In Ruraltown, the elderly are like dirty, damaged vultures. They converge at awful jumble sales. They rummage and fight for socks and underpants that have been torn from the stiff corpses of their previous ancient occupiers.
In Ruraltown, I have seen a woman die in the doctor’s surgery. No one noticed until 3.00 pm.
It is always cold and dark. Unemployment in Ruraltown is, of course, staggeringly high. This part of Ruralshire is so divided along class and racial lines that it is hardly the old shire at all but a collection of tribal groupings.
Some of its outlying towns are concrete wastelands too terrible to describe. People travel miles to jump from our multi-storey carpark. They truly do.
Ruraltown is where the people of Ruralshire go to die. Ruraltown is twinned with Auschwitz, I know who got the better deal. If you have a dozen screaming kids, tattoos on your face and neck, a slot machine addiction and you love frozen chips and microwaved pizza, come to Ruraltown.
I defy you to find one person smiling, or even anyone who isn’t thinking “Why am I here? Why am I here? Why am I here? Please someone kill me,” over and over again, then holding their breath until they pass out. The crowning glory of Ruraltown, though, is its people. They will happily kill you with an axe while you wait outside the local chippie for a deep-friend Mars bar. (This actually happened. An axe.)
Black Lace refused to play here. Burger King actually closed down their High Street store because they had more trouble than any other town in England. Pre-pubescent skiprats and abusive old women in Kappa track suit bottoms hurl insults and beg for shrapnel from passers-by. Our local Police commander is desperately ambitious. Working here is his crowning glory. Everyone is famous for fifteen minutes, and he is doing his fifteen in the toughest place in the county. I’ve had more like fifteen years. Sure, I have been away to different towns but I always come back.
I was on the other side of the world once when a local tourist guide recognised my accent. ‘Ruralshire?’ he asked knowingly. ‘Ruraltown’ I replied. He walked away without another word. Even the third world know how screwed this town is. I loved my time in Belfast during the troubles, it was so, up market compared with where I came from. The local population of thieves, drunks, druggies and serial wife-beaters do not like us. We are their natural enemy. But we must achieve their trust and respect for some reason.
The urban decay, the rot, the complete absence of any hope at all, really set in when the railway freight business deserted the town 50 years ago. I once saw a bloke in custody, who was in my year at Ruraltown Comp. The Sergeant asked him if he could read and write before offering him the custody record to sign. He said he couldn’t. I interjected. ‘I was at school with you buddy, you can read and write for God’s sake’ he said ‘I used to be able to but I forgot how’. He hadn’t had to read or write anything for 20 years, so he simply forgot how. An ‘agency’ for everything, all on a plate. A filthy mean little plate, but a plate none the less.
These are the causes of the so-called Anti Social Behaviour (around here it is normal behaviour) which, as of next week or whenever, I am now personally responsible for. If Ruraltown Magistrates ever handed out a half decent sentence to anyone in this town, it might help. Why can’t it be their turn to be ‘accountable’ for the crime in this place. There is only so much we can do.
If ministers want to start asking awkward questions about why ASB hasn’t gone away in Ruraltown, they should ask this; how many times have the most prolific offenders been arrested by police in the past? how many times have they been convicted in court and what was the penalty? If it was a community sentence, did they complete it? If not, what happened next? Were any fines paid? If not, what happened? Why are offenders with a history of breaching community sentences given further community sentences? I can tell you the answers to all of these questions, and you won’t like the answers.
Gadget Note: Revealed – not a single burglar gets a maximum jail sentence.
First?
its a fix, I demand a recount
Second!
first?
LOL
Breach of this, breach of that, contravening such and such law, we always make sure they get to court but then the revolving door has been greased before their arrival and they magically appear back in their shit hole dumps ready to cause trouble again…and so it goes on and on and on and…what’s the point.
fifth?
