Police chairman responds to councillor's criticisms

The chairman of the Warwickshire Police Federation has hit back at a senior district councillor over controversial criticisms of the county’s police force last week.

During a meeting of the council on 25 July, Cllr Robert Vaudry labelled officers as scruffy and raised doubts over the force’s ability to tackle crimes of racism and xenophobia.

Speaking this week Simon Payne Chairman of the Warwickshire Police Federation, said: “Councillor Vaudry has every right to raise important issues on behalf of those he represents. But what is equally important is how those issues are raised, the manner in which they are raised, and the tone of how they are raised.

“Such challenges are important, but, and it’s an important but, I would ask Cllr Vaudry to reflect on how he delivered such an important challenge on behalf of the communities he represents. To label all the men and women that police our historic town as “ineffective, incompetent and inept” was astonishing, especially given that so many live locally and are proud of that fact and of the work they do within their local communities.

“Policing is not perfect, it never has been and never will be. However every officer I represent strives to deliver a police service that we can be proud of, that is great at delivering protection to those that most need it and a police service that continues to be the envy of the world.

“In a country that invented policing, where we police by consent, I and every serving member of the police service never forget the words of Sir Robert Peel, the founder of policing; “To maintain at all times a relationship with the public that gives reality to the historic tradition that the police are the public and that the public are the police”.

“I am a serving officer with nearly 30 years’ service. I represent constables, sergeants, inspectors and chief inspectors within Warwickshire Police. I am democratically elected similar to Cllr Vaudry. So on behalf of my members I say to this Cllr Vaudry; Your local police are effective, are competent and are skilful, and I believe that is what the public of Stratford believe.”

Mr Payne called Warwickshire Police chief constable Martin Jelley one of the best in the country and said Cllr Philip Seccombe would be a very good crime commissioner.