PW_3_2024

Keeping you informed

Keeping you informed

Let me start this time with an hello and welcome to our new editor of Police World Norman Hicks. Norman has taken over from our previous editor Neil Hallam and I very much look forward to this and subsequent editions when I have no doubt Norman will stamp his own style on our fabulous magazine.

I am sure you have heard the saying it is a small world. Well, my next encounter proves that really is the case. More about the detail later but on a recent trip to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on my international duties, we sat behind a couple with whom we exchanged pleasantries. They were a little disappointed having to stop in Rio de Janeiro to let us off as they thought their flight was direct to Buenos Aries. Anyway, wishing each other a pleasant journey Helen and I got off and got on with the business which was, for me, meetings in Brazil. At the end of the business part of our programme we had a social day and whilst at the top of Christ the Redeemer with the rest of the international board a chap approached us who I thought I recognised. Yes, it was the same couple that we had sat on the plane with, some ten days earlier! It turns out this was Brendan and Susan Hannelly, Rochdale Branch, Region 3. What an absolute pleasure it was to meet Section UK members so far from home. Since I last reported to you, my international duties have been taking a lot of my time. At the invitation of Section Italy, the International Board recently went to Sicily for a few days. Excellent food and hospitality and a great chance to understand how the new strategy for the next four years was being determined within a Section. After Italy, I flew to Poland with friends to celebrate a big birthday and whilst there I reached out to a friend, IPA member and deputy treasurer for the National Board of Poland, Zbigniew Tomaszek. It was lovely to meet up again with him and his wife, who kindly hosted us at their home for a lovely dinner and probably just one too many vodkas! Next came a meeting of the Northern European Forum (NEF) in Sion, Switzerland. This was an important and fruitful meeting and I’m grateful to the organising Section, particularly President JP Allet. As a group, we worked through some important issues which affect us all, including recruitment and retention and, interestingly for me, the sizeable sponsorship support that the Swiss Section receives. This is something we have agreed to try to develop here in the UK, with the additional Vice President’s post, which was announced at the National Council meeting in June.

Following this visit, the National Executive Committee agreed to host the Swiss Section next year. We have also agreed that, as part of our 75th celebrations for 2025, it would be appropriate for us to host the NEF here in the UK. Our current preference would be in Auchterarder, the Scottish Police convalescent facility, where I’m sure we will be able to include a visit to a local distillery! From the NEF I then travelled to the other “business” meeting in the calendar, which was the meeting of the Gimborn conversations. This year this was hosted by Section Denmark in the Faroe Islands. I suspect this had something to do with the fact that the president of Section Denmark, Michael Boolsen, is also the Commissioner of Police on the Faroe Islands. Another useful meeting with a similar agenda to the NEF. We were fortunate to be joined by the International President, Martin Hoffmann, who took the opportunity to take us through his vision for the coming years, again referring to the international strategy and the various work streams being undertaken as a part of that. Prior to the National Council meeting, I always meet with the Regional chairs to discuss and iron out the agenda. This is a useful meeting, as it can save time and disagreement in the main meeting of Council. This year, as I was at Fox Road for other matters and together with the assistance of former national Secretary General, Steve Bretherton, I utilised the zoom conference facilities now embedded at Fox Road. I found the technology worked well and the meeting, as always, a useful opportunity to catch up. I was a little disappointed that not all regions were represented at this important meeting but thank you to those chairs who were able to attend and represent the views of their regions. My thanks go to the 5 Region chair, Kieran English, secretary Helen Preece and regional minutes secretary, Fred Rankin, as well as the local branch chair for Lincolnshire, Derek Canton for hosting the NEC. We had a great meeting and enjoyed a super dinner in the evening. Following our meeting, in the afternoon we had a walking tour of Lincoln by official tour guide and IPA member Brian Taylor. Sadly, Brian was taken unwell and had to leave us early. We have since heard that he was taken quite poorly and we would all wish Brian a speedy recovery.

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POLICE WORLD Vol 69 No.3, 2024

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