Next
Killing someone with an ax for a deep fried Mars bar? Hell Gadget must have one big headache from hitting your head against the brick wall : P
Perhaps the mad axe person worked in the health service? Saved them from a slow death by clotted arteries.
ig – while I agree with most of this, the Magistrates are have as much freedom to pass prison sentences as we police do. It’s the Home Office who i blame. They spin about new ideas and getting tough on police while dictating these nonsense sentences to the Magistrates. Any magistrate who passes a sentence outside the guidelines risks getting chucked out and the smug defence team appealing against sentence. The CJS is well and truly broken beyond repair. I accept this now and just plod on now, not giving a shit any longer. The Daily Mail readers now have exactly what they deserve. An impotent police force but lots of juicy stories on the failings that they lay on our doorstep, just to sell more rags. One day, they’ll change their tune. Funny, all our critics still dial 999 when someone parks in their space! Funny that!!!!
“getting tough on police”? That explains a lot…
I do think people ought to lay off the Daily Mail a bit. Yep, they print some anti police stuff but they’re basically more anti the bureaucracy than the front line troops.
Make no mistake, the left are trying to turn natural Mail readers against the Mail in the way they tried with the Sun in the 80s, because it’s the most powerful right of centre newspaper.
The Guardian and the BBC are much more worthy targets.
Agreed re. The Grauniad and Beeb.
The Mail – they may be anti-bureaucracy (aren’t we all) but there’s ways and means of going about reporting it. Their initial frustration with endless paperwork and targets has been lost in a morass of cheap shots at the police. And the articles are so bad now – both in journalistic terms and factual accuracy – as to be nothing but blatant police-bashing.
This is why I revile the paper. If they stop, maybe I’ll have a rethink.
Possibly.
Disagree re the BBC, they’re such an easy right wing target, they do have one or two programmes that aren’t very right wing but their far closer to a middle ground than the Dm is.
My first jumper was at a multi-storey car park, it was my first time in the area car and I had been blanked for most of the shift. My driver and I were standing there looking at the now pretty much headless body he said nothing for about a minute then said “well that certainly wasn’t a cry for help. Well done for not puking by the way” he talked to me after that. Wierd night.
Look on the bright side…..eh…….I’ll get back to you.
*reads post*
Excuse me a moment, I suddenly feel the burning desire to aerate an artery or two.
As much as I want to say “oh you must be exaggerating”, I’ve seen enough of this first hand to know that simply isn’t the case.
Forgotten how to read and write, I don’t dought you but I never thought such a thing was possible.
John Gibson
“I never thought such a thing was possible.”
Why not? After all, you’ve fogotten how to spell doubt.
Er… ted. Read your post again.
Sublime irony
lol
‘Fogotten’ is a new word meaning that a mist has come into your mind clouding everything in there.
Is it like ‘fo-shizzle’?
PNB – as a proper name shouldn’t ted (sic) be capitalised.
Sod the decline of society, let’s write about grammar and spelling.
Sod it, forgot the question mark!
LOL
Places like that need to be policed with a heavy hand. The people you describe; give them an inch and they’ll thieve a mile. Policing by consent? Doesn’t exist in these places. In Ruraltown, and it is replicated across England, it is a case of imposing law on the animals.
Unfortunately all the ground has been given away, mainly by ambitious butterflies who fly away after there 15 minutes to show on their CV.
I turned up for summer Night shift once to be told by the Late Turn of an ongoing party that would be trouble that night. Afro Caribbeans were partying two doors down from a family of pikies doing the same. All evening there had been calls to the place with one group or another kicking off but the Late Turn Inspector wouldn’t let the troops deal with it. Even before we paraded the call came in. We went down there, it was the pikies kicking off, I went to the first one and when he told me to fuck off he was nicked. As was every other pikie at that party. The Late Turn Inspector was still around when we returned and was not best pleased. Still we had a quiet night. I bet the Late Turn Inspector is a VERY SENIOR OFFICER now. He might even have a Jag, but I bet he’s staying well away from Ruraltown. With leadership like that the troops give up.
And a man waiting for a deep fried Mars bar gets axed to death…
Mentioning an axe murder at a chip shop rather narrows down your location. Even a manager could figure that one out with Google !
My thoughts exactly. Plus the mention of Black Lace.
Tried it. Found nothing specific.
Altogether now: aaaaaa-ga-doo-doo-doo, fry the Mars Bar, axe the swede…
coffee on the keyboard now, bugger
Sprayed coffee over the screen!!!
Lol
I have showed great restraint in not typing a joke about stuff splattered over a screen
Sounds like urban myths to me, Gadget. I’m sure I’ve seen such idle comments before.
