Perhaps I should start by apologising to my non police readers for more police content in this post. Well I won’t and in any case, it’s not just police, it’s about social and human issues. Ones that affect us all and impact on the society we live in!
Firstly, I’d be very happy if there were ‘non police’ readers but I’m not actually convinced there will be and secondly, all those who have dipped their toes in the waters at Bankside Babble this year should know, it’s mostly police or government I rant about any way. If you aren’t interested you can always go somewhere else.
Oh yes whilst I’m at it and before you leave, any chance of a small vote of thanks for my time spent defending your freedom of choice? No I didn’t think so, never mind, have a nice day and I’ll continue.
I find it worrying that; a large proportion of the people who have become police officers over recent years, or any that may be thinking of it as a career, seem to look at the role as simply a job. There is little or no concept of what it actually means (or should mean) to be a Police Officer. Irrespective of whether or not you are connected with the service or, you are simply an interested member of the public, perhaps you should read, inwardly digest and fully understand the meaning of the following…
” I . . . . . of . . . . . do solemnly and sincerely declare and affirm that I will well and truly serve the Queen in the office of constable, with fairness, integrity, diligence and impartiality, upholding fundamental human rights and according equal respect to all people; and that I will, to the best of my power, cause the peace to be kept and preserved and prevent all offences against people and property; and that while I continue to hold the said office I will, to the best of my skill and knowledge, discharge all the duties thereof faithfully according to law.”
This (as some of you will/should know) is the oath taken by every police officer when they are appointed. It forms the basis and foundation of every action a police officer takes (or should do) and, as a police constable is actually a Crown Servant 24/7, in many ways it should also be a creed by which they live their life. Sadly it appears fewer and fewer can honestly claim that ethos.
I’m not suggesting dishonesty or impropriety on the part of any individual officers (although there has been some over the years, unfortunately) but what I am suggesting is; today it is increasingly difficult to find members of our society who actually possess that sense of duty and level of integrity. As if that doesn’t frustrate me enough, I also find it incredible how difficult it can be to try to explain these values and their importance to people. It’s not my inability to explain as such, it’s more their inability to grasp the concept. People who just brush these values aside irreverently and dismiss them as pompous and/or old-fashioned. Perhaps it is a little too ‘pompous’ of me to expect this ethos to be prominently displayed by today’s recruits? after all, they are actually products of today’s society.
In my opinion, people able to do that are probably in the wrong profession, one that is so much more than ‘just a job’!
Dave's Bankside Babble 