South Wales Police Federation is there for all rank-and-file officers, says its new equality lead Angie Mitchell.
Angie stressed that the Federation was there for all federated members, not just those officers who are in difficulty.
And she is determined to ensure every member, regardless of rank or role, feels heard, supported, and represented.
Angie said: “An example might be for a meeting about reasonable adjustments, the officer will generally bring a Federation rep to it.
New equality lead Angie Mitchell
“There’s nothing wrong with the person who’s got to do that meeting in contacting us for advice as well.
“Sometimes supervisors think they can’t come to us for advice because we’re representing someone else.
“That’s not the case. We’re here for everybody who is a member, and it’s important that people recognise that.
“We want to work together for the best resolution.”
Equality lead
Angie started in her equality lead role with South Wales Police Federation almost two months ago.
“I’m really enjoying it,” she said. “There’s a lot to learn, but the board members have been brilliant.
“(Secretary) Mike George and (chair) Phil Walker have been fantastic, and of course, nothing runs without (officer manager) Kay Bennett. She keeps everything together.”
After 27 years in policing, including 22 years as a detective, Angie brings a depth of experience that’s already proving invaluable.
She has served as a workplace Federation representative at South Wales Police and her previous Force, Essex.
And she said that her new full-time role is already rewarding.
“I’ve always loved representing officers,” explained Angie, who is a detective sergeant.
“And I’m passionate about it.
Supervisor
“I think with the length of service I’ve got, my experience of working for different forces, and working across numerous departments over a number of years, I understand enough about the way things work to be in a good position to help others.
“As a supervisor, I can also see things from that perspective, so I try to bridge the gap to make things work for everyone.”
As she settles into the role, Angie said there are areas where early intervention and better understanding could prevent issues from escalating.
For instance, greater awareness of the Equality Act, especially around protected characteristics and reasonable adjustments, would help supervisors in making decisions, she said.
“There are a lot more issues around reasonable adjustments and there’s a lot more to think about when we’re looking after officers,” she said.
“For instance, we have more neurodiverse officers now. We have always had neurodiverse officers, but people perhaps didn’t talk about neurodiversity like we do now.
“Now, we’re making sure people have the right tools and the right support to do their job.
“It’s about supporting the officer and helping the organisation make the right adjustments.”
Open conversations
She hopes to use her position to encourage more open conversations across the organisation.
She said: “The Federation is here to ensure no one is on their own.
“If we can build those relationships, we can make sure that decisions are fair, balanced, and genuinely supportive of the officer involved.”
Angie also plans to build closer links across the Force to ensure that all members are aware of the support available to them through the Federation.
“I want to get to all the events that we put on through the support networks,” she said. “I want to meet all of these people to discuss how we can support each other.
“And I have a meeting booked with our new Assistant Chief Constable Tom Williams, to discuss how we can work together.”
Angie added: “It’s a role that could have been written for me.
“I’m passionate about fairness and looking after people because if you look after your people, they’ll look after you.
“That’s always been my belief, and it’s what I’ll bring to this role every day.”
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