That is EXACTLY the reaction to my survey, and its results.
I have received a few comments, both public and private, from my readers, and I’ve been amazed, and occasionally humbled, by the support I have had from some of my non-Police readers, the main protagonists will know who you are and I sincerely thank you.
I have forwarded a copy of the results to the Home Office, HMIC, various politicians, Boris and his Deputy, the Association of PCCs, various offices of the Police Federation inc Head Office, an assortment of journalists, newspapers and News Channels, Trade Unions, Uncle Tom Cobley and all.
SILENCE
Many on that list are not subject to the ‘rules’ of Purdah (See Cate Moore’s excellent piece Purdah (she wrote)). Almost all are at Liberty to communicate with me privately.
SILENCE
Everybody on that list, when ‘off duty’ is a citizen, and as such will require and depend upon the Police at some time. It is no use waiting until it’s too late, the time to speak out is NOW. One of our colleagues is currently busy pointing out that cuts to Policing form no part of any party’s pre-election agenda.
SILENCE
Indeed, the reverse is true. Some people following a Slash and Burn Policy are only too quick to blame the Police when things go ‘wrong’. Who was it who tried to short-cut the system in an attempt to get a ‘Rave’ closed down, then complain when it wasn’t?
@DCCGilesYork @KatyBourne@Sussexpcc Can u help? MT @prbod illegal rave continuing at Devils Dyke & disturbing peace of South Downs villages
We are in a period of Purdah, it’s Easter Weekend but the facts speak for themselves. Much less than half of the people who read my original blog completed the survey for me. As at now, approx 500 people have viewed the results of the survey. It has been forwarded to the list above and what was the result of all that?
SILENCE
If nothing else Journalists and Newsdesks do not sleep. If they felt that there was a newsworthy story to be followed they would be all over it, Bank Holiday or not. So what do I read into their SILENCE? They clearly think that there’s no story there. I can be Twatted, emailed, comment left on blog – SILENCE.
The number of people here, and on Twatter, who regularly engage can definitely be measured in double figures. From the rest – SILENCE.
The solution seems simple, stop banging head on brick wall, and stop annoying folk.
Camoron, May, Hogan-Who, Milky Bar Kid et al can all relax.
OK, I admit it, I’m biased, I know the author of this article personally, but I still think it’s a valid dissection of Theresa May’s vitriolic address to the Police Federation this year.
Ex DS Chris Hobbs has written a new article on Theresa May’s speech, and you can find the full article here.
Highlights of Chris’ article include;
a) She would know only too well the results of a recent survey carried out by the University of the West of England which shows police morale to be on the floor with nearly 50% of officers stating that they would move jobs if the opportunity presented itself. She would know that police staff surveys amongst virtually every force in the UK shows widespread disillusionment that should send alarm bells ringing throughout the Home Office.
Yet despite that, like a cowardly street corner thug, she ‘stuck the boot in’ to a world renowned police service which is already on its knees.
b) It wasn’t as if the Police Federation were short of ammunition. Met police whistleblower James Patrick’s book, ‘The Rest is Silence’ forensically dissected the dubious machinations around police reform to reveal dubious practices involving conflicts of interest bordering on corruption. Sadly James’s careful research became lost in the crime figures furore that surrounded the book and his appalling treatment as a police whistleblower.
c) From Hillsborough to Plebgate, Theresa May did not miss a trick in turning the knife in the already gaping police wounds yet, of course this ignores the fact that of the 132,000 serving officers and indeed a similar number of retired officers, only a tiny fraction of those not even numbering three figures, would be involved in the ‘transgressions’ mentioned almost jubilantly by the Home Secretary.
She accuses the police or more specifically Special Branch’s undercover SDS (Special Demonstration Squad) of ‘smearing’ the Lawrence family when the only evidence appears to some from one former disgruntled undercover officer. Of course, in the aftermath of Stephen’s death, the police had to ensure that the tragedy was not exploited by violent extremist groups and to the Lawrence family’s everlasting credit they rebuffed all advances from groups that espoused violence.
d) Thrown into this diatribe of contempt almost inevitably was stop and search. Previously Theresa May used the term “absolutely disgraceful” when referring to the issue yet neither she, the Inspectorate of Constabulary or other critics seem to have considered the fact that front line police in inner city areas have an aversion to dealing with young people who had their whole lives in front of them, lying dead or dying having been shot or stabbed.
