Cambridgeshire Police Federation chair Liz Groom has criticised comments by the Home Secretary that policing is politically correct and woke as “unnecessary, unhelpful and divisive”.
Liz was responding to a speech by Suella Braverman at the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) and National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) Partnership Summit in which the Home Secretary said the way to ensure public confidence in the police was “to focus on getting the basics right”.
Ms Braverman added: “What I call common sense policing. The kind of policing the law-abiding patriotic majority deserves and expects.
“No politically correct distractions, just good old-fashioned policing – with a relentless focus on making our streets, homes and transport networks safer.”
During her speech, she praised Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Stephen Watson, saying “he rejects woke policing and embraced a back to basics approach”.
Ms Braverman added: “Our police officers’ time is precious, and the public want the police to be tackling crime, not debating genders on Twitter.”
Liz said: “Such comments from the Home Secretary about the work of our members are unnecessary and unhelpful. They only serve to divide when we need to work together.
“We have to ensure that every community and every part of society feels we’re there for them. We have to build the relationships and the trust we need to police by consent.
“We know that by working with our communities and gaining their trust, we’re more effective and are more likely to have people in those communities come forward and help us with our work.
“That’s not woke, that’s what I call common sense policing.”
Liz added: “The Home Secretary’s comments are yet another distraction from the real issues facing our members.
“And that’s poor pay which means many of our members are struggling to make ends meet through the cost of living crisis, and chronic underinvestment in the service over the past decade which means we don’t have the resources to do the job as effectively as we all would want.”