ChatterBank0 min ago
Can I Recommend A Book?
33 Answers
I'm not sure if this breaches the AB rules but if it does, I'm sure the Ed can pull it if necessary.
As a former police officer, I'm greatly interested in the police and all that goes on within the service and also how the police are portrayed in the media.
I've just bought an e-book off a well-known on-line retailer called, “Wasting More Police Time” and I have to say that if you're even vaguely interested in what the police do and how they do it, please read it. From delivering death messages to policing the recent riots in London and other UK cities, this book relays through first-hand accounts, the human side of the police. It's a compelling read that has often had me in stitches and then in tears.
I would urge everyone to read it whether you're pro-police, anti-police or ambivalent.
As a former police officer, I'm greatly interested in the police and all that goes on within the service and also how the police are portrayed in the media.
I've just bought an e-book off a well-known on-line retailer called, “Wasting More Police Time” and I have to say that if you're even vaguely interested in what the police do and how they do it, please read it. From delivering death messages to policing the recent riots in London and other UK cities, this book relays through first-hand accounts, the human side of the police. It's a compelling read that has often had me in stitches and then in tears.
I would urge everyone to read it whether you're pro-police, anti-police or ambivalent.
Answers
Best Answer
No best answer has yet been selected by birdie1971. Once a best answer has been selected, it will be shown here.
For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.
Absolutely Birdie. There are a few forces I know of that only have 6 -12 front line officers on duty even on night shifts in very large populated areas. A couple of forces even banned double-crewed response cars and sending individual officers to violent incidents (very risky).
Go to any divisional police station in a large area in the day time (between 8am - 4pm) and see how many vehicles are in the staff car park (loads) then go late evening after all the hundreds of managers have gone home.
Go to any divisional police station in a large area in the day time (between 8am - 4pm) and see how many vehicles are in the staff car park (loads) then go late evening after all the hundreds of managers have gone home.
↑ In my old division it was not uncommon for the response shift to comprise of:
1 Inspector (who rarely, if ever, left the station)
2 Sergeants (who did occasionally leave the station if there was a juicy job on)
6 PCs (including me)
This was to police a northern town in a district with over 150,000 people... the thin blue line is so thin that it's barely visible any more. It's really quite frightening.
1 Inspector (who rarely, if ever, left the station)
2 Sergeants (who did occasionally leave the station if there was a juicy job on)
6 PCs (including me)
This was to police a northern town in a district with over 150,000 people... the thin blue line is so thin that it's barely visible any more. It's really quite frightening.
2 Sgt's !!!!!!.
Ok lets look at a divisional station during a week day (8am to 4pm).
1x Ch Superintendent, 2x Superintendents (or super Nintendo's), 8x Ch Inspectors, 5x acting Ch Insp, 10x Inspectors, 5x acting Inspectors, 3x Secretaries. (senior Management Team).
SMT will have meetings all day long (in between many tea breaks), example agenda:-
1. Who will complete a community impact assessment for replacing the gay pride flag outside the front of the building with the Union flag next week for the Royal visit and who will be offended.
2. Who in SMT will lead an investigation into identifying the lone WPC seen by an off-duty inspector Saturday night who was being assaulted by four thugs, in order to serve a disciplinary notice on her for not wearing her head dress.
3. Why wasn't last nights 999 call complaining about a dog barking in a racist manner attended to in 20 minutes in accordance with force policy and who will be suspended.
and so on......
The lower ranking SMT will then go away and have meetings about those meetings then home time before it starts getting really busy out on the streets and hence avoid making any awkward and difficult decisions.
T B C
Ok lets look at a divisional station during a week day (8am to 4pm).
1x Ch Superintendent, 2x Superintendents (or super Nintendo's), 8x Ch Inspectors, 5x acting Ch Insp, 10x Inspectors, 5x acting Inspectors, 3x Secretaries. (senior Management Team).
SMT will have meetings all day long (in between many tea breaks), example agenda:-
1. Who will complete a community impact assessment for replacing the gay pride flag outside the front of the building with the Union flag next week for the Royal visit and who will be offended.
2. Who in SMT will lead an investigation into identifying the lone WPC seen by an off-duty inspector Saturday night who was being assaulted by four thugs, in order to serve a disciplinary notice on her for not wearing her head dress.
3. Why wasn't last nights 999 call complaining about a dog barking in a racist manner attended to in 20 minutes in accordance with force policy and who will be suspended.
and so on......
