A SENIOR Kent police officer has become the first woman to be elected head of the national Police Federation. Chief Insp Jan Berry will represent the views of 128,000 rank-and-file police officers in England and Wales when she takes over as chairman in September.

The 47-year-old married mother-of-two has served with Kent County Constabulary for 30 years. She is currently the federation's vice-chairman and will take up the three year post when the current chairman, Fred Broughton, retires in four months' time.

Chief Insp Berry will negotiate with the Government on policy changes, pay conditions and other issues that affect police officers.

She stressed: "If I achieve anything over the next three years it will be to improve the training police officers receive, not just when joining the force but as serving officers as well. It will make their jobs far easier because they will have a better understanding of what they are doing."

She added: "I will be talking to opinion formers, talking to the officers themselves, to Government ministers, policymakers and the media. The role is about speaking on behalf of the broad church of the police service.

"One of the most difficult tasks will be to represent 128,000 different views because the police service is very diverse. There are a lot of issues we all agree on and some issues that most of us agree on."