Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme

Lincolnshire Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Marc Jones are proud to recognise the enormous importance of armed forces personnel and their families in Lincolnshire by signing up to the Armed Forces Covenant.

The Armed Forces Covenant 2020 is an assurance that ex-service personnel and members of the military are treated with fairness and respect. Ensuring that members of the Armed Forces community have the same access to government and commercial services and products as any other citizen. Recognising that in some circumstances special treatment may be appropriate for the injured or bereaved.

At the time of signing the Covenant Lincolnshire had a reported 8% of the country’s ex-service personnel living in the county and home to a number of large military bases. North Kesteven, South Kesteven, West Lindsey and East Lindsey feature in the Top 12 local authorities by proportion of veterans. Lincolnshire Police is also a proud employer of many ex-service personnel and service families.

The force works with Op Nova, delivered in partnership between The Forces Employment Charity and commissioned by NHS England. It provides support for veterans who have been arrested and enter police custody, or are at risk of being in contact with the justice system and enabling them to access the services they need. Veterans can self-refer or be referred by police and other statutory organisations.

The force has committed to:

• Promoting the fact that we are an Armed Forces-friendly organisation
• Seeking to support the employment of veterans
• Striving to support the employment of Service spouses and partners
• Endeavouring to offer a degree of flexibility in granting leave for Service spouses and partners, before, during and after a partner’s deployment
• Supporting our officers and staff who are volunteer leaders in military cadet organisations, granting additional paid leave, in line with force policy to attend annual training camps and courses
• Supporting Armed Forces Day, the Poppy Appeal Day and county Remembrance activities

Our covenant is supported by ex-Army Veteran Alan Osbourne, Safer Together Coordinator, from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and ex-RAF Veteran and Military Spouse Zara McArdle, Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Lincolnshire Police. They represent the force at the Lincolnshire Armed Forces Covenant Partnership Board, alongside multiple charities, organisations and local and county councils.