Testimonials

Janes Police Review Community - 03 Feb 2006 - 15 Jan 2011

An independent support group has been set up to help police officers and staff whose lives have been turned upside down by bullying in the workplace. Tina Orr-Munro reports.

As a detective sergeant with 23 years' service, Det Sgt Julian Panayiotou admits the last thing he expected to be doing at this stage in his career is run a police support group for bullied officers and staff.

But just over a year ago, the officer set up the Independent Police Support Group to help officers and police staff who are affected by bullying in the workplace.

Since September 2004, the helpline has received dozens of calls from officers and staff who say they have been victimised at work. The group has just won its first case of unfair dismissal, which has resulted in the officer being reinstated.

The idea for a support group came to Det Sgt Panayiotou after Hampshire Constabulary suspended its harassment contact officer scheme. He felt that officers and staff members needed to be able to call upon an independent organisation that could dispense impartial advice, so he launched the group in September 2004.

Det Sgt Panayiotou says the response to the group demonstrates the extent of bullying in the service. He adds: 'We are currently dealing with several calls a week since we went live last year. Some of these officers are pretty desperate. We have even had a case of an officer feeling suicidal because of the situation they found themselves in.

'Several officers have found life in the service so intolerable that they have already resigned.'

Professional standards

Currently, professional standards departments in forces investigate complaints made by one member of staff against another. But Det Sgt Panayiotou says that because they are all members of the same force, including the Police Federation and Unison representatives, it is difficult for all parties to remain objective, especially in smaller forces where people are likely to have personal knowledge of staff they have been tasked to investigate or represent.

He says: 'There are some excellent professional standards departments, but they are staffed by officers and staff members employed by the force and that can put them in a difficult situation.

'We are aware that those who are appointed to represent people can come under tremendous pressure themselves. This is why we do not agree with forces investigating themselves.'

The Independent Police Support Group's aim is not to replace current support mechanisms, such as Unison and the Federation, but to complement them. The group urges people to contact their own staff associations as soon as they are aware that a situation is 'likely to deteriorate and likely to affect their personal life or performance at work'.

But because of its independence, Det Sgt Panayiotou says the group is able to challenge forces where necessary, although ultimately their purpose is to try to settle disputes amicably before they escalate.

'We are a young organisation, but we are not shy of challenging those who are not used to being challenged.'

Det Sgt Panayiotou adds: 'One of our aims is to retain good staff. We would call on police forces to assist us in supporting members of staff who are bullied or victimised and be proactive in removing those bad apples that cause untold misery and illness and [cause people] to consider taking their own lives.

'We aim to create a good working relationship with all police forces and have liaised with the Independent Police Complaints Commission on behalf of clients.'

Ongoing support

The support offered by Independent Police Support Group is open to all police service employees and their families and is even offered to those who have already left the service. There is no charge for the group's services.

The group's emphasis is on ongoing support and practical advice in dealing with bullying, such as understanding grievance and fairness-at-work procedures.

Det Sgt Panayiotou says: 'Often, people have done the right thing only to find themselves isolated and on their own. Work colleagues who may have been friendly and supportive melt away. We will still be around when others have long since gone.'

Mediation is one area that could be better used by police forces, says Det Sgt Panayiotou, who has completed a course in mediation at the Institute of Chartered Arbitrators. He says forces often adopt an 'outdated, defensive' approach to officers and staff who make disclosures regarding bullying or public interest matters.

Det Sgt Panayiotou adds: 'I am convinced that if forces consider mediation at an early stage or have the courage to say "sorry", the number of civil cases would be reduced.

'Forces would also be able to retain more staff who have been affected by bullying. Nobody wins if a case goes to an employment tribunal.'

The response to the formation of the Independent Police Support Group has been varied. The detective says some forces are genuine in attempting to learn from past mistakes while others 'talk the talk' rather than 'walk the walk'. Det Sgt Panayiotou says: 'One force has repeatedly demonstrated its failure to learn from past mistakes and been criticised by an employment tribunal. But we will encourage such forces to improve and will be liaising closely with police authorities. After all, everyone has a right to work without feeling bullied.'

Since the Independent Police Support Group placed a small advert about their organisation, they have received an increasing number of calls from around the country. Det Sgt Panayiotou says more volunteers are now needed to meet the rising demand.

He says: 'The number of calls is increasing as people get to hear of us. We are looking for people with skills and experience in a number of areas and also those who wish to become part of a steering group.

Miss A From Northamptonshire - 26 Jan 2011

"Thank you for believing me when no one else would and obtaining the evidence to assist me in winning my case."

Steve - 26 Jan 2011

'[The experience] nearly destroyed me, but I have moved on. I lost confidence in the force. I blew the whistle because it was the right thing to do and yet nobody was prepared to do anything about it. It would have taken just one phone call by someone who said they would sort everything out and I would have gone back to work.

'I was suicidal. I have dealt with many missing persons over the years and suddenly I understood what made someone leave home and never come back. That is what I wanted to do.'

Steve adds: 'Finally, this year I had had enough and resigned. After I left, I came across the Independent Police Support Group on the internet and called them. It was the first time someone actually seemed to be on my side. I wish I had known about them sooner.'

Claire - 26 Jan 2011

Claire (not her real name) is a police staff member in a large police force who was sacked in September 2004 for gross misconduct. However, she was reinstated in September 2005 after a tribunal unanimously decided she had been unfairly dismissed. She says: 'I was dismissed in September 2004 and lost my appeal in November of that year. After I left my job, a colleague of mine mentioned the Independent Police Support Group, so I rang them. I really did not think they would be able to help me. My case was not related to whistleblowing or bullying. But the group took a look at all the paperwork and went through it to ensure my case was dealt with properly.'

Claire adds: 'A barrister told me that the police would wipe the floor with me, but I felt that they could not do this and get away with it. By that time I had nothing to lose. A tribunal was scheduled and the Independent Police Support Group submitted a statement along with mine.

'I think my case spiralled out of control. I feel those who were dealing with it had little or no experience, especially at a stage where a person faces losing their job.

'I was able to find another job with a former employer, but it could have cost me everything. I lost my confidence and there were times when I could not face going out. I did think about giving up with my case several times.

'The Independent Police Support Group helped me enormously in that they took the pressure off me. There is definitely a place for a separate organisation like this. There is a problem that those who represent you are also part of the organisation and are also under a lot of pressure themselves.

Claire says: 'I am pleased that I was able to go back to work, which is what I always wanted. If I had not, I would not have been able to clear out the events of last year. Although I did not really need to prove to my colleagues that I was not this bad person that I had been made to be, I needed to do it for myself.'