PSA representatives have attended a ceremony to unveil a lasting memorial to former National Chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW), Paul McKeever.
On Wednesday 19th June, Vice President Ian Wylie and former PSA National Secretary Graham Cassidy, attended the formal opening of the Paul McKeever Conference rooms, at the PFEW HQ in Leatherhead in Surrey.
A suite of five recently created and refurbished conference rooms have been named after Paul, who lead the staff association from May 2008 until his death in January 2013, just weeks before he had planned to retire.
The rooms were officially opened by Mr McKeever’s wife Charmian in the presence of National Police Chaplain David Wilbraham, current and former National Board members and other dignitaries.
In 1992, Paul became a Police Federation rep and graduated to the Joint Central Committee (the forerunner of today’s National Board) in 2002, going on to chair the Professional Standards and Health and Safety committees as well chairing the Sergeants’ Central Committee. He was elected National Chair in May 2008.
Graham said “As the National Secretary of the PSA from 2010 to 2014, I worked closely with Paul and other colleagues on the staff side of the Pay Negotiation Board.
“We went through a very busy and difficult period of negotiations around the Winsor Reports in 2011 and 2013, and as the chair of the staff side, Paul led us with great stature, composure and good humour. Perhaps one of the most notable achievements of Paul’s chairmanship of the staff side was in leading and presenting our case to the Police Arbitration Tribunal in 2012, which successfully stopped the bid to introduce compulsory severance for Police officers. As such, all police officers continue to owe something to Paul.
“His death was a shock to the whole Police family, and I was honoured to be asked by President Paul Griffiths to represent the PSA at the opening ceremony of the Paul McKeever Conference Rooms. It was a moving and fitting tribute to a man who gave so much to our Service.”
Further information on the opening ceremony can be found here.