The Defence Police Federation has spoken of the good news that new legislation going through Parliament aimed at protecting police officers in law will now include Ministry of Defence Police officers.
Colleagues from the Civil Nuclear Police and the British Transport Police will also now benefit from the protections offered in the upcoming Police Covenant, after an amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill was accepted in Parliament this week.
The Covenant will focus on officers’ and police staff members’ health and wellbeing and enshrine the support they receive in law.
However, the legislation when it was first introduced only applied to Home Office forces in England and Wales and excluded non-Home Office forces, such as the MOD Police, British Transport Police and the Civil Nuclear Constabulary.
Following extensive lobbying from the DPF, the British Transport Police Federation and the Civil Nuclear Police Federation – working together – the changes have been made to the Bill, which is currently going through Parliament.
DPF Federation Chairman Eamon Keating said: “This is great news that the Government will include our hard-working colleagues in the protections offered in the Police Covenant.
“And rightly so – our members are part of the Police Family and should never have been excluded.”
Eamon added: “This shows what can be achieved by the great team working by ourselves, our colleagues in the Civil Nuclear Police Federation and the British Transport Police Federation and we thank them for their help and support.
“Thank you also to Sarah Jones – shadow Police Minister – and to all Parliamentarians who have campaigned and spoken up on behalf of our members.
“We would now hope in the future going forward that following this error – and the debacle over our pensions – that the Government when discussing legislation that includes police officers will include us from the start.”
