PW_2_2024

Sports

Police UK Disability Sport Police UK Disability Sport (PUKDS) was set up to provide a sustainable platform in adaptive sports within the UK’s policing community. It aims to provide support through sports recovery, whilst also providing mental health well-being support to all of its members. T he founder Gary Callier, a serving police officer with British Transport Police was medically discharged from the British Army in 2015, where he competed in Army championships, winning medals in several events. He left the Army with a degenerative spinal condition, anxiety and depression. After receiving a spinal procedure in 2018, he applied for the role of a police officer and for selection to the Invictus Games, just in case the procedure was successful. Going from barely being able to walk, to within two weeks of the procedure being done, Gary was back running and within just a matter of months, back on the track sprinting and off all pain medication. Gary’s application to join BTP was successful and after gaining full fitness, he started his career as a police officer in 2019, just six months after the operation. Gary was also successful in being selected to represent Team UK at the Invictus Games. In 2023, Gary’s condition worsened to the point where he needed walking sticks, and at times a wheelchair. So, Gary made the decision to leave mainstream athletics events and move into adaptive sport. He started to train in wheelchair sports: Rugby and Basketball, Sitting Volleyball and Wheelchair racing and fixed throws in Discus and Shot Put. In September 2023 at the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf, Gary won seven medals, and a few personal bests. After the Invictus Games, Gary found that there were no adaptive sports offered within the police community. So had the idea to set up exactly that. On 1st November 2023 PUKDS was launched. (PUKDS) Gary Callier , British Transport Police Branch

Now, PUKDS provides sporting activities to all police officers and staff, who have been: wounded, injured, living with a physical impairment or disability, long term illness and/or mental health or neurodiversity. It is our mission to be fully inclusive in providing long term care through sports recovery, working with our partners to deliver physical and psychological care through collaboration to all those that need it. Members are able to take part in sports at any level, whether that is training on a regular basis, to competing in the leagues or maybe going for team selection for Home Nations and Team UK. We are reaching out to all members of the police community to take part in adaptive sports, whether you are able to compete in mainstream sports or not, maybe you are no longer able to compete in a sport that you love for any reason, finding an adaptive sport is a way that you can stay engaged in sport, build up connections and find a new sport to love.

We currently offer; • Athletics: track and field • Badminton • Sitting volleyball • Table Tennis • Wheelchair Basketball • Wheelchair Rugby

We are looking to expand into additional sports for 2025, including;

• Archery • Cycling • Golf • Indoor rowing

• Power lifting • Squash • Swimming • Tennis

We will be working with the International Police Association (IPA) to help raise awareness of police disability sport and to assist in creating the international competitions through fair play and inclusive sport. So, if you are an IPA member and think you would like to get involved, you can contact us directly or through IPA VP Karen Duckworth at Karenduckworthipa@outlook.com

POLICE WORLD Vol 69 No.2, 2024

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