Roland is all alone. Well, actually, Roland is far from alone at this precise time. But this precise time will not last long and he knows it. Roland should be in bed. But he is not.
Roland’s mother is disinterested and his father is absent. He has various foster parents and a social worker. Roland has no friends because he is ‘fat’ and ‘thick’. So the kids in his class tell him. And anyone else who will listen.
The armoured youngsters from Response stand around looking knowingly at each other. They are glad I have arrived. “The Boss has arrived” they say. Who is the Boss tonight? It’s Gadget. Oh yeah, we know him, he eats Kebabs.
As usual the scene is illuminated by the blue flashing strobes mixed with the dead orange of the street lights. It’s not raining now but it has been. It’s dead quiet and no-one is around except us and the Fire Fighters.
Roland has a fuel can and a lighter. The lid is off. He is twenty feet away in the middle of the road.
“Hello Gadget” says the Fire Brigade Sub Officer. “What can you do for me fella?” I ask him. “I can give him half a ton of water before he can blink” he nods over to his crew who are struggling to keep a high pressure hose at ‘off’.
I ask him to give me a minute. I walk over to Roland. Control are going on about a trained negotiator but I know there isn’t time. I hope that Roland isn’t going to do it.
“Hello Roland. Please don’t do anything with that”. “I’m not going to Mr Gadget”. “You are a good kid Roland. Shall we go now?” We walk away leaving the gas in the street.
Roland gets ’sectioned’ (again) by the youngsters and rides away in our splendid hybrid response racing car. Before he goes he asks me if I think he is ‘thick’. I look at him deep in his eyes and grab his shoulders. “You” I say to him “are not thick Roland, you are a good kid”.
The police all ‘resume’ as we call it, leaving the street silent and musty. The Sub Officer comes up to me. “You OK Gadget?” he says. “No” I tell him. “No” he says. “Me neither”. “Still” he smiles tossing the can over to me “it would have been OK”.
DIESEL.
Roland can’t read. No one has taught him.
I sit on my own in the car with my head on the steering wheel. I think of my own little kids and I can’t breathe for a moment. But Control need me for a firearms job in town. This job is starting to get very lonely but I can’t be Roland’s dad. I drive away leaving another small piece of me on the street.
(This video is dedicated to my wife & kids, my family, all 24/7 emergency service workers, readers of this Blog and, of course, to Roland)
How sad- the only people that seem to care about Roland are the people that are sent in when it has all come to a head.
Sometimes the enormity of the problems out there collide with a realisation of how little impact our jobs really make in the big scheme of things and its poignancy almost suffocates you.
Thinking of you, the Rolands and the occasional patients and relatives who still haunt me,
Lucy
I haven’t really got the words. We’ve all met our Rolands, whether the disturbed suicidal ones or the angry criminals where for a second you get a glimpse behind the veneer and you realise how much of a nightmare their existence has been, a sorry tale of abandonment, bullying and exploitation by others.
Don’t give up yet, Gadget. I go by a story a mother once told me, which will probably be familiar to many of your readers. I call it the starfish principle.
A man was walking down the beach one day. A high tide had beached hundreds if not thousands of starfish. Now the tide was going out, the starfish were slowly dying on the drying sand. The man would walk, then stop, bend down, pick up a starfish and throw it back in the sea.
Another man walking saw this. He spoke to the first man, saying “why are you bothering? Look at all the starfish on this beach. You can’t possibly make a difference to all of them”.
The man smiled as he bent down, picked up another and threw it back into the sea.
“It made a difference to that one”, he said.
Thats what I think of on the days when I’m struggling to come to terms with the enormity of our job. I even think that story is even part of the reason I joined the police in the first place.
Hey what do you know. I’m actually getting all emotional now……
A fantastic piece of writing, Gadget. I’ve spent some time working with kids in Vietnam who are in a similar situation. Some unwanted, some scared, some just so poor they have to beg on the streets.
The sad thing is the children who are putting him down all the time are the ones who should be locked up. You’re right. He’s a good kid.
Anyone can help. You’re doing your bit. Keep it up.
