CHAIR ASKS


assurance their dedication and service are valued by our society as a whole - especially if they suffer injury, or even death, while serving others. “There is currently no formal State recognition for police officers who lose their lives while executing their duties and we’ve approached the Home Secretary on a number of occasions to rectify this. In April 2022, we joined Bryn Hughes to launch our Medals for Heroes campaign and it’s been my honour and pleasure to work alongside Bryn in calling for long- overdue change.” Steve asked Bryn for his thoughts on how the campaign has shaped throughout the year.


BH: Working alongside everyone at PFEW both nationally and locally has been really important to me. I’ve have had so much support, both practically and emotionally, and this has been priceless. Without a doubt, it’s helped to push me to keep going, and, at times, reined in my impatience.


There’s been a number of meetings with government ministers and shadow


friendships to be vital on so many levels.


“They served the Crown, they were proud to wear the Crown on their uniform and, quite rightly, recognition from the Crown would duly honour their sacrifice.”


Steve Hartshorn: What are your thoughts on the campaign’s progress? Bryn Hughes: This year has seen so many pledges of support from individuals, groups and organisations. I’ve been really grateful for all this support, and I think we seemed to reach a ‘tipping point’ when the Shadow Home Secretary added the formal backing of the Labour Party. Soon after that, we also met with the First Minister of Wales who did the same on behalf of Welsh Labour and the Welsh Government. As a result of meetings and announcements such as these, I am very hopeful we will see substantial progress soon.


SH: Could you tell us about what it’s been like to work with us on the Medals for Heroes campaign?


ministers that would have been really difficult to organise without the backing of the Federation. I’m particularly thinking about our significant meeting with the First Minister of Wales at the Senedd in September. The visit was arranged by the PFEW Welsh leads, and it was a really important moment in the journey. That’s just one example of many.


SH: So that’s some of the practical support, would you mind telling us what you mean by emotional support? BH: Simply put, the working partnership has been invaluable. It’s been such an encouragement along the way. There’s been a real synergy in our working relationship, and I now relate to many PFEW reps and staff as friends. As you can imagine, for me every time I talk about the campaign it evokes painful memories and I’ve found these new


SH: The Medals for Heroes campaign has been such an important part of our work at PFEW, but could you tell us what you think formal State recognition would mean to the families? BH: To have this formal State recognition awarded to the families of those police officers we’ve lost would mean the State, the country and the public have not forgotten these officers’ dedication to their public duties and as a nation, we will always remember them. They served the Crown, they were proud to wear the Crown on their uniform and,


quite rightly, recognition from the Crown would duly honour their sacrifice.


SH: Assuming formal State recognition is granted, the Medals for Heroes campaign will continue to ensure acts of courage and bravery are put forward for existing awards and honours, can you tell us what you’d like to see in that aspect going forward? BH: It’s been said since we started that in one sense the work begins in earnest once posthumous recognition is granted, assuming, we are successful. At that point, I’ll be calling for recognition for those whose acts deserve to be honoured by the systems we already have in place. I also think we need to recognise those who have died in service from accident or illness. Their families should also know the service their loved ones gave doesn’t go unrecognised.


23 | POLICE | DECEMBER | 2023


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