Police Federation national chair John Apter has announced he is standing down at the next leadership elections.
John was the first national chair to be elected by Federation members when he took over the role in August 2018 but has decided not to seek re-election.
Announcing his decision, he said: “This role is a privilege to hold and it truly is an honour to do what I do. However, I feel after a pretty eventful three and a half years for the Police Federation and for policing in general, and with almost 30 years’ service, it’s time for me to move on.
“I’ve been a Fed rep for as long as I can remember; I love what the Federation and our reps do and I couldn’t be more proud of the small part I have played.
“A lot has happened since I became national chair, both professionally and personally; it’s been relentless. In all that time, all I have ever done is my best, and I hope that in some small way I have helped make a positive difference.
“I will continue to do my very best until the new national chair takes up the position in April 2022 and I wish them well in this exciting and unique role. It’s truly something special.”
In a tribute to John, Cambridgeshire Police Federation chair Liz Groom said: “We wish John all the best in his next chapter and would like to thank him for all his hard work and efforts over the last three-and-a-half years.
“Leading an organisation such as the Police Federation can often be a difficult and thankless task and John’s tenure has coincided with one of the most extraordinary and challenging periods in the history of policing.
“But he has always ensured that officer welfare has been kept high on the agenda as a top priority as the pressure on policing has continued to increase in recent years.”