It’s reassuring to know that if there are people like you out there and that because of people like you there is a possibility that the madness that exists in the SMT’s and the rest of the irrelevant hierarchy doesn’t descend on all. Common sense + compassion + a sense of duty and loyalty. Well done to you and those like you.
http://inspectorgadget.wordpress.com/2007/04/29/stands-the-church-clock-at-ten-to-three/
I wrote my last before I read your previous post (above) – spot on, as were the other contributors. Damn shame, and as a couple said, it isn’t just this fine service, it’s all over. Apparantly a retiring British Ambassador to Rome lambasted the government last week on the same topic. I heard him on Radio 4, he was sp p****d off with ‘Reviews and Audits’ and everything that went with it.
Keep going MR G – you are not alone, Blair (Tone) may be doomed, but ‘Dave’ doesn’t look much better at the moment.
top post boss,
another piece of real policing that cant be measured.
no “target ” met no tick in the SMT’s “meeting government figures” book. and yet probably one of the most important bits of policing that evening.
and i bet the lads and lasses involved got straight on the job to the next one!
police officers….most dedicated group of emergency call out social workers there is!
keep it up boss, and if you do look at leaving the uk, youll be in good company. plenty of bobbies doing just that…me too 13 yrs and counting!
PGTips wrote “Blair (Tone) may be doomed, but ‘Dave’ doesn’t look much better at the moment.” Anthony Blair will be earning millions from now on and your colleagues will be guarding him for years to come. “Phoney Blair” Cameron is following the same spin approach and is almost certainly just as worthless. At least we have Crony Blair of the Cosmopolitan Police to hold the line. Wonderful.
just as an aside…came across this whilst having a nosey on the web
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1004/1004067_209_police_officers_walked_out_in_2006_.html
am i reading that right? 6000 bobbies resigned?..hmm by the time i get to OZ or NZ they may be more of my shift there than here!
Keep up the good work, Inspector G. The police are “our” police when they are clearing up the Establishment’s messes, rather than doing its political bidding. I don’t know how you keep on doing things like that (especially given the fair point Bert Rustle makes) but I am very grateful that you do. As for Roland, that could have been me. If it could have been Anthony Charles Steven Lynton Blair or David William Donald Cameron, perhaps they would sort out the education system that leaves him at the mercy of his feral contemporaries. BTW, content apart, that’s a superb piece of writing.
I’ve been reading your blog for ages now, and it amazes me how you can explain clearly what street life and work is all about. Now why can’t so many of the ‘new breed’ realise what gaffering is really all about?
You have my total respect boss, keep writing and looking after yourself and the rest of the gadgets.
Now, how do we get you to my area?
We need more Bosses that give a shit and remember that incidents like this are the reason we all joined (most of us anyway) Ever fancied transfering to the big smoke?? Have no doubt that the troops on the ground need a morale boost at the moment, we’re getting screwed everywhere regardless of where we work.
Nice post Guv.
A depressingly poignant post. I’m feeling a tad emotional too. What can one really say? I hope you stick at it — it’s people like you that will return the police force to its proper state one day.
non pc pc, I read the link typical response from the home office. That is why we are in the s*** they (Government) all have their heads up their own a****.
How many lost souls do we pass in a day?
I sometimes feel the pressing need to guide, but which direction, which words, which actions? Sometimes the simplest actions are the most effective. Something you happen to have said in passing might end up saving a life, while those who drain you of all your sympathy, empathy and patience still end up lost!
Try not to leave too much of yourself on the road, comrade!
Boss, another fine post, putting into words those feelings we all know so well.
How often do we see the kids who with just a tiny amount of love, support and decent parenting would go on to be so much. Yet time and time again they are failed, they come to our attention, we stick a band aid on their problems and go away until the next time.
The starfish story is so true, I have lost count of the one I have lost to a life repeating the cycle of petty (and sometimes not so petty) crime and substance abuse etc. However those who I have helped in some small way and have gone on to a good life I hold dear, they are my reason for doing this job.
Come on gaffer! there must have been a detection in there somewhere, what about attempted arson or possession of item to commit criminal damage?
I bet the top brass will be asking you why a crime report was not taken, never mind the fact that you preserved life, one of the fundamental aspects of police work.
I wonder how many more Rolands there are out there? I expect one for each sworn officer!!
Nice work Sir!!!!
There is a Roland in every estate in every city and we all have met him/her and walked away thinking poor f***er, dads a drunk mum doesnt give a toss – kid goes into a care home and turns into a shoplifting little toerag becaue the other kids do it and wants to fit in, but he gets caught and lifted by us. And every other day he is classed as a misper by the care home because he is not there by 5pm. He also has previous for assault because he gets teased and lashes out – ‘thats his ADHD at work’ the social worker states when they turn up five hours later in custody.
