POCA Campaign

Proceeds of Crime Act 2002

The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 was enacted following the publication on 14 June 2000 of new government policy as set out in the Performance and Innovation Unit's report "Recovering the Proceeds of Crime". It deals with a wide range of matters relevant to UK law on proceeds of crime issues. These include confiscation orders against convicted individuals (requiring payment to the State based upon the benefit obtained from their crimes), civil recovery of proceeds of crime from unconvicted individuals, taxation of profits generated from crime, UK anti-money laundering legislation, powers of investigation into suspected proceeds of crime offences, and international co-operation by UK law enforcement agencies against money laundering

PUKDS is campaigning to amend legislation to allow the allocation of funds from the Proceeds of Crime Act 2005. to be managed by a committee under a newly formed National Police Trust, whereby funding is allocated to all police charities and not-for-profit organisations in the UK supporting past and present, officers, staff and volunteers.

In February 2024 Police UK Disability Sport CIC was invited by Police Care UK to Flint House Police Treatment Centre to speak with a number of police charities, who form Police Charities UK. The aim of this conference was to highlight the requirement for sports recovery in the police community and to obtain the support of the police charities for delivering adaptive sports all over the UK. A representative from the UK Home Office was also present, to speak with the police charities regarding a number of topics, including funding opportunities.

PUKDS asked if there was any funding available to support sports recovery, but were disappointed to hear that not only is there no funding for sports recovery, but none of the police charities currently receive any funding from the Home Office or from the government through any grants or funding schemes. In addition, we were told that the Home Office does not have any money available to provide any funding to the police charities, not even for the treatment, rehabilitation or recovery of the officers under its employment.

Coming away from the meeting disappointed to hear that the Home Office will not be financially supporting any of the police charities who support officers and staff through incredibly difficult times, including those that have been assaulted or injured on duty, PUKDS launched a national campaign.

The PUKDS campaign is asking the government to allocate 10% from the Proceeds of Crime money annually to be managed through a national police trust, which could be supported under the police covenant. In 2023 alone, over £339.1m was seized from criminals in England and Wales, just 10% of this money would greatly improve the support services provided to all police officers and staff, serving or retired all over the UK.

PUKDS set up the parliamentary petition soon after the conference, which ran until the announcement of the general election in May. On the 14th May 2024, Founder Gary Callier, Board Member Craig Godsall and a number of PUKDS members, ambassadors and coaches attended Westminster Palace on the invitation of Peter Gibson MP for Darlington, to speak with MPs about the campaign and sports recovery.

The very next day, 15th May 2024, the campaign was mentioned in the House of Commons by Paul Howell MP for Sedgefield which gained cross-party support and was supported by Penny Mordaunt MP for Portsmouth North who forwarded the campaign to the Home Secretary James Cleverly MP.

With the general election taking place on 4th July 2024, PUKDS are now hoping to work with the new Labour government to progress the campaign so that we can acquire the vital funding needed for all police charities and not-for-profit organisations supporting the police community.

PUKDS will now contact all 650 newly elected members of parliament to obtain further support for the campaign.

Elected Members of Parliament

Supporting the campaign

Rachael Maskell

Labour

York Central

Suella Braverman

Conservative

Fareham

Dr Luke Evans

Conservative

Hinckley and Bosworth

Sir Roger Gale

Conservative

Herne Bay and Sandwich

Helen Maguire

Liberal Democrat

Epsom and Ewell

PUKDS is counting on the support of the public to engage with your local elected Members of Parliament. You can do this by sending a letter on our behalf to your local MP. Please click on the buttons below to download the letter and then find your local MP by entering your postcode on the government website. This will show your local MP, which will have their parliamentary email address listed under their contact details.

(OPTIONAL) Please enter the following email address in to the BCC section of recipients:

This will allow us to monitor which members of parliament have been contacted.

policeukdisabilitysportcic@gmail.com

Please enter the following text in to the email subject box:

Police UK Disability Sport - Proceeds of Crime Campaign

Please copy and paste the following message in to the main email section and enter your name and address were required:

Good morning/afternoon/evening Elected Member of Parliament,

I full name, a resident in your constituency at full address including postcode, invite you to support the PUKDS Proceeds of Crime Campaign. Please find attached a letter I send on behalf of Police UK Disability Sport CIC to highlight the campaign and the reasons as to why it is so important that the government acknowledges the need for allocating vital funding to the police charities and not-for-profit organisations providing key services to the UK's police community.

Thank you, I look forward to hearing from you

Click here to download the PUKDS Letter to MPs Click here to find your Elected Member of Parliament

Past Members of Parliament

Supporting the campaign