Monday 31 March 2014

THE GAVVERS GIVE US A NICE SURPRISE

If I had to say who comes across as enemy number one in the autobiographical writings of Romany Gypsies, it would have to be the police, although there is often agreement that individual officers are widely different.

But a new association is possibly going to make a huge difference to that. The Gypsy Roma and Traveller Police Association held its inaugural meeting on 27th March, and is a support Network for Police Personnel who are from a GRT background. It is a National organisation but its reach is International as it aims to link in with Police colleagues from around the world.

Jim Davies, the Chair of the new Association explains, “The GRTPA’s main aim is to unite and support all Police Officers and Staff who are from GRT backgrounds . We will do this by promoting equality and fairness and by providing a support forum where members can share and discuss the issues which affect their working life.


“Intrinsically linked to our main aim is the desire to foster good relationships between the Police and GRT Communities. We aim to do this by facilitating discussion, negotiation and co–operation between UK Police Forces, GRT communities and organisations. In doing so, we will establish a platform for sharing good practice in working with GRT Communities.”

The Association already has a professional looking web site and I can tell you that the response if you contact them is tip top and fast!


1 comment:

Jim Davies said...

Thank you Jenn. As you say the Police have always been enemy number one and with good reason. But it needn't be that way any more. There have always been Gypsy Gavvers around, but like in a lot of professions, people aren’t always comfortable in making their ethnicity known because of the problems it brings. My hope is that the GRTPA will help give people the confidence to be more visible as a Gypsy, Roma or Traveller, and this will give the wider Traveller community more confidence to know that the Police does include some of their own! And by acknowledging and being made aware that their are Gypsies Roma and Travellers within their ranks Police forces will have to pay much more attention to practices and procedures that perhaps would not be accepted by other ethnic minorities. Also it will allow us to help fight the usual negative stereotypes that are banded about. After all, it will be very difficult to argue we are all criminals when there is a public police organisation consisting of Gypsies and Travellers. I have great hopes for the GRTPA. I really believe it can do much good - but if it is to be successful it is vital the wider Gypsy Roma and Traveller community get behind it also.
If they do, then I can see us achieving great things

Jim Davies
Chair Gypsy Roma Traveller Police Association