ACPO support long sentances...

Having read this article it doesn't surprise me one bit that ACPO are spouting incomprehensible rubbish.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1196987/Inexcusable-gobbledygook--Verdict-102-word-sentence-drafted-police-chiefs.html

The sentence in question is this:

'The promise of reform which the Green Paper heralds holds much for the public and Service alike; local policing, customised to local need with authentic answerability, strengthened accountabilities at force level through reforms to police authorities and HMIC, performance management at the service of localities with targets and plans tailored to local needs, the end of centrally-engineered one size fits all initiatives, an intelligent approach to cutting red tape through redesign of processes and cultures, a renewed emphasis on strategic development so as to better equip our service to meet the amorphous challenges of managing cross force harms, risks and opportunities.'

Anyone care to translate??

Sorry, again...

As soon as I posted the previous post I saw this...

The problem seems to be with the officer throwing a few strikes in...

The circs aren't known so I don't know the reasoning behind tasering him.

I know for a fact though that the firearms officers involved don't want to be messing around with him as per the unarmed officers which arrive later (guns strapped to you prevent rucking) hence why they tasered him a second time.

The punches going in APPEAR to be at his shoulder and NOT to his head - I've used this to get a suspect to release his arm before, as he clutched a knife, and is a perfectly reasonable response should the circs need it.

But as I mentioned we don't know the circs and we don't know what is going through the officers heads so we can't make a call on it.

In my mind it's a none event, a media frenzy over some dramatic footage which is out of context and is something to blame us for AGAIN.

So sorry we do our job, sorry we protect the public from lunatics like this, sorry to put our lives on the line. Let's hope the CC in Nottingham has some balls and stands up for the lads doing their job.

Then, now and more soon...

This post is overdue but what with all that has happened where do I begin. My two least favourite MPs, Blears and McNumpty have, or are in the process of, disappearing and Jacqui Spliff has walked. I couldn't have dreamed up the circs to their exit any better and I hope the world, and the policing of this country, is all the better for it. Hell, it couldn't get much worse to be fair.

Work has been pretty consistant and, apart from the odd moment of excite, has been fairly routine. I even went to custody and dealt with someone!! Shock horror! It was a bit like being in my probabtion again to be fair as I asked people around me as to what I should be doing next - policy changes almost as quickly as the government these days so don't blame my memory!

Couple of incidents of note which I will post up soon...

Harmless when armed...

It would appear that this is getting a bit of attention now that the actual facts are coming to light as opposed to the media's typical reaction of 'speculation' or, as I like to think of it 'making it up'.

So, far from Mr Tussler being the innocent old man brutally murdered by 'trigger happy' police officers it turns out it was letting off handgun rounds at police, with one of them hitting an officer, prior to him being shot dead.

Now there is a lesson to be learnt here. It may be tough to some, but if you shoot at an armed police officer please expect a far faster, more powerful round to be coming more accurately back towards you. Whether you be a pensioner or a feral youth you will be shot to the largest area of your body, your chest and core, and more than likely it will be fatal - speedy bits of lead tend to do that to soft mushy human organs.

There will obviously be those that think we can do a John Wayne and shoot guns out of hands or Taser people through brick walls which only shows their lack of knowledge re using any weapon.

Back on the beat.. sort of..

Even though I do wear a different coloured shirt these days I still arrest people for minor offences a well. Far more proactive arrests mainly because I have the time to drive around looking for stuff now as opposed to playing catch up 90% of the time as I did on response.

I've had a fair share of drink drivers, minor assaults and even a few people for a 136. It is always the mental health ones that make me worry most though. I have an armoury hanging off of me, including the standard police baton and spray, so it doesn't take much for me to back off and keep some distance as I don't want to even contemplate someone wrenching a weapon off me.

It usually plays on my mind as to what I would do in those circumstances - some person needs to be detained but instead of running away wants to get close up and ruck due to them being an SPG.

Gun - not an option unless someone pulls out a gun or some other lethal weapon and has every intent to use it on me or a member of the public. Even then there are other options as below.

Taser - Yes, could be although I am sure it would not act as a deterrant and I would be forced to use it immediately. Need justification and all that.

Spray - Good choice although it would limit me going for a taser if it failed to take effect.

Baton - Higher on the scale than the last two, although you wouldn't think it.

Hands on and getting the suspect on the ground - Difficult as I don't want to get close due to them potentially grabbing bits of kit.

My thoughts are that I would play it by ear, despite taser being a LOWER option (incapacitant) than a baton strike I would still need something a bit more to justify it's use. It's a firearm however you play it and it's something I don't mess with unless it is REALLY necessary.

Although there is a bit of bravado from the other guys (and gals) on the shift I know that every one of them is in no doubt that pulling out a gun and pointing a firearm at ANY person is a very big deal. Unlike MPs these days we have justify every part of the thought process for doing it down to the most minor of details. Dirty Harry it is not.

Even when loading or unloading a weapon you have to switch on and do it with the care and professionalism it deserves - otherwise you can wave your firearms career bye bye.