Hampshire Police Federation elects new leader representing Hampshire Constabulary's rank-and-file

Sgt Zoe Wakefield has taken on the position of chair of Hampshire Police Federation, and said she is ready for the challenge and is proud of taking up the job.

Former chairman Inspector Alex Charge, who did not seek re-election, held the position until Sunday. Sgt Wakefield served as vice-chair for two years.

It means Sgt Wakefield will now represent the rank-and-file at Hampshire Constabulary, from probationary PCs coming in as part of the major uplift programme to seasoned chief inspectors.

Posting on Twitter, Sgt Wakefield said: ‘I am very proud to be the first female chair of Hampshire and I’m looking forward to the challenge ahead.’

An experienced front-line officer, she has worked in neighbourhood and response, and based at stations including Portsmouth, Fareham, Gosport, Eastleigh, Basingstoke and Bishop’s Waltham, where she grew up.

Starting as a PC in Oxford for Thames Valley, before moving back to her Hampshire home seven and a half years later, she handled animal rights protests and football violence.

Determined to join the police 18, Sgt Wakefield instead went to university as there was a height restriction in place. She studied while waiting for it to be abolished.

‘I was advised to do something else and reapply when it was abolished,’ she told The News. ‘I went to uni to kill time.’

Part of a former role in Hampshire saw her supervise nine probationary officers, a job many officers will be taking up as 156 new PCs join the force. The increase is part of a government-funded 20,000 uplift in England and Wales.

Hampshire PC John Apter, former Hampshire chairman, and now chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, wished her luck.

On Twitter he said: ‘Good luck Zoe, looking forward to working with you.’

All the elected representatives will be put to the vote next year.

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