There are many others, I suggest you read the full article for yourselves, agree or disagree, I believe it will make you think.
I didn’t watch Cruella’s speech live, my blood pressure wasn’t up to it and Angry Towers would have been in real need of a new TV if I had have done. But I did watch it that afternoon, and to my simplistic view two things stood out loud and clear.
1) This was a Home Secretary taking the opportunity of addressing the Federation to berate the entire Police Service of England and Wales for every single alleged outrage since Hillsborough, at least, and possibly earlier. Some of the officers alleged to have done wrong at Hillsborough weren’t even Federated Ranks, SuperNintendos or ACPO.
2) The venom with which her speech was delivered.
Granted these two photos don’t show off her good looks to their best advantage, but do they look like someone giving a clear, well-balanced, objective speech to an attentive and supportive audience?
Apart from the onslaught at 1) above, I don’t think I can take much exception to the CONTENT of her speech but the delivery was absolutely awful, unprofessional and personal. Well, actually, that’s not true. Reform is working……..Is it? Nick Herbert MP would beg to differ when he tried to rustle up some Police Officers to stop a rave in the middle of the night and there were none to send.
Crime is falling………Is it/ How can you tell, crime stats have been discredited across across England and Wales and we are still awaiting HMIC’s definitive report later this year and a new, improved model for counting them.
An Inspectorate more independent of Government……..don’t make me laugh.
More powers and resources for the Independent Police Complaints Commission…….yeah, of course, they need them don’t they.
Direct entry to inject into the senior ranks different perspectives, fresh thinking and new talent…………Brilliant idea, when will the first one go sickj with a Nervous Breakdown (or worse)?
Our reforms have been crucial in helping you to cut crime even as we have cut spending.
If we hadn’t introduced police and crime commissioners and established the College of Policing, we wouldn’t have been able to break the unaccountable ACPO monopoly at the head of policing in this country. By introducing PCCs we have made police leaders more responsive to the people they serve, and by establishing the College we are improving the professionalism of policing and giving your members a direct say in its future………Hang on, I’ll think of something to say when I stop laughing.
If we hadn’t reformed the way the inspectorate works……..Is this the Inspectorate she has just said is more independent of government? Oh, I give up.
My quill has gone on strike, my blood pressure is rising, and the monitor is in danger of needing replacement.
If you haven’t yet read Chris’ thought–provoking article, may I recommend it to you now?
I’ve been slowly musing over this since yesterday, and it’s not going away.
There have been those amongst who have criticised @PeterKirkham for calling the Home Secretary a ‘fuckwit’ on Twatter recently.
If that’s his view, that’s fine, we’re all entitled to our view and we’re entitled to express it (well most of us are anyway). That nice ex Policing Minister chappie, what’s his name? oh yes, Nick Herbert, tried to score a cheap point by repeating Peter’s comment live on BBC’s Daily Politics show. And then the press went on to call it a ‘slip’ by Herbert. Slip my ****, he knew exactly what he was doing, and made no apology for it, just tried to belittle Peter Kirkham.
Not content with that Herbert took to Twatter yesterday to try and curry favour from his local Police and PCC in getting an illegal’ rave shut down. Now as the former Policing Minister Herbert should have known full well that closing down illegal raves is no-one’s Policing Priority. He should have known full well that on a Sunday morning there would not have been sufficient resources available to close it down anyway thanks to Cruella de May’s draconian cuts on Policing reducing numbers by 16,000 globally, Sussex have already lost 350 of their 3,180 or 11% of their establishment, a policy that Nick Herbert is only too well aware of and no doubt approves of whole heartedly. But that did not stop him Twatting this yesterday morning;
Nick Herbert @nickherbertmp
@DCCGilesYork @KatyBourne@Sussexpcc Can u help? MT @prbod illegal rave continuing at Devils Dyke & disturbing peace of South Downs villages
A direct request to Sussex Temporary Chief Constable and PCC for help in shutting down this rave. Can anybody else do that? Do we now publish SMT and PCC Twitter addresses for ordinary folk to contact rather than dial 101 or whatever the number is today?
No Nick, they can’t help. It’s not the right method for contacting the Emergency Services in a non Emergency Situation and there wouldn’t have been enough resources on duty anyway.
Do or should the political classes have privileged access to senior Police Officers and PCCs? I did think that PCCs were not meant to interfere with operational policing, Mr Herbert presumably has a different idea.
These politicians have no idea what living and working in the real world is all about.
