What we've been up to
Operation Hampshire: Hate crime advice
In response to views and requests from across the workforce we have been working in partnership with the NPCC Police Race Action Plan team to create some additional supporting advice and guidance in the response to incidents of hate abuse and hate crime.
The new advice can be found here:
Op Hampshire - Hate Crime Advice
Supt Ronnie Lungu on behalf of Police Race Action Plan said:
Operation Hampshire is a far-reaching and vital framework, providing clear guidance on victim care, strong leadership, and recognising the full impact of assault and hate crime on our officers and staff. Through close collaboration with Oscar Kilo, colleagues across policing, and wider partners, we have strengthened our approach to ensure it is both supportive and inclusive.
In line with the Police Race Action Plan commitment to develop a consistent national standard of support for Black and minority ethnic officers and staff experiencing racial victimisation and for those facing victimisation through the broader spectrum of hate crime and abuse, this work marks an important step forward. By explicitly recognising the unique psychological impacts of hate crime, we are reinforcing a culture where every colleague is supported, valued, and never faces these challenges alone.”
Dave Brewster - NPWS Operation Hampshire Lead said:
When you boil everything down, Op Hampshire is quite simply about providing a decent level of victim care, supportive leadership and justice for our colleagues. The principles should rightly apply to any offence where one of our colleagues is a victim and we really want to ensure that Op Hampshire provides that cover for everyone. It can be quite a complex issue when you consider the variations of incident and abuse across the broad spectrum of the workforce and I am sure there will be further suggestions based upon people's individual experiences that will help us further develop what we have created. I am grateful to Ronnie and Sarah from the PRAP team for their support and guidance in getting this off the ground".
Where offences of this kind affect our colleagues it would be entirely appropriate that the Op Hampshire principles of recording, support and victim care would apply. Further details of how to support colleagues can be found on the Op Hampshire or Peer Support web pages.
Go to Operation Hampshire Go to peer support
Reset U: A new digital app focused on sleep, fatigue and recovery in policing
We are continuing to support the launch of Reset U, a new digital app developed with officers and staff and is designed to reflect the realities of policing - whether that’s shift work, high workload, sustained pressure or exposure to difficult incidents.
Currently, 24 forces have either gone live or are in the process of signing up. So keep an eye out for information in your force.
The app focuses on practical support for:
- Sleep
- Fatigue
- Recovery
- Everyday wellbeing behaviours such as movement, hydration and nutrition
It provides simple tools people can use before, during or after shifts, alongside personalised guidance and access to additional support.
We are delighted to be endorsing the app and supporting forces who choose to adopt ResetU as part of their wider wellbeing offer.
Find out more about Reset U and see if your force is signed up using the yellow button below
Reset U: The Podcast more episodes available
Alongside the app, a new podcast series - ResetU: The Podcast - has also launched.
The podcast is available to everyone, whether or not your force has access to the ResetU app.
ResetU: The Podcast brings together voices from across the blue light community to explore what it really takes to stay well in high-pressure, high-impact roles.
Hosted by Andy Rhodes, Service Director or Oscar Kilo and Nathan Gardiner, CEO of Reset U, the series features conversations with frontline colleagues, leaders and subject matter experts, covering topics such as:
- Sleep and fatigue
- Emotional load and recovery
- Practical ways to support wellbeing in demanding roles
Episode one: Frontline Wellbeing: Supporting Mental Health in Emergency Services
This week Andy and Nathan explore wellbeing in emergency services with Julia Wellby (National Emergencies Trust) and Emma (CEO of Blue Light Card Foundation). Julia brings 31 years of policing experience, including Counter Terrorism Command and Family Liaison roles for major international and domestic crises.
Emma has extensive non-profit expertise, securing millions in funding to support blue light workers and carrying a personal connection to emergency services through her family. Together, they discuss innovative programs, cultural shifts, and community support that make mental health initiatives effective, practical, and meaningful for those in high-stress roles.
Episode two: Under Pressure: The Power of the Breath on the Frontline
Joining Andy and Nathan are Miranda Bailey and Sam Murray to explore the transformative impact of breath work, particularly within high-stress professions like policing. They dive into the work being done through Breath Connection, an initiative combining breath work practices and cold water therapy to support mental health, emotional regulation, and resilience.
From practical techniques you can integrate into daily life, to the deeper physiological and psychological shifts that come from consistent practice, this episode bridges science, lived experience, and community impact. The discussion highlights how simple tools like conscious breathing, cold exposure, and time in nature, can dramatically improve wellbeing. More than that, it reframes breathwork not just as a personal development tool, but as a pathway to compassion, empathy, and stronger community connection.
Episode three: Four legs, big impact: How dogs are supporting PTSD & wellbeing on the frontline
Joining Andy and Nathan in the studio is Gary Botterill and Clare Nicholls, two extraordinary leaders using dogs to transform mental health support in emergency services.
Gary Botterill is a Royal Navy veteran and former police officer of nearly 30 years. He co-developed the Backup Buddy police mental health app, founded Service Dogs UK after a Churchill Fellowship researching PTSD assistance dogs, and now leads the award-winning Oscar Kilo OK9 Wellbeing and Trauma Support Dogs programme through the National Police Wellbeing Service. Gary’s work brings trained dogs into police forces to reduce stigma, provide comfort, and open vital conversations about mental health.
