Our Branch Officers & Stewards

I joined Kent Police in 2007 as a part time Unison administrator. Since then I have trained to become an ERA (Employment Relations Act) Accredited steward and undertaken Diplomas' in Employment Law, Equalities and I am currently studying another Diploma in Occupational Health & Safety. I am also the Treasurer and Women's officer for Unison Kent Police & Justice branch, Chair of the Kent Police Menopause Action Group and Chair of Unison South East Police & Justice service group committee. Supporting others is a real passion of mine and my role enables me to do what I love. Being a part of the Union has opened up many opportunities for further training and development that have enhanced my ability to support and advise members as well as liaising with senior managers on matters affecting staff with the aim to influence better outcomes for all. When you're looking for support and advice our team as a collective can assist. It could be a workplace issue, disciplinary, grievance, health issues or a disability and we are always here to give you a voice so being a member of unison has real benefits.

I’ve been working in IT Services for Kent and Essex Police since 2003, and have been based in several roles in different locations around the county. I became a steward shortly after my first management role when it became clear to me that workplace representatives are often sorely needed to navigate policy and procedure for someone who is in need of our advice and representation. The role has provided many opportunities to meet and assist colleagues from a wide array of departments, and the training provided by Unison has been an unexpected eye-opener in terms of getting to study employment law to a diploma level and witness Industrial tribunals as part of that study.

In additional to my Steward role, I also am one of the branch’s LGBT+ plus representatives and I co-chair the Unison South East LGBT+ committee which again has provided many opportunities such as attending prides on behalf of Unison and getting to meet like-minded people from different parts of the public sector and collaborate on issues that affect us all in the workplace.”

I Joined Thames Valley Police (TVP) in September 1980, aged 16, as a Police Cadet. It was a boyhood aspiration of mine to be a police officer and when I saw the glossy brochure advertising the role with a picture of a very smart police officer, a bar and a rugby team I was sold!

As a Police Cadet I was elected to the Joint Branch Board of the Police Federation to represent the views of my colleagues. There is probably no better example of my early interest in supporting fellow workers and ensuring that their views are heard when new initiatives or proposals are being discussed or consulted upon and the importance of ensuring everyone’s voice is heard.

I was a member of the TVP Support Group, having qualified as an authorised firearms officer in June 1987, and gained experience in tactical firearms deployments and at large scale public order events such as Reading Rock Festival, Royal Ascot and Henley Royal Regatta, not forgetting the policing of Oxford United & Reading FC respectively. My first ‘live’ tactical firearms deployment was on 19 August 1987 at Hungerford in what was to become the infamous ‘Hungerford Massacre’.

I transferred to Kent Police in November 1993, having been on secondment from TVP to Ashford District Training Centre (DTC), as a Sergeant Law Trainer between 1991 – 1993. I served at Sittingbourne as a Custody Sergeant and was also the Swale District Public Order Instructor. I became a Staff Officer to the ACC and DCC in 1995 and in March 1996 was promoted to Inspector, PSD.

I attended Cambridge University in 1997, as a member if the Wolfson Course & Programme, supported by Kent Police. I subsequently became a Detective Inspector at Medway before being appointed the DI on the Serious Crime Unit (SCU) in the year 2000. I was the SIO for the Kent part of the Millennium Dome Robbery, which had its beginnings during a robbery at Aylesford in July 2000. I was subsequently promoted to DCI in February 2002.

I returned to Swale as the DCI and Deputy Area Commander and in August 2002 transferred to the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) as an SIO on the ‘murder squad’ at Shooters Hill. I investigated over twenty murders, including a ‘Category A’ murder, Operation Uxbridge.

I returned to Kent in 2004 as Head of Crime Training at KPC and in 2006 was promoted to Detective Superintendent. I subsequently became Head of Public Protection, Head of Major, Serious and Organised Crime and Head of CID. I was promoted to Detective Chief Superintendent in 2012. I retired as a warranted officer in December 2012.

I returned to Kent Police as a police staff employee in January 2013 as Operations Manager at KPC and in 2015 became the first police staff Head of PSD, as position I held until December 2018. I had a short period as Firearms Licensing Manager before taking up my current post as Head of Crime Policy and Investigative Standards.

I have been a Unison Steward for over a year now. I have worked closely with our Branch Secretary in recent years. I am keen to offer my services in supporting and representing colleagues, whether that be in relation to the Code of Ethics and the Standards of Professional Behaviour or more generic matters of employment law, employee rights and the early resolution of grievances. I look forward to helping where I can.

UNISON Representation Introduction Role

I joined the Kent Police as a Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) back in 2014 and became a UNISON member straight away during my training at the Kent Police Training College. Since 2021, I have been working as the Youth Engagement Officer for Thanet District and I am currently based out of the Thanet District Council Offices in Margate.

I personally had to use UNISON for a rather dubious disciplinary issue back in early 2015 and I was very pleased with all their help and support that they gave me in getting me through it. Although I did not have much of an interaction with the union before then, they certainly helped me realise that it was worth being a member!

I have always supported the Trade Union movement, even before I joined the job, and without the strong influence of the trade unions around the workplace, a lot of benefits that we enjoy today would simply not exist – such as shorter working hours, weekends off, annual leave and sick pay. It hurts me to see that there are powerful forces out there that want to resist and suppress the many achievements that the trade unions have bought to the workplace after decades of struggle.

I decided to become a UNISON steward in 2018 because I simply wanted to help people (just like I do as a PCSO, but in the wider community) and I have really enjoyed meeting and working alongside other fantastic stewards and branch officials over the last few years. I enjoy the opportunity to represent members in their local management disputes, whilst also supporting and giving out advice to members who encounter a variety of workplace issues.

I re-joined Kent Police in September 2014. Many years ago, I was a PC and I completed 10 and half years’ service before leaving the service to have a family. (In those days part-time work did not exist!) During this time, I have worked as a Ward PCSO, an Investigator on Child VIT and since August 2019 as a YEO at Swale CSU.

I am passionate that everyone should be treated fairly and be listened to. It is this passion that has led me to become a steward. Please feel free to contact me, if I cannot answer your query/question I will know someone that will!

Hi although my name is Ian I rarely get called this and have answered to Ruddy since I was 18. I am married with two adult daughters. When not at work I enjoy walking and hiking, going to the cinema I am also involved in Scouting and the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. I am also looking to take up Archery with the Kent Police Archery Club when I have completed a beginners course in May 2022. I first joined Kent County Constabulary in 1985 as a PC leaving in 1998. In 1999 I returned as a Civvie working in the ACR at Sevenoaks, then Ops Room and then the FCR. In 2012 I transferred to Custody and have worked as a DDO since then. I am also a TRiM practitioner. I completed my stewards training during lockdown. I am based at the custody suite at Tonbridge Police Station. I believe that having a breadth of experience across several roles stands me in good stead to assist colleagues. I know how important representation can be having used it several times whilst working in the FCR.