Police Federation of England and Wales
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| Founded | 1919 |
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| Members | 124,000 (2014) |
| Key people | Steve White (Chair) Andy Fittes (General Secretary) |
| Office location | Federation House, Highbury Drive, Leatherhead, Surrey, KT22 7UY, UK |
| Country | England and Wales |
| Website | www.polfed.org |
The Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) is the statutory staff association for police Constables, Sergeants, Inspectors and Chief Inspectors in the 43 territorial police forces in England and Wales. Under UK labour law, the police are prohibited from joining ordinary trade unions to defend pay and working conditions, by the Police Act 1996, because of the view that a police strike would pose an exceptional public safety risk. The PFEW was originally established by the Police Act 1919 as an alternative system, which would serve to represent staff, and where disputes could be resolved through arbitration so long as the government (as employer) continued to bargain in good faith.
There were approximately 124,000 members in 2014. Members can elect not to pay subscriptions and thereby not receive the legal representation and other benefits that paying members receive, but they still continue officially to be members of the Federation. In reality only a very few officers have ever decided not to pay their full subscription dues. Superintendents and Chief superintendents are represented by a separate staff association, the Police Superintendents' Association of England and Wales (PSA).
The Police Federation of England and Wales was set up by the Police Act 1919 after two British police strikes in 1918 and 1919. The government of the day were frightened by the prospect of the police going on strike and created the Police Federation of England and Wales and withdrew the right of officers in the UK to strike.
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