What we've been up to
Reset U launch
Reset U, a new digital app focused on sleep, fatigue and recovery in policing, has now launched in a first group of forces across the UK.
The app has been 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.
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 now 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
First episode now live
The first episode, “Welcome to ResetU”, features:
- Julia Wellby, National Emergencies Trust
- Emma Woods-Bolger, CEO of Blue Light Card Foundation
Julia brings over 30 years of policing experience, including work in Counter Terrorism Command and as a Family Liaison Officer during major incidents.
Emma brings extensive experience from the non-profit sector, alongside a personal connection to emergency services through her family.
Together, they explore:
- What makes wellbeing support effective in high-pressure environments
- Cultural shifts needed across policing and blue light services
- The role of community, funding and partnership in delivering meaningful support
Upcoming episodes
Future episodes will explore a range of topics relevant to policing and the wider blue light community
Listen to or watch the podcasts or your preferred platform:
Emergency responders mental health symposium
Championing the voices of volunteer responders
Now in its fourth year, the Emergency Responders Mental Health and Wellbeing Symposium returned in 2026 with a renewed focus - shining a well‑deserved spotlight on the volunteer community. Often under‑represented in national conversations, volunteer emergency responders took centre stage at this year’s event in London.
The day opened with a powerful keynote from Gary Hayes, CEO of PTSD999, setting the tone for honest discussion and sector‑wide collaboration. Attendees then heard from Gill Morten (The Rivers Centre, NHS Lothian) and Laura McGladrey (Responder Alliance, Colorado), who unpacked the core principles of volunteer wellbeing and the unique pressures volunteer responders face.
Further contributions came from Mountain Rescue England & Wales, the UKSAR Mental Health & Wellbeing Working Group, and the Bluelight Card Foundation, each sharing insights into support needs across the volunteer landscape.
The afternoon moved into volunteer‑led sessions, with presentations and panel discussions offering real‑world perspectives. Volunteers openly shared their experiences on the frontline - highlighting challenges, celebrating successes, and shaping the national dialogue on mental health and wellbeing across the emergency response community.
This year’s symposium not only amplified volunteer voices but also reinforced the critical role they play in strengthening and supporting our national resilience.
OK9 marks major milestone: 300 wellbeing and trauma support dogs now supporting policing
The OK9 programme has hit an incredible milestone, with over 300 Wellbeing and Trauma Support Dogs now active across police forces in England and Wales. Each dog is paired with a specially trained Oscar Kilo peer support handler - a volunteer dedicated to creating a safe, supportive space where colleagues can talk openly, be heard, and access help when they need it most.
OK9 dogs and their handlers play a vital role across the policing family. They’re there after tough or traumatic incidents, during sensitive training sessions, and when colleagues face personal or professional challenges—such as assault, returning to work after illness, maternity or paternity leave, or being under investigation. Their presence brings calm, connection, and comfort when it matters most.
Responding directly to the needs of officers and staff, OK9 dogs have also brought joy to weddings, comfort at funerals, and positivity at celebrations and awards ceremonies. Whether supporting frontline teams or those behind the scenes, their impact reaches every corner of the policing community.
OK9 dogs make a difference because they bring:
- A boost of positive energy through the natural release of oxytocin and dopamine
- A safe, judgement‑free environment for conversations and support
- A reminder to pause, decompress and reset during demanding days
- A gentle way to process trauma through connection and presence
- Reduced stress levels, helping to lower cortisol
- Higher morale, improved resilience, and stronger wellbeing
To find out how OK9 can support your team or workplace, contact your OK9 SPOC/Lead, or reach out to the Oscar Kilo OK9 National Lead, Garry Botterill.
Oscar Kilo awards are now open
We are now accepting entries for the 2026 Oscar Kilo Awards.
Our refreshed categories reflect the real work happening across policing to support wellbeing – giving you more ways to showcase the impact your force is making.
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
Operation Hampshire update
Protection from sex based harassment in public Act 2023
From 1 April 2026, the Protection from Sex-Based Harassment in Public Act 2023 comes into force.
The Act creates a new Section 4B offence under the Public Order Act 1986, providing stronger powers to address intentional harassment in public carried out because of a person’s sex or presumed sex.
This is designed to tackle behaviours including:
- Catcalling, wolf-whistling, sexualised comments
- Sexual gestures or threatening sexual behaviour
- Intimidation or targeted verbal abuse toward someone because of their sex
Details can be found here:
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
Suicide data recording
It is important that we record every police suicide. British Transport Police on behalf of the NPCC do a brilliant job pulling together this information however we know that despite our best efforts not every suicide gets recorded.
We suggested additional steps in the recording process to ensure that we are not missing vital data and this has now been approved by the NPCC Chief's Council. This is great news for everyone involved in suicide prevention.
You can read more about the work we are doing around suicide here:
Go to suicide prevention and postvention page
What's coming soon
Building on last year’s momentum: launching the National Police Workforce & Wellbeing Survey 2026
Across policing, there is a growing recognition of the importance of creating a working environment where officers and staff feel supported, able to perform at their best, and sustain long and healthy careers.
Last year’s National Police Wellbeing Survey, delivered by Oscar Kilo – the National Police Wellbeing Service in partnership with Leapwise, saw over 40,000 people take part. It provided the clearest national picture yet of the lived experience of policing and has already driven local and national action to improve workforce experiences.
The findings 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.
We are now building on that progress.
From 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 we'll be providing roll out comms packs to forces in Mid April.
Watch this space for more information
Response Policing week of action
Police forces across the country will be highlighting and celebrating the successes of their response police officers in April. There are lots of events and CPD opportunities to book on during the week, find out more here.
Monday 20 April, marks the beginning of the fifth national response policing ‘Week of Action’, which in addition to celebrating the professionalism and courage of response officers, is also an opportunity to recognise the challenges facing response policing and consider the future development of a key role that sits at the heart of policing.
The National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) and the College of Policing will be delivery of a range of initiatives, co-ordinated specifically to support, develop and recognise the role of response officers to support this our wellbeing vans and dogs will be deployed across the UK.
The College of Policing are hosting five free online continuing professional development (CPD) sessions, open to everyone who works in or has an interest in response policing, find out more and register on their website using the link below
Response policing week CPD sessions
Oscar Kilo conference and awards 2026: Save the date
We are delighted to confirm the dates for this year's Oscar Kilo conference and awards.
The event 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.
Feedback from last years' delegates has seen us change the event to two full days, with the awards taking place on day one, and the member group sessions being incorporated into the main agenda.
We will be sending invites out to our member groups, but if you are keen to attend you can register your interest below