Special measures: justified or more collective smearing of front-line? | UK Police News – Police Oracle
The footage was dramatic; it showed Met officers arriving at the scene of a fire in Camden before the fire brigade and racing into a blazing building, concerned that members of the public could be trapped inside. Days later, Southall and flames that were clearly visible as Met officers scrambled over a fence, concerned again that persons could be trapped.
A third incident in Walthamstow, wasn’t captured on film but again concerned police entering a burning building. Perhaps a more fam…….
The footage was dramatic; it showed Met officers arriving at the scene of a fire in Camden before the fire brigade and racing into a blazing building, concerned that members of the public could be trapped inside. Days later, Southall and flames that were clearly visible as Met officers scrambled over a fence, concerned again that persons could be trapped.
A third incident in Walthamstow, wasn’t captured on film but again concerned police entering a burning building. Perhaps a more familiar sight is one of officers racing to stabbings and shootings, now an all- too- common feature of life on London’s streets. They will frequently arrive before paramedics and render life-saving first aid in addition to dealing with any threat present and arresting suspects. Very often they are greeted with a scene that is horrendous and officers have to deal with the impact these scenes may have on their well-being and mental health. Just days ago, a Met officer was lucky to escape serious injury when he was stabbed in the neck.
It’s not just violent crime that occupies London’s officers. The Met responds to 40,000 calls relating to mental health every year. According to a vastly experienced mental health nurse who is a friend of mine and acts as a point of contact for police, those officers display kindness, compassion and professionalism dealing with difficult incidents which can last for many hours. In some cases, the Met literally save lives by physically pulling the suicidal back from the brink.
These of course, are the officers now collectively smeared by politicians, the media and activists as misogynistic, racist, homophobic, corrupt rotten apples. Recent comments by London’s Mayor have only added to the despair and anger of officers at the sharp end of London’s policing who believe that such constant denigration is not only unfair but places them at even greater risk from attack.
The mysterious leaked ‘special measures’ letter.
The latest misfortune to overtake the Met is the mysterious leaked letter from Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Service, (HMICFRS) which informs the hierarchy of the Met that the force (service) is being placed into special measures. Whilst, personally, I had a lot of time for Cressida Dick who cared passionately about her workforce, there must surely be question marks against many, but not all, of her senior team. It’s interesting that a force, or the male section of it, described as misogynistic and homophobic, was apoplectic with fury at the Mayor’s ‘constructive dismissal’ of their gay, female Commissioner.
Interestingly, when describing the Met’s transgressions, the letter appears to makes no reference to its former head, Sir Tom Winsor, recently telling the Home Affairs Select Committee that only 20% of …….
