Police Federation for Northern Ireland facts for kids
The Police Federation for Northern Ireland (PFNI) is a special group that represents all police officers in the Police Service of Northern Ireland. This includes officers up to the rank of Chief Inspector, as well as part-time officers. The Federation was started on July 15, 1971, to look after the interests of police officers. As of June 2016, it had about 6,800 members. The current chairman is Liam Kelly.
Contents
What is the Police Federation?
The Police Federation acts like a voice for police officers in Northern Ireland. Its main goal is to make sure officers are well looked after and can do their jobs effectively. They work to improve the "Welfare and Efficiency" of the police service.
How it's Organized
The Federation is set up to represent officers from different areas. It has representatives from five large regions and many smaller districts within them. A certain number of representatives are chosen from each rank, like constables, sergeants, and inspectors.
Most regions are based on the geography of Northern Ireland. However, one region is just for officers in special departments like training, road policing, and crime operations. The Federation holds meetings regularly throughout the year.
Officers vote to elect a Central Committee. This committee then chooses four full-time leaders: a Chairman, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, and Treasurer. These leaders are elected every three years.
What the Federation Does
The Federation does many important things for police officers. It helps manage a special fund called the RUCGC - PSNI Benevolent Fund, which supports officers and their families. They also provide legal advice to officers when needed.
Representatives from the Federation regularly meet with important government officials. These include the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and sometimes even the Prime Minister. During these meetings, they discuss important topics like officers' pay, pensions, and working conditions. They also share ideas about how the police service can work better.
The Federation is also part of an international group called the European Confederation of Police (EUROCOP). This group helps police forces across Europe work together and discuss common issues. The Federation also attends conferences in other countries like the United Kingdom, United States of America, and Republic of Ireland.
Helping Police Officers
The Federation offers many services to its members. These services fall into different groups:
- General Services: This includes things like access to police treatment centers and a credit union.
- Health & Safety: They provide information about safety rules and help with appeal boards.
- Health Services: They offer plans for dental care and private health schemes.
- PFNI Applications: They help officers apply for legal advice or lottery funding.
- Travel Services: They offer benefits like family travel insurance and special rates for hotels and ferries.
The Federation works in a way that is similar to a trade union. However, police forces in Northern Ireland do not have the legal right to go on strike action.
Working for Peace
In 1999, the Federation made a statement about making big changes to help bring peace to Northern Ireland. They suggested ways to encourage more people from different backgrounds to join the police force. They also asked for more investment in training for officers.
The Federation stated that the police force, which was then called the Royal Ulster Constabulary, was changing and ready to adapt. They wanted to keep the name of the police service, as it honored officers who had been hurt or killed during The Troubles. They also wanted to keep the dark green uniform and symbols like the harp and crown, as they felt these represented everyone.
Other ideas they shared included wanting neutral working areas for officers. They also preferred the police to be an unarmed force, like the police in Britain and the Garda Síochána in the Republic of Ireland. They believed the police should be free from political control. They also felt that people who had been involved in violence should not join the police. Finally, they believed that a divided police force would not work in Northern Ireland because of its small population.
