate enough to pass NGC1 and have to wait until June and then July, for the results of NGC2 and NGC3. 

Thank you for your time in considering this.

 

DEFENCE POLICE FEDERATION BIOGRAPHIES

SOUTHERN AREA

Name:  Paul Hunter

Age:  52 / Length of Federation Membership:  28 years

I have served in the MDP for over 28 years. I have been an active DPF representative most of my service being the branch representative at all the stations I have served at, namely Feltham Station, Feltham APT, LATCC West Drayton and currently MoD Oakhanger.

During this time, I also served on the DPF Southern Area Committee / Joint Branch Board until it was abolished as part of the DPF restructuring process.

I was tasked with undertaking a review of the Defence Wide services the MDP provide to both the department and wider government including OSU/DSG/CSG, dogs, CID, SEG along with search teams etc. I drafted briefing papers for use by the DPF national officers in support of these specialist units during the force cost cutting and reset reviews following the MoD PR 09 planning round.

At the start of 2015 I was asked to undertake a comprehensive review of the DPF honoraria scheme. It had long been recognised that the scheme was outdated and this review needed to ensure that the scheme was brought up to date, relevant and recognised the contributions made not only by full time DPF officials but also by individual branch representatives, DPF friends and other DPF members who go above and beyond to assist and support others. I co-authored the report revising the scheme which was accepted un-amended by annual conference in June 2015 and forms the basis of the current honoraria scheme.

I am currently the Chairman of the DPF Pension Sub-Committee and hold the pension portfolio.

In this role I have arranged and chaired meetings of the pension sub-committee, attended meetings with senior Cabinet Office and MoD officials as well as with our legal advisors during the public sector pension reform process. I have entered into written correspondence with these officials which has afforded us the opportunity to gain a better understanding of how the reforms would impact our members and ensure that the specialist status of the MDP was highlighted during the process.

Following the implementation of the public sector pension reforms I have continued to arrange pension sub-committee meetings when required as well as meet with the DPF legal team, correspond with the Cabinet Office, the department as well as MyCSP and advise the national officers along with the NEC on pension related matters.

I have attended DPF sponsored Parliamentary events along with other DPF representatives to raise the profile and challenges faced by the MDP and the DPF to members of both the House of Commons and House of Lords, especially in relation to pensions and the impact of the higher pension age compared to our Home office colleagues.  

I have been the lead complainant in judicial review, employment tribunal and pension ombudsman proceedings challenging the Government as well as the department regarding decisions and actions around the pension reforms and TACoS implementation.

I continue to receive numerous pension related enquiries and issues via DPF head office, the area secretaries, welfare officer, branch representatives and directly from individual members which I try to answer or resolve as quickly as possible. I have established an avenue within MyCSP compliance department in which to raise and address more serious or complex issues. 

 

DPF HQ / CASOC