No I say to them thats shit parenting and a crap social care system.
I want to care, I want to help but everyone wants a piece of us – the bosses with their targets, comms for all the jobs outstanding because there is no staff free and everyone that is let down by Social services/NHS mental health dept/housing or whoever because that person doesnt fit the remit!!
The Police is the one call for all –
cant get in my house/kicked out of my house – police
injured (not assaulted) – police
drunk – police
lost my dog/cat/mind – police
tourist information – police
cant control my kids – police
my ex wont stop calling me – police
kids playing football/skateboarding annoying neighbours – police
cant sort my life out – police
misper that goes missing everyday – police
suicidal everyday – police
school bullying – police
rounding up livestock
etc etc……..
Im not saying we are the only ones as I know paramedics and fire crews go to some utter shite jobs aswell.
We are supposed to Police not be Mr or Miss/Mrs fixit.
You might want to recall the old saying kids are supposed to be told by their parents/guardians …. “The Policeman is your friend.” It’s time for folk to Embrace that homily again.
Nowadays it’s the throwaway line of. “be good or the bobby will lift you” uttered by those inured to abdicating their responsibilities.
… and to Big Fella.
All the wee jobs we probably shouldn’t be doing are ours ‘cos no-one knows who to call and their ain’t no number for the Ghostbusters on 118 118. It’s nice to know the public STILL think we can solve all their problems if not the crimes!
Well Done IG!
I am a volunteer youth worker, and have seen “Roland” many, many, times.
Thank you for making it possible for him to still be around to (hopefully) get the help and support he needs.
Remarkable post IG.
My girlfriend has recently started pointing me towards your blog and I find your deadpan humour and clever turn-of-phrase quite stunning.
As a junior responce officer with a mere few months service on independent I’ve yet to meet many ‘Rolands’. Some colleagues roll their eyes as soon as a job comes in from a care home/social, it’s easy to forget that many of these kids are at the end of their tether, having been bounced from one care home to another – tired of having to start trusting and telling their histories all over again. Sometimes they just want people to listen and you, sir, are a rare breed.
I’m a relatively inexperienced JP and want to ask …… when Roland pitches up before the Bench, what would the police like the outcome to be? Excellent post btw.
Josephine Public
One thing you should know from the outset is that ‘what the police would like the outcome to be’ is no longer relevent. We are merely collectors of statistics for the Home Office these days. Another thing for sure is that if you deal with people by giving them boundaries and consequences FIRST TIME, then you won’t be seeing them again and again until eventually you HAVE to do something becasue someone has been hurt. I hope this helps.
Unfortunately, Roland will be one of our regulars… then he will spawn and create any number of other sad souls who eventually perpetuate into customers. The comment about what WE want is the most pertinent. We want a tolerent society…. We want people who do not respect others, or their property, to be dealt with proportionately. The sentances were attached to offences with good reason, how can a maximum 10 year sentance be ignored with such ease…. we need a sea change in sentancing policy where people will learn about consequences.
For those who read ME, I’m away this week so no updates… and I can’t get onto my site as I’ve been banned from reading myself at work… Tee hee…. even thought the POLICE REVIEW said I was groovy.
Good Post IG…. your still the man!
Great post, again we can all say we have seen Rolands of the world, with monotonous regularity. Great bit by big fella, took the words out of my mouth. Approaching 450,000 keep up the good work.
to noddy 1046 – call the Metropolitan Police main number and ask for ‘Ghostbusters’ at hendon.
Great site Guv, keep up the good work.
I haven’t done reponse work for about 10 years and am getting promoted soon, I haven’t got a clue but am looking forward to getting stuck in.
By the way does your Force do the TOWBAR system? And is anyone else out there just as confused as I am?
All I want to do is run a good Team and get the job done, instead i’m going to be chasing evidence for “Challenging Oppression” , “Promoting People’s Rights” and writing “Action Plans”.
Please tell me we’re still allowed to arrest criminals? or am I being a bit old fashioned here??!!
[...] week’s rant of the week comes from my favorite British police officer who calls himself Inspector Gadget. He captures the [...]
Actually, would there be anything that can be done in that point? I thought of this from time to time..