It Seems I Might Owe You All An Apology

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But you’re not going to get one from me, not today at least.

Police Oracle recently became the subject of some criticism by Mike Penning, the Policing Minister.

I was reminded of it in an exchange by Nathan Constable this morning, but the Police a Oracle version went like this;

When PoliceOracle.com quoted concerns raised by former ACPO President Sir Hugh Orde about the impact cuts were having on policing to Home Office Minister Mike Penning earlier this year, he replied: “Some chiefs have said to me exactly the opposite, so it would be great if you quoted those occasionally.

“The more you keep doing this the more you as an organisation – the press – and these people leaving the service, [you] are actually undermining the morale in the police service.

“I’m trying to boost morale, but if you keep continually writing things saying that it’s all doom and gloom it becomes self-perpetuating. The truth of the matter is the boys and girls are doing a simply fantastic job.”

Sadly this quote was taken from an article in Police Oracle where the NPCC were warning that if the Home Office did indeed introduce cuts of up to 40% then the NPCC would be asking for the right to make officers redundant (Compulsory Severance).  This very nearly made me swear, if this is the Police Chiefs’ idea of fighting the cuts then I’m glad I’m retired.

To return to the theme of the post, Mr Penning presumably thinks that I owe you an apology as, like the Police Oracle, I am also regularly telling you that “it’s all doom and gloom” and I am presumably equally guilty of undermine morale, whereas Mr a Penning tells us that he is trying to boost it.

We have already endured 20% cuts.  Now we are being told of cuts up to 40% more to come.  And the reaction of Police Chiefs is to ask for the power to make officers redundant?  FFS.

The time has long since arrived when EVERY official body within the Police, Federation, Superintendents Association, ACPO, NPCC should have joined forces and presented a united front to the Home Secretary, alongside Public Opinion, but instead we’ll demand redundancies.

So, no, I won’t be apologising, not to Mike Penning, nor anybody else.

I don’t care how much technology, how many Efficiency Savings you throw at the problem, cuts of that magnitude are simply not sustainable. It’s not Rocket Science.  It does not need an Einstein to point out the Bleedin’ Obvious.  Continue with cuts of that magnitude and you you will destroy our Police Service forever.

Over to you Home Secretary, and I hope that doesn’t undermine morale too much.

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2 thoughts on “It Seems I Might Owe You All An Apology”

  1. How about this. The arguments have been made and some good ones at that and but no one is listening. Nobody cares they have an agenda.
    The public have their own battles to fight after carefully considered attacks and propoganda by the government. They cannot be blamed for any complicity.

    We can only do what we can do, no more no less. Turn up do your best, have a clear conscience but if it fails, it fails. Only then, when the wheel comes off, will anything change. It will come off.

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