On Monday the 29th of April 2013 at our Extra-Ordinary General Meeting (EGM) history was made when I was voted in as the first female Chair of the Metropolitan Black Police Association.
For those of you that don’t know me, my name is Janet Hills and for those that thought they knew me,I recently got married and have changed my name from Barracks.
There are tough times heading our way as the MPS goes through a period of change, the likes of which have not been seen before. The landscape of the MPS is changing with the loss of police staff under the Voluntary Exit Scheme (VES) and the likely introduction of A.19 for police officers. However, I can tell you the one thing that will not change is what the MetBPA has stood for over the last 19 years.
I intend to add value to what my predecessors have done. These are my aims for the MetBPA:
Continue to campaign against the unfair use of Stop and Search procedure, as supported by our present Commissioner
- Fight the war on equality to ensure the fair delivery of MPS policies
- Enforce our total commitment to our members, providing them with support to tackle work related issues
- Improve and build on our commitment to our communities, working with the youth to create young leaders and role models
Of course we will still be involved in assisting with recruitment and reducing staff wastage and while doing all of that enjoying ourselves through our social network events.
This is my total commitment to you the members over the next 18 months I have a great energetic executive committee who are full of ideas and over the coming months you will be introduced to them. Some of them, however, need no introduction like ‘The Sarge’ our very own Leroy Logan MBE, still here after so many years and
Keith Smith our treasurer. One of the first things I will be tackling is the revamping of our intranet, internet, facebook and twitter accounts. Once this face lift has taken place, you’ll be able to find out everything you’ve ever wanted to know about the MetBPA through all of these sites.
I do not want this to be a one way street. My new appointment as Chair presents you, the members, with an ideal opportunity to invite the BPA executive to your OCUs and communities for a meet and greet. I want to be able to listen to the issues both good and bad and find a way forward in resolving or sharing them.
In closing I would like to say a massive thank you to our out going Chair Mr Bevan Powell MBE. Bevan will be leaving the MPS under the VES and will be a sad loss to the organisation. Bevan has done an awesome job in raising the MetBPA profile with the Senior Management Board and MOPAC. He has eased us through the lows and kept us high on the MPS agenda. I know I have big boots to fill and accept the challenge willingly. Thank you, Bevan and all the best with your future endeavours.
Janet Hills
Chair Met BPA
In a moment of crisis the wise build bridges, the foolish build dams.
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