The news that the Northamptonshire Chief Constable is attending a misconduct hearing is no surprise. On this occasion he has been found to wear a Falklands Medal which surprised some as he would have been 15 in 1982 during the Falklands War. There are also questions regarding exaggerating his rank, extending his service and general Royal Naval achievements before joining the police.
Add to this the political opportunism of the Chief Constable in Manchester, who has links to the Conservative Party, regarding the several long weeks it has taken to declare there are no criminal grounds to investigate a Labour Party Deputy Leader regarding a housing question. Add to this the Englishwoman heading the Scottish Police who has spent a short eternity attacking investigating the one time leader of the Scottish Nationalist Party, and the Metropolitan Police Commissioner in London who apparently cannot see crime in Tory leaders behaviour during Lockdown, and we are left wondering if there are any policemen left at the top level of the police these days?
The police have never been full of honest and true policemen, they are human after all. They fill their day meeting the scum of society as well as helping little old ladies across the road, but remain human. I have in fact a lot of respect and admiration for those who would confront yobs or even men with guns. You and I would go the other way. I often consider the two policewomen who attended a call of suspicious behaviour at an empty house. When they arrived a man threw a hand grenade at them and shot them dead. Not many of us would take on such a risk day by day and certainly not for the money!
My dad attempted to join the police when demobbed in 1946. At that time, with many men leaving the services there were lots of applicants suitable for the job. My dad would have been perfect at the time, he would have dealt with anti-social behaviour, helped little old ladies across the street and stood in front of armed robbers, all very 'Dixon of Dock Green.' I am not sure he would be happy with the PC stuff the PCs have to deal with today. In the end he was turned down, the demand was such that the police decided all officers must be 6' 2.'' That is Six foot two inches tall to you. Dad was juts over an inch short, this is a shame as the money was good then. Corrupt officers always exist, inept and useless officers can be found anywhere, but many still just get on with the job and attend calls efficiently and with wise counsel.
It is not the officer on the beat, remember them? It is the men, and it is usually men, higher up. In all organisations the inept, the pushy, the man on the make, who gets to the top. The more inept you are the higher you can go in the NHS, Royal Mail, Civil Service and the police. We have all seen this occur. Political correctness, following 'Stonewall led 'Diversity,' and box ticking can gain promotion away from the front line for many unsuited to the job. So often today we see those who once were good officers surrounded by red tape and unwillingness to change the system and that hampers production, if that is the correct phrase. Having Chief Constables like these cannot be considered a good thing for the man in the street, and in London the woman scared of those who are supposed to protect her.
incompetents can get high up by being pushy at all levels and at all sorts of jobs, but what people forget with public services is that there is usually a much better chance of having genuine power in a public service. if you get to the top. by the way I am not too pleased that Dame Sharon white is now apparently advising labour having. cut the feet off most of what made John Lewis special.
ReplyDeleteI've often thought that when going for a top job, the male candidate should put the most effort into the sections showing he belongs to Common Purpose, has introduced Stonewall and Mermaids into his organisation and has bullied ....no, encouraged...subordinates to attend lectures on diversity, white privilege and general privilege checking, probably livening up the offices by piping rap music with the 'singer' denigrating women....unless they are 'trans' women.
ReplyDeleteExperience, ability....no one is interested.
Jenny, Power indeed, it's a good job they don't have the talent.
ReplyDeleteFly, Indeed, that certainly appears to be the way.