OMG, laughed properly at that one
Burger King closing too!
Dont forget the fact that Ruralstown is twinned with Auschwitz, I think Insp Gadget is losing his marbles
Reminds me of people who said to me “cheer up, things could be worse. So I cheered up and it got worse”
Seriously, I just wish some of our so called politicians could be taken for a tour of Ruraltown, without their PR minders and without any SMT licking their backsides. Just take them out in a van with a few decent ordinary cops and no advance notice to the town and let them have their eyes opened to a bit of reality. Then they can see some of what really happens after their speeches and promises. (they will also see pigs flying overhead I imagine for all the chances of that actually happening and educating them).
These people who legitimately claim a “First.”
How do they do it?
Do they have a little bell on their ‘pooter to tell them when IG has made a new post?
Or do they sit all day, eyelids held open with matchsticks, drinking gallons of coffee and logging-in every five seconds ?
Not that I care – ha, as if !
For those of you who think it is a silly practice, let me remind you that it is just a bit of fun.
And that’s all it is.
Nothing more, FFFS !!!
I’m on shifts, and normally come home to a new IG post with hundreds of comments so this really was a first for me. Hmmmmm perhaps the boss and I are on the same team and he typed it in the office and posted it once the shift was over?!
See right at the bottom, billy. ‘Notify me of site updates’. Use that, it’s preferable to the matchstick/coffee combo.
RSS feeds work quite nicely too as a means of notification.
it is a wonderful thing to be 1st and one i have not achieved for a while, but with a week of leave coming…..
I’ve managed three times, and they were all sheer fluke of timing. But the more you check out the blog, the more chance you stand ..
I have done it once and rest content with that. Sheer fluke of being up early with kids and logging on at exact right time.
Twelvety !
The tone of the recent posts should signal the end of the ‘first, second, etc responses. IG , I am worried as to your state of mind as your recent posts seem to show you getting pretty low. Take a deep breath and remember that the scum are just that. I too was a soldier.
Here I sit in the airport of my new city in my adopted country, ready for a visit to taffshire to visit friends and relatives, and after reading this post am reminded of the reasons why I left and am left wondering “will I be able to get a refund on my flight?”
I have to agree with Marc here. Seems to me from the tone of the last couple of posts that the gaffer needs to take some well earned leave away from the scum that infests his local swamp.
Don’t worry about Gadget’s state of mind – he’s fairly robust
Here is our mad axeman in action…
http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/crime/s/1344828_video_axe_thug_spared_bill_for_10000_wrecking_spree
Suspended sentence and no compensation ….. no imprisonment.
FFS ….
Here is an email doing the rounds in GMP…..
How do you tell the difference between a UK Police Officer, an Australian Police Officer and an American Police Officer?
By posing the following question:
Scenario Question:
You’re walking down a deserted street with your wife and two small children. Suddenly, a dangerous looking man with a huge knife comes around the corner, locks eyes with you, screams obscenities, raises the knife, and charges. You are carrying a Glock .40, and you are an expert shot. You have mere seconds before he reaches you and your family.What do you do?
Scenario answer from a UK Police Officer:
Well, that’s not really enough information to answer the question! Does the man look poor or oppressed? Have I ever done anything to him that would inspire him to attack? Could we run away? What does my wife think? What about the kids? Could I possibly swing the gun like a club and knock the knife out of his hand? What does the law say about this situation? Does the Glock have appropriate safety built into it? Why am I carrying a loaded gun anyway and what kind of message does this send to society and to my children? Is it possible he would be happy with just killing me? Does he definitely want to kill me or would he be content just to wound me? If I were to grab his knees and hold on, could my family get away while he was stabbing me? Should I call 9-9-9? Why is this street so deserted? We need to raise taxes, have a paint and weed day and make this a happier, healthier street that would discourage such behaviour. If I raise my gun and he turns and runs away, do I get blamed when he falls over running away, knocks his head and kills himself? If I shoot him, and lose the court case does his family have the opportunity to sue me, cost me my job, my credibility, and will I lose my family home?
Scenario answer from an Australian Police Officer:
BANG !
Scenario answer from an American Police Officer:
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! click… (sounds of reloading) BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! click. Daughter: “Nice grouping dad, were those the Winchester Silver Tips?”