Clare Nicholls, after 18 years in policing, has seen firsthand the importance of intentional wellbeing and human connection. Alongside her calm and loyal pup, Emmie, she supports colleagues as an OK9 Handler and Lead for Surrey & Sussex, sharing stories, smiles, and the power of a wagging tail to create safe spaces and spark meaningful conversations. Together, they discuss the incredible impact dogs have on mental health and wellbeing, the science behind their calming effects, and the power of grassroots initiatives like OK9 to change culture in high-stress professions. Through personal stories and experiences, this episode emphasizes community, peer support, and hope, showing that sometimes, healing begins with connection… and a four-legged friend.
Episode four: From the frontline to the waterline: How surfing is changing emergency service wellbeing
In this episode, Andy Rhodes and Nathan Gardner are joined by James Mallows, serving police officer and co-founder of Operation Surfwell, an innovative wellbeing programme using surfing and blue space therapy to support emergency service workers experiencing trauma, stress, and burnout.
James shares his journey through over 20 years of policing across rural and urban environments, and how a devastating assault on a colleague became the catalyst for creating something radically different. Frustrated by traditional interventions that weren’t helping officers recover or return to work, James and his colleague Sam began asking a simple question: what actually helps us reset after the toughest days? The answer came not in a boardroom, but sitting on surfboards off the coast of North Devon. From that moment, Surfwell was born. Throughout the conversation,
James explains how Surfwell goes far beyond “just taking people surfing.” Built on action-centred therapy and underpinned by academic research, the programme creates a psychologically safe, carefully structured environment where participants are supported by instructors who understand the realities of emergency service life. By combining cold water immersion, peer connection, learning a new skill, and trust-based relationships, Surfwell helps unlock conversations that many participants didn’t realise they were ready to have. This episode is a powerful exploration of resilience, innovation, and what happens when we rethink how we care for the people who spend their lives caring for others.
Enter the Oscar Kilo awards
We are accepting entries for the 2026 Oscar Kilo Awards - the closing date is 17 July 26.
These awards are your opportunity to recognise work that’s made a real difference to the wellbeing of officers, staff and volunteers across policing.
As part of our commitment to improving consistency and measuring progress across the service, all award entries must demonstrate how the work aligns with the Workforce Prioritisation Guidance (WPG). Entries will be cross‑referenced with your force’s WPG submission, helping us ensure that the work being recognised is connected to agreed priorities and forms part of your overall approach to wellbeing. If you plan to enter an award, please ensure your force WPG lead is aware of the submission. If you don't know who this is, please contact us and we can put you in touch.
The categories
- Peer Support
Recognising programmes that empower colleagues to support one another through lived experience, guidance, and compassionate connection. - OK9 Wellbeing Dogs
Celebrating the forces using wellbeing dogs to create psychologically safe spaces and reduce stress across policing environments. - Operation Hampshire
For forces demonstrating outstanding care for officers and staff who are victims of assault, ensuring they feel supported, valued, and heard. - Healthy Living
Covering initiatives focused on sleep and fatigue management, physical fitness, nutrition, and wider healthy lifestyle interventions. - Occupational Health
Highlighting innovative or high‑quality Occupational Health services that proactively protect and promote the wellbeing of the workforce. - Trauma Support
Recognising evidence‑based approaches that support trauma‑exposed staff across policing. - Suicide Prevention
Recognising evidence‑based approaches that reduce the risk of suicide across policing. - Support for Police Families or Police Leavers
Celebrating work that extends care beyond the job – supporting families, partners, and those transitioning out of policing. - Staff Engagement
Showcasing creative and effective approaches that strengthen engagement, improve culture, and help people feel connected, informed, and valued.
Find out how to enter the awards and read the full criteria for each of the categories on our awards page, using the link below.
You can also read about previous winning entries by clicking here
What's coming soon
National Police Workforce & Wellbeing Survey 2026
On 1 June 2026, we will launch the National Police Workforce & Wellbeing Survey, the slight name change reflecting a broader focus on the factors that shape how people experience policing.
Delivered again in partnership with Leapwise, the updated survey has been refined based on feedback from forces and is designed to provide even clearer insight into the realities of working in policing today.
We're already actively engaging with our SPOCS in every force and all participating forces have been provided with a comprehensive comms packs.
The findings from the 2025 survey have helped shape national work on areas such as sleep, fatigue and recovery, informed wider discussions around policing reform, and led to further exploration of key issues through a series of deep dive reports, including psychological safety and the drivers of wellbeing. We have also brought leaders together from across forces to examine the findings in detail and share practical approaches to improving the working environment for their people.
Staying safe from suicide: New guidance to be published
We will shortly be publishing new guidance on suicide prevention in policing - Staying Safe from Suicide: Principles, Standards and Guidance for the Police in England and Wales. This builds on the national action plan, the consensus statement, the postvention toolkit and the mental health crisis line, adding a framework of evidence-based principles and practical standards to help forces structure and audit their approach to suicide prevention and risk management. The guidance is directly linked to the priorities set out in the Police Reform White Paper, which identified suicide prevention as one of six priority areas for mandatory wellbeing standards. We'll share full details and a link to the guidance on Oscar Kilo when it publishes - look out for it in the coming weeks.
Oscar Kilo conference and awards 2026: Update
The Oscar Kilo conference and awards will take place on Tuesday 13 to Wednesday 14 October 2026, and will include the announcement of the winners of the Oscar Kilo Awards. As last year, the event will take place at Crewe Hall Hotel and Spa in Crewe, Cheshire.
Many of you have already registered your interest in attending our conference and we are busy building an exciting agenda. We are just finalising details with the venue and will be sending registered individuals full details on how to confirm their place and book their accommodation, we hope to be able to do this my the end of May.
If you are interested in attending you can register here