PFEW CEO apologises for failure to challenge pension decision, promises change

The Police Federation’s chief executive has apologised to members for the organisation’s failure to challenge the government’s change in pensions policy.

Mukund Krishna told the national conference in Manchester: “I am deeply sorry to those members who have been impacted by the decision. I feel a deep sense of responsibility for putting the situation right.”

He announced an independent review to understand what went wrong and what steps will be required to create a Police Federation fit for the future.

Mukund admitted that the court judgement was a “hammer blow” that had left the Federation financially exposed and was one of the main reasons for the Conference to be held virtually this year, albeit from a venue in Manchester.

The Police Federation’s chief executive, Mukund Krishna.

As a ‘not for profit’ organisation reliant on member subscriptions to fund services to members, we are “not financially designed to withstand these types of group claims”, Mukund conceded. And he warned that the National Board will have to make difficult decisions to safeguard the Federation going forward.

However, this will not involve an increase in subscriptions this year, as officers struggle with rising household bills.

Mukund is a global management consultant by background, who specialised in working with boards and organisations to deliver change. He has spent nearly 15 years working within the UK criminal justice system.

Defending the National Board’s decision to appoint a CEO during a time of tight finances, he said it was necessary to have independent business sector expertise to professionalise the Federation.

Mukund promised that the independent review of the Federation would build on the transformative work by the Normington review in 2014 and go further, plus learning the lessons of what went wrong in respect to the court judgement.

He predicted: “Ultimately, this will mean a leaner, simpler, and more efficient Federation and one that will be fit for the future. We must get our own house in order. This review will be a root and branch look at the statutory basis of our organisation, our purpose, our rules, our policies, our funding, and our governance.

“I will make the current challenges head-on and lead the Federation into a new era of professionalism and transparency. And in doing so, we'll put the pride back into policing.”