I just read this on a friend’s timeline and thought I’d share it because it is absolutely accurate.
Borrowed
Okay, time for a Public Information Announcement on behalf of Police Officers throughout the UK.
We’re in the midst of a global pandemic, the likes of which hasn’t been seen in our lifetimes. The agreed and sensible advice from Scientists and the Government is to STAY AT HOME to prevent the spread of this highly infectious disease; simply to stop our Healthcare System becoming overwhelmed, resulting in unnecessary deaths.
This advice has been replicated around the world:
• In India, Police use large sticks to beat people for venturing outdoors.
• In South Africa, Police have fired rubbers bullets at crowds outside a supermarket.
• In Peru, those who flout government restrictions can be jailed for up to three years.
• In Saudi Arabia, they can be jailed for five years.
• In China, people regularly “go missing” for defying the state.
• In Spain, the Army are on the streets.
• In New Zealand, if you ignore advice they deport you.
Yet, the most scathing headlines are saved for Police Officers in the United Kingdom.
In these troubled times, those absolute b*stards that make up our Police Force(s) are:
• Encouraging people to go home, or in many instances, driving them there.
• Shopping for the elderly/vulnerable when they have no-one else to turn to.
• Trying to maintain Law and Order.
• Moving out of their family homes to keep their families safe.
• Trying to keep communities together.
• Dealing with ALL THE USUAL CRIME that they normally do, i.e. Domestic Violence, Burglaries, Thefts, Drink Driving, Drug Dealing, etc etc…and still have to meet performance targets.
• Having to cope with SCUMBAGS who are deliberately coughing or spitting at them, whilst claiming to have Coronavirus (amongst your daily assaults on Police)
… and when all that fails, they can report people for summons or issue them with a Fixed Penalty Notice! 😲
However, this does fail to address a few key points…
Why is action even required? If people LISTENED to the advice and stayed at home, it simply wouldn’t be.
This ISN’T a Police State. Not even remotely close to one.
If you want examples of that, try some of the other countries mentioned above. You’d have a shock when you start bleating about your Human Rights only to find a Copper beating you with a hefty stick before hauling you off to jail.
Ironically, the fact that you can BE such a difficult selfish individual in this country is largely down to the fact that the Police are usually around to keep you safe – no matter what stupidity you’re bleating on about. It doesn’t matter if they agree or disagree with you – you will find them defending your right to protest – stuck in the middle and receiving hatred and bile from both sides, regardless.
So, back to the fickle Media.
One day, there’s a terrorist attack and you’re all heroes…
The next day, someone else is told that they can’t do something – and you’re all suddenly Facists.
Last week, it was widely accepted that the Police needed to do MORE to enforce “social distancing” measures.
So they did.
This week, people who aren’t used to being told “no” are up in arms that their civil liberties are being restricted.
If EVER there was a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” scenario – this is precisely it.
The Public AND the Press need to decide exactly WHAT they want from their Police. Never has there been a better time to do so.
“Journalists” sit behind their desks, safe in the knowledge that any negative, inflammatory, Police-related, attention-grabbing headlines will garner hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of clicks – baiting people into crappy articles that spew an anti-Police rhetoric – and any resulting discussion just further increases the reach of the articles; all in all, an Editor’s ideal scenario!
So they continue to do so, not giving a damn about force morale and having little or no clue about what it takes for a person to put on a uniform and go to work – SIMPLY TO HELP OTHERS – and be hated for it regardless of what you do.
One thing is quite clear. Every piece has a hero and a villain. The Media have set their stall out early on with this one. The NHS will clearly (and rightly so) be put on a pedestal for weeks or months to come. Police on the other hand are the cheap shot; easy to depict as the bad guys, because that’s all they ever are.
Will this fall on deaf ears? Probably. But there’s always the slightest of chances that people will read it, take a step back, and just MAYBE consider what they would do if they were in your boots.
Ultimately, this whole situation sums up policing in this country.
People want you to do their dirty work. They want you to deal with things so that they don’t have to. And they reserve the right to criticise you, whatever decision you make.
You don’t have to be mad to be a Police Officer….
… but it sure bloody helps.
The message is simple – Stay at home; do not meet people outside your household.
