About

What is the Sussex Police Federation?

The Sussex Police Federation exists not only to promote the welfare of its members but also to help ensure that the Sussex Police Service operates to the highest professional standards and that it is fully accountable.

The Federation therefore scrutinizes Service policy on a wide range of activities, from the police use of firearms to officer training and uses its expertise to advise and help the Service to continuously raise standards in all its operations.
The Sussex Police Federation is affiliated to the Police Federation of England and Wales, which was established by the Police Act of 1919. The Act was passed in response to a strike by officers over pay - which they won - and forbade the police ever again to withdraw their labour or for officers to join a trade union (which, legally, the Federation is not).

How We Are Organised

There are 43 Police forces in England and Wales. Each is a branch of the Police Federation and negotiates directly with the chief officer and the Police authority. Normally, the national chairman will not comment to the media on a local matter which does not have national implications, and such enquiries should be directed to the Chairman of Sussex Police Federation on 01273 404211 or, alternatively by e-mail .

• All Federation officials, local and national, are elected for three year terms and are eligible for re-election when a term expires.
• An annual conference is held each year, usually in May.
• All branch boards and committees of the Federation have a reserved seat for a woman.
• The Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer of the joint branch board are elected by the committee from among members of that board.

How We Serve Our Members

The federation raises voluntary contributions from its members.
The funds of the federation are used mainly to provide services to members. Subject to the discretion of the joint central committee, free legal and medical advice and assistance is provided to enable members to pursue civil claims for damages for such things as injuries sustained in traffic and other kinds of accidents; defamation arising from Police duty; and criminal assaults. The funds can also be used to assist officers who are involved in equal opportunities cases.

The Federation also provides legal advice and assistance to members who are charged with certain criminal offences, arising wholly from the course of their duties. It also pays for legal assistance to members facing serious disciplinary allegations.

It is the member who takes legal action. The Federation simply provides the financial backing, within the rules of the funds (which are approved by the annual conferences). It is therefore wrong to say that the Federation is suing in an individual case. Nor does the provision of legal assistance from the funds imply that the Federation is "backing" a member facing a criminal or disciplinary charge. All members are treated equally, and the Federation does not take a prior view on the merits of a case, where this is a matter for the courts or the disciplinary authority. Sussex Police Federation provides a number of member services for it's members, see our Member Services menu on the left.