The Police betrayed by the Government

[Gromit]

// In an escalating war of words, one chief constable warned that David Cameron risks losing the support of the police. Three other police chiefs also openly questioned the Prime Minister’s approach to law and order. //


http://www.telegraph....ries-trade-blows.html

From their sunny holiday retreats, Government Ministers were quick to blame the police for how the riots turned out. Cameron in particular has attacked the police numerous times this past week. Along with cuts to personel and bringing in a very expensive American Consultant, relations between the Government and the police are at a 15 year low. This at a time when we need everyone to work together.

A demoralised police force is in no ones interest. Should the Government shut up or is it too late?

[Buenchico]

Would the 'very expensive' American consultant be the one who isn't getting paid for his help, by any chance?

Anyone who has ever been in central London when a perfectly peaceful parade or procession has been taking place will know how vastly over-staffed the Met actually is. Cuts in staffing (of up to 50%) should be welcomed, immediate and compulsory

[ELVIS68]

I actually feel sorry for the police, they get slaughtered for being heavy handed at protests where there are genuine protesters and the great unwashed involved.

And then last week when they are sent in to deal with rioters and looters who came out of every nook and cranny and smashed the feck out of anything and everything and people blamed the police for not dealing with the situation

With protests they have a good idea of where the mobs will be and where they are heading etc, with riots they haven`t got a clue and have to act on instinct

Next time sh!t like this happens, how about the ministers put the riot gear on and go out on the streets and control the situaion

[mike11111]

Plus, it's not only looters and rioters they have to deal with, but also the web-footed mutants from Norfolk and Suffolk who descend on the capital at weekends. Tricky little buggers they are; the police have my total sympathy.

[Buenchico]

Why just the weekends, Mike?

This 'web-footed mutant' from Suffolk is going to London tomorrow (or, more accurately, later today!).

Actually, we don't have web feet here in Suffolk. (To the best of my knowledge, that's restricted to Norfolk). We just have 12 toes ;-)

[mike11111]

Thus enabling you to continue counting in the old duodecimal system :).

[Buenchico]

We find any form of counting difficult, Mike, but we're getting there!
http://www.chinese-to...ngzi/20080717-bb1.jpg

[rov1100]

Why Cameron needed to go to the US to see how they implemented zero tolerance is beyond me. We had our own zero tolerance policeman who solved many of the problems we have today. His name is Ray Mallon.

http://www.independen...f-robocop-660079.html

[factor-fiction]

This guy has been advising us on policing issues for years at various times. He is just being asked to give advice- he's not been put in charge of the police! I think the police unions are overreacting a bit here- in most other sectors we have had to get used to people being recruited from outside or consultants coming in to give advice. (Much of the advice from consultants is a waste of time but we should be prepared to listen to other ideas- we don't have to act on it)

[Ankou]

perhaps dave needs some foreign politicians to come over and tell him how to do his job better.

[ansalia]

Blaming the police for the riots was a daft move by politicians. However, tackling the bureaucracy and vested interests in the forces will be a big task for Cameron, worse than Thatcher's fight against the miners.

[emmie]

Just to have balance here, Ken Livingstone as Mayor of London was in talks with Bill Bratton alongside John Reid then Labour Home secretary, back in 2006, so not exactly a new idea of getting outside help. And certainly not the first time that they had met, others include Sir Ian Blair then Commissioner of Police, who had adopted a number of tactics used by Bratton across London.
As to politicians enjoying their holidays, are they supposed to wait around all year, just in case something kicks off, hardly likely. Even if the PM had been in residence at No 10 this would still have happened, it has been on the cards for a very long time, and no one can second guess when it will kick off again.