“Political Correctness” is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.”
http://momentumministries.blogspot.com/2007/12/out-of-driveway-into-game-chapter-2.html
“One of the most shocking and uncharacteristic incidents in American history took place during the Korean War. The American military man has had a long, proud history of holding up remarkably well while being prisoners of war. They have been courageous, orderly, still maintained discipline and respected the authority of captured commanding officers. Despite the conditions and temptation to feel hopeless, the prisoners remained loyal to one another, resisted the authority of their captors and repeatedly made attempts to escape.
The Korean War, however, was a marked departure from that tradition. In Korea a relatively small number of Chinese Communist soldiers kept thousands of American soldiers under control without fences, barbed wire, physical torture, or any of the other usual methods. Major William Mayer, a U.S. Army psychiatrist who participated in extensive debriefings following the war, reported that only 5 percent of POWs resisted the enemy, 15 percent became hard-core defenders and collaborators with the enemy, and the other 80 percent were rendered passive by the tactics of the enemy.[i] Of the thousands of American POWs during the Korean War, not one made any attempt to escape during the entire period of imprisonment.[ii]
In his work, None Dare Call it Treason, John Stormer reported that “. . . some American POWs had broadcast anti-American propaganda, informed on other prisoners, wrote articles, letters, and stories praising life under communism, confessed to ‘germ warfare’ and other atrocities, and generally cooperated with their captors in every way.[iii]
What could possibly keep thousands of Americans from resisting their captors? It was simple really. They did it not through torture or intimidation, but with a teacher and a classroom. The Chinese had mastered the technique of classroom manipulation. They took groups of tired, scared, and confused soldiers into classrooms and encouraged them to relax and “confess” their feelings to the rest of the group. For weeks they would discuss things such as Christianity, Marxism, the American way, and communism. They were constantly told that there were no absolute moral truths, only differences in opinion. They were constantly told to lay aside their own selfish opinions and work towards creating a group consensus; this was they were convinced, beneficial for the welfare of the group. What they were not told is that they were being constantly shepherded towards predetermined conclusions. It was the facilitator’s job to constantly push his students towards this enlightenment.
The Chinese were so effective with these techniques in changing the worldview of the prisoners that an inquiry was called for at the end of the war so as to be able to study the techniques of the communists.
Edward Hunter, a foreign correspondent, author, editor, and specialist in propaganda warfare testified before a congressional committee on March 13, 1958:
I have been watching developments under communism in other parts of the world, and now I see exactly the same developments here in America. . . War has changed its form. The communists have discovered that a man killed by a bullet is useless. The objective of communist warfare is to capture intact the middle of the people and their possessions, so they can be put to use. . . A more exact term in the military lexicon would be “mind attack”. . . This is the modern conception of slavery that puts all others in the kindergarten age.[iv]
In describing this process, Hunter introduced the word “brainwashing” into the American lexicon. He explained that people were first put into a fog before they could be effectively brainwashed. They need to be shaken loose of their precepts and convictions until they lose belief in them. Hunter noted:
The one thing the prisoners least expected was to come into a classroom atmosphere. . . Americans respect learning and have been taught to. . . see all sides of every question. . . The facilitators lured them into believing the pseudoscientific Marxian philosophy, which teaches constant change, even in such basic conceptions as truth and falsity, good and bad. . . Where convictions were already worn thin by their upbringing, the line became blurred until these noble traits were twisted out of shape by becoming tolerance for evil.[v]
Textbooks were given to the prisoners that were written in English, covering the topics of American history, government, and economics. The information, however, covered these topics from a much different, but reasonable sounding perspective. It was done in such a way that unless these Americans had a solid foundation of these topics previously, they would not be able to detect the differences and misrepresentations. The facilitators constantly stressed that their captives examine the good points of every side so that they could get along with everyone and not be isolated in their beliefs.
The Chinese had learned a very practical and effective technique to control their prisoners. It was not through fear and intimidation, but was rather through indoctrination. Those who are controlled by fear are always a step away from revolt. Those who have been indoctrinated will go along willingly because their desire to resist has been removed.”
For those who have the time and inclination, this is an excellent summary of the triumph of Secular Humanism and Cultural Marxism in Western (specifically, American) