Met police firearms

[Techie1 + 2,024]

Force is set to introduce extra leave for personnel, and head is also determined to help officers' finances as much as he can.

CC Bill Skelly spoke to Police Oracle in his office in Nettleham, Lincs

Extra days off are set to be introduced at a force in order to keep officers and staff healthy and motivated.

Lincolnshire Police Chief Constable Bill Skelly says he is putting wellbeing at the front and centre of his agenda – and may even look to tackle pension issues.

In an interview with PoliceOracle.com, he said: “I have two organisational goals I want to achieve: one is around the quality of service I deliver to the public of Lincolnshire, and the other is around wellbeing. I feel that if I have a healthy, a happy and a well organisation, then that supports the first goal.”

The chief, who started in his role in February, has immediately set out a number of ideas which he feels could help this – including extra days of paid leave.

“I’ve said if you’re involved in a Police Sport UK activity you can have up to three days paid leave per year.

“I know the data will tell me individuals who take that up are less likely to be sick so it’s a zero-sum for me.”

He added: “This isn’t just about those who are going to want to be active anyway – it’s my intention that every member of staff will have access to two days paid leave per year to be involved in some kind of [non-sporting] activity [as well].

"I’m open-minded about what that could be." He gave examples of charity or youth work, adding: "The idea is that it’s being more active than you would otherwise be."

The former HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary in Scotland added that while the financial situation means that he cannot bring more officers into the force at present, he is determined to support those who serve as much as he possibly can.

The 27-year-service officer, a keen police volleyball player, is also looking at having a non-mandatory higher standard for the police fitness test for Lincolnshire Police, better access to gym facilities and adopting a goal of trying to make his force the “healthiest in the country”.

A new “wellbeing coordinator” has just been appointed in order to help the chief’s ideas become reality.

“People who join Lincolnshire Police are here for a long time, if you’re a new starter you could be here for 40 years,” he said, explaining part of why he feels it is so important to boost health and happiness.

PoliceOracle.com put it to him that it is often said policing is no longer a job for life, and therefore not something new recruits will be doing for four decades.

CC Skelly replied that the things which inspired him to become an officer – a sense of fairness, justice and duty – are the same as why people join today, and those traits do not disappear throughout peoples' careers.

“Why is it we’re talking across the service a language that suggests people may come and go? I suggest that’s because it’s difficult to contemplate in the current employment market the incentives which will allow people to stay for that duration.

“I personally think much of that is motivated by pensions, and if I’m wrong I’m happy to be corrected, but if it’s not a main driver it is certainly one of the drivers.”

He recounted being told about concerns people have about their financial security around their incomings and outgoings, and also police pension schemes changing after they have been signed-up to.

“I think there’s a real risk to us as a service that we start locking in or locking out people from a career because of the financial arrangements, in particular because of the pension arrangements.

“That’s something I’m keen to explore with financial colleagues, to say - if we start were to start with a blank piece of paper and have some innovative thinking how could we support people? I do see it as part of the wellbeing agenda.”

When it was put to him that he is heavily constrained in this area, he replied: “I’ve been told that a couple of times, but you need to tell me that more often before I believe you. There are very strict rules and many complexities to that, but there is still a question in my mind that says – what are the alternatives? What can be explored?

“If it is of benefit to the public because I have a happy workforce, a workforce that feels valued, that is of benefit to me.

"What are the costs involved? For that I need actuaries, pension advisers, lawyers. But I think accepting a straightforward ‘no’ at this point is not doing my employees any good, and I think I need to be a bit more intrusive around that.

“If the answer is legislation and regulation has got you tied, well, then I go to government and say here’s where you can perhaps help.”

View on Police Oracle

[Ether + 1,401]

Gym's should be provided for police officers free of charge and regular (daily) PT sessions should held at times that shift workers and day staff should be able to attend. 

[Techie1 + 2,024]

How about exercise in the yard followed by a corporate song, like the Japanese do? 

Plus canteens with cheap healthy food? 

[Pete 1,492]

i'd be happy just getting to see my family once in a while

[Cathedral Bobby + 1,174]

It is good that a couple of chiefs are starting to speak out but as a whole they haven't put up any real opposition to the governments demands for cuts, unrealistic priorities, and occasional whipping boy.

[Growley + 2,436]

26 minutes ago, Funkywingnut said:

Gym's should be provided for police officers free of charge and regular (daily) PT sessions should held at times that shift workers and day staff should be able to attend. 

In fairness, gyms often are available, people just don't use them.

The problem with actual PT sessions, is that you'll have a mix of fitness levels turning up, and it's pretty much impossible to design a session that will challenge everyone equally. My OCU relies on PTIs to plan our training, and even with a team of fit officers, it's difficult to find sessions that suit everyone. The only way around it would be to hold low-medium-high fitness sessions, but then you're splitting the user base so much that the numbers of actual attendees would make it a waste of time and money.

Perhaps it's an unpopular opinion, but I count fitness as a personal responsibility. It's right that the job provides 24hr facilities for officers to train, and access to PTIs for advice where needed, but the will and actual training needs to come from the officer themselves. 

 

 

[Ether + 1,401]

11 hours ago, Growley said:

In fairness, gyms often are available, people just don't use them.

The problem with actual PT sessions, is that you'll have a mix of fitness levels turning up, and it's pretty much impossible to design a session that will challenge everyone equally. My OCU relies on PTIs to plan our training, and even with a team of fit officers, it's difficult to find sessions that suit everyone. The only way around it would be to hold low-medium-high fitness sessions, but then you're splitting the user base so much that the numbers of actual attendees would make it a waste of time and money.

Perhaps it's an unpopular opinion, but I count fitness as a personal responsibility. It's right that the job provides 24hr facilities for officers to train, and access to PTIs for advice where needed, but the will and actual training needs to come from the officer themselves. 

 

 

I can't really disagree a lot with what you say, although I think running a circuit session caters for most people whilst still allowing the more physically robust of the group a chance to challenge themselves. 

[Ether + 1,401]

11 hours ago, Pete said:

i'd be happy just getting to see my family once in a while

One has nothing to do with the other tho. As others have said, fitness is a personal thing and having robust and physically fit officers reduces injuries and sickness hugely. 

[Pete 1,492]

1 hour ago, Funkywingnut said:

One has nothing to do with the other tho. As others have said, fitness is a personal thing and having robust and physically fit officers reduces injuries and sickness hugely. 

wasn't talking about the random gym conversation i was replying to the article re improving morale

[MajorDisaster + 579]

Healthy eating - how about actually getting to eat?  And being able to do so at a rate that aids digestion rather than belting down whatever we can lay our hands on between calls.

[Zulu 22 + 4,576]

How long would it be before the Audit Commission find a way of criticism.  I admire the innovative idea, but!

[Shmook + 532]

On 4 July 2017 at 20:39, Growley said:

In fairness, gyms often are available, people just don't use them.

 

We have a gym available.

It's at HQ, which is about 45 minutes drive from my nick, and around 25 minutes drive from my house. Also, if there were 10 cops trying to use the machines, there would be a queue.

my local gym is a mile away, and £30 a month (cop discount, but let's not start that thread) and cheaper than me driving to HQ and hoping for space to use the kit there. It's also air conditioned, as opposed to sweating like a pig in a 60s-built hothouse.

it shouldn't have to be down to personally training yourself, but life is cruel sometimes and you have to go it alone to better oneself. Free decent grappling training a few times a week, and access to weights whenever you like would be a dream, and something which has been discussed here before, but the reality is that stations can't even provide a drawer full of forks for cops, so anything else is a pipe dream...

 

edit, apologies, I'm just grumbling, and in full agreement with you.

Even if folk had full access to as much training as they wanted, some would still not bother and bimble along passing the JRFT/refresher once a year and thinking "I'm good for 12 months again.".

Edited July 5, 2017 by Shmook

[Milankovitch + 3,445]

Bill Skelly was one of the senior officers at Lothian and Borders Police when I joined. Most stations have gym equipment in them which I paid an absolute pittance to use for the year (£10 I think) and cops still didn't use them. Decent enough for what was required but lots of people just can't be bothered.

[junior_7178 62]

I think it's nice to see someone trying to take positive steps to try and increase health and morale.

Remember 'Sport' doesn't have to be running/circuits/gym, it could be anything like Golf, Horse Riding, Cricket etc...

3 days a year paid, playing golf, and people will still complain...

[Richhamdo + 873]

I read somewhere once that a good brisk fifteen  minute walk was good for you to keep fit,  but admittedly  I can't see it being much help if you are trying to restrain some Desperate Dan type person  after he/she  has had a few, . The Zulu warriors back in the day didn't have gym equipment like we have today and they could march/run fifty miles a day if they wanted  (apparently) and still fight a battle at the end of it.( I may have mentioned this before, ).

 It just so happens that we had a gym once in the eighties with weights/rowing machines etc  in a cellar under the station until someone dropped dead shortly after using it. I think our police club looked after it mainly but It was closed shortly after   never to be used again, the room is  probably still full of old documents and maybe old pocket books waiting  their turn for the final  trip into  the confidential waste bin  for all I know.

Re training to get fit, the thinking of Mr Skelly is to be congratulated and encouraged, no doubt about that to my way of thinking and he certainly looks fit so he is a good inspiration, but let's not forget that BBC man who over did it on the rowing machine and made himself poorly, fortunately I think he is much better now. My advice for what it's worth is to get a full MOT before doing anything too strenuous. Rich.