Following the end of tenure of DPA President Tracy Betts, we are pleased to announce that Inspector Andrea Shoetan from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary has been appointed as Interim President of the Disabled Police Association.

Andrea comments: “I am honoured to have been elected as interim President of the Disabled Police Association. I hope to honour the hard work and commitment of all previous Presidents as I take the baton.

“I will be working with Tracy Betts, the current President, during this transition to learn as much as I can from her. I want to personally thank Tracy for her inspirational leadership of the DPA for the past two years. Tracy leaves a legacy of essential workstreams she initiated to benefit policing. I will ensure I do this work justice.

“The DPA Committee are euthanistic and driven. I look forward to working together with them to continue to raise the national profile of disability within policing. Supporting our staff and providing adjustments to remove potential barriers benefits everyone: it is a ‘must have’ – not a ‘nice to have’ – it helps with recruitment, retention, and service delivery to the public.

“I am excited about the journey ahead and what we will achieve together.

“Thank you in advance for your support.”

Andrea will remain in post until the 2025 Annual General Meeting, at which time elections will take place for the role of President and positions on the DPA Executive and Committee. ∎

Following the announcement of the first ever national police hearing survey, the Disabled Police Association has released the results as part of 2024 Disability History Month.

The survey, conceived and conducted by DPA members Kathie Buffery (Greater Manchester Police) and Andrea Shoetan (Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary), shows that there is likely to be an increased risk of hearing loss within operational policing, and recommends regular hearing tests for all frontline roles.

The survey results are available to download as PDFs: a single-page summary with recommendations (also available on the graphic – click to view full size), and the longer detailed results summary.

The authors look forward to updating on the progress of achieving their recommendations. Contact details can be found on the documents. ∎

National event promoting disabled and neurodivergent talent in policing attended by senior officers and disability advocates

The Disabled Police Association held its fourth Annual Conference at the Radisson Blu Hotel, East Midlands Airport over the 30^th September and 1^st October.

The conference was well supported, with Derbyshire Constabulary Assistant Chief Officer and NPCC Lead for Disability Andrew Price opening the first day, and West Midlands Police Assistant Chief Constable Matt Welsted, NPCC Lead for Neurodiversity, opening Day Two. Guest speakers included Open Bionics ambassador and social media influencer Tilly Lockey, who presented awards at the Conference Dinner recognising policing colleagues for their work in championing disability.

Chief Constable Gavin Stephens, NPCC Chair, closed the conference and endorsed the DPA’s 12 Point Action Plan.

DPA President Tracy Betts said: “A key theme of this year’s conference was ‘What success looks like’, and I was proud to stand alongside so many talented colleagues who represent the best in the police service. We have come so far in recognising diverse abilities, but there is still a lot further to go, and this event was a vital means of developing meaningful and sustainable change for the future.”

“With the Home Secretary sending a personal video message congratulating the award winners and committing to working with the DPA, this year’s conference not only inspired us with personal stories and lived experience, but also demonstrated how the DPA is making an impact at the very highest levels.”

The DPA would like to thank the NPCC as joint hosts, primary sponsors Axon UK and MindView, conference organiser CJS Event Solutions, and all those who gave up their time to attend and speak at the event. ∎