THE chairman of Thames Valley Police Federation has called on politicians to lead by example on pension changes in a series of correspondence with the area’s local MPs.

Graham Smith, chairman of the Thames Valley Police Federation, (pictured) said he was “not particularly pleased” with the responses he received to his letters.

He received 12 replies – but nothing from David Cameron or Theresa May.

POLICE officers deployed to Northern Ireland for the G8 Summit have finally had their remuneration package confirmed – they will be paid “in accordance with the existing regulations and determinations”.

Around 3,500 officers from England, Wales and Scotland converged for G8 as part of the 7,000-strong team delivering the largest policing operation in the history of Northern Ireland, taking place on 17 and 18 June.

THAMES Valley Police has agreed to a one-off £50 payment for officers forced to stay in “awful” accommodation while training for their G8 deployment.

Police officers from across several forces trained at Longmoor Training Camp in Hampshire ahead of the G8 Summit. The majority of officers were housed in dormitory style accommodation with around 50 beds and four showers per block.

THAMES Valley Police has agreed not to cancel whole rest days for officers who are being deployed on an operation that begins early the next day.

The Federation has presented evidence to the force to show that cancelling a whole rest day because of an event early the following day is outside of Police Regulations. Clive Benson, secretary of Thames Valley Police Federation, said he was pleased that the force had accepted the Federation’s viewpoint.

THE Home Secretary has said it is “impossible not to feel sympathy” with police officers following “painful” changes to their pay and conditions – but has again refused to back down over reform.

Theresa May repeated her view that changes to police pay have been “vital” in maintaining frontline services while budgets are slashed.

THAMES Valley Police has reduced its use of stop and search by 20 per cent without slowing the fall in crime, according to a report from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).

The report, entitled Stop and Think Again, found that the force had also reduced its disproportionate use of stop and search against black and Asian people.

MORE than 14,000 police constables and sergeants are locked in career limbo across England and Wales in what has been described as a “dark period for promotions” in the police service.

A Freedom of Information request has revealed that at least 10,444 constables and 3,778 sergeants have passed both Ospre Parts I and II, or work-based assessment equivalents, but have not been substantively promoted.

AN “INSPIRATIONAL” police constable based in Iver has been named as the top police officer in Thames Valley’s Community Policing Awards.

PC Barry Burnell (pictured) was nominated by colleagues, partner organisations and members of the public who described him as “an asset to the force and a credit to the community”.

LARGER workloads, longer hours and an increase in travel times are contributing to an increase in stress among police officers, the Police Federation of England and Wales has said.

Carolyn Davies, who sits on the Federation’s Health and Safety sub-committee, has echoed advice from West Yorkshire Police Federation’s chairman Jon Christopher that officers should seek help if they are feeling under pressure.

OFFICERS and their families have been invited to commemorate their fallen colleagues at the COPS Annual Service of Remembrance in July.

COPS (Care of Police Survivors) is marking its tenth anniversary this year and is encouraging officers to support the families of their fallen friends and colleagues. The service starts at 11am on 21 July at the National Memorial Arboretum, in Staffordshire.