The lower ranking SMT will then go away and have meetings about those meetings then home time before it starts getting really busy out on the streets and hence avoid making any awkward and difficult decisions.
T B C
There will be another 300 staff in the station, but the front line response shift which should be 20 + are only able to turn out 6 -12 then further reduced for various reasons including:
1. Diversity courses (not law related). Other silly courses.
2. In court to give evidence (usually adjourned many times because the defendant has yet again got a sick note).
3. Injured and off sick (been seriously assaulted due to attending violent incidents alone or in insufficient numbers with no back-up and out numbered).
4. Stuck all day in custody with two juveniles who had a minor fight (parent No 1 reported it to police so parent No 2 thought they would get her own back) - two crime reports created and SMT aware 2 easy detection's available for 'violent crime' and demand criminal cautions administered regardless of the impact that it will have on their future chances of getting a job. Delays extended because parents now refuse to come to station and Social workers needed to act as appropriate adults, therefore solicitors now required and youth offending team.
5. Officers on suspension: allegations of excessive force or racism made by persons trying to gain a tactical advantage on their pending prosecution.
6. Officers taken off response due to paperwork gridlock.
1. Diversity courses (not law related). Other silly courses.
2. In court to give evidence (usually adjourned many times because the defendant has yet again got a sick note).
3. Injured and off sick (been seriously assaulted due to attending violent incidents alone or in insufficient numbers with no back-up and out numbered).
4. Stuck all day in custody with two juveniles who had a minor fight (parent No 1 reported it to police so parent No 2 thought they would get her own back) - two crime reports created and SMT aware 2 easy detection's available for 'violent crime' and demand criminal cautions administered regardless of the impact that it will have on their future chances of getting a job. Delays extended because parents now refuse to come to station and Social workers needed to act as appropriate adults, therefore solicitors now required and youth offending team.
5. Officers on suspension: allegations of excessive force or racism made by persons trying to gain a tactical advantage on their pending prosecution.
6. Officers taken off response due to paperwork gridlock.
Meanwhile the expanding and dominating ranks of the banal hand-wringing liberals who don't really have any remit get bored and dream up some of the most extraordinary and maddest nonsense possible. Example: Last year officers were asked to enter a poetry competition about gender equality and the winner offered a tea-break with the head of Diversity, and this sort of nonsense is in no way isolated.
↑ I could not agree more.
By the sounds of it, you're a serving officer. I can tell by the obvious seething resentment you have about the way the police force (I can't really bring myself to call it the 'service') is run.
I also cannot agree more with your final statement - “The police are not racist”. If there's one thing that bothered me more than most, it was the accusation that I was racist or homophobic or this and that 'a-phobic'. Before joining the police, I cannot remember anyone calling me racist or sexist or anything else ending in “ist” and yet the moment I wore the uniform in public, I was accused of it almost immediately. I found this highly insulting and depressing too.
Why do people think that you become racist or harbour fascistic notions the second you put on a police uniform? It's absurd. In my experience, the people I worked with were the most rational, non-judgemental people I've ever encountered. I now come across far more prejudice and mindless intolerance of others working in the private sector than I ever did working in the police.
If my assumption is correct and you are a serving police officer, then you have both by sympathies and my absolute admiration.
By the sounds of it, you're a serving officer. I can tell by the obvious seething resentment you have about the way the police force (I can't really bring myself to call it the 'service') is run.
I also cannot agree more with your final statement - “The police are not racist”. If there's one thing that bothered me more than most, it was the accusation that I was racist or homophobic or this and that 'a-phobic'. Before joining the police, I cannot remember anyone calling me racist or sexist or anything else ending in “ist” and yet the moment I wore the uniform in public, I was accused of it almost immediately. I found this highly insulting and depressing too.
Why do people think that you become racist or harbour fascistic notions the second you put on a police uniform? It's absurd. In my experience, the people I worked with were the most rational, non-judgemental people I've ever encountered. I now come across far more prejudice and mindless intolerance of others working in the private sector than I ever did working in the police.
If my assumption is correct and you are a serving police officer, then you have both by sympathies and my absolute admiration.
Latest Posts
ChatterBank4 mins ago
Crosswords5 mins ago
Film, Media & TV15 mins ago
Crosswords17 mins ago
ChatterBank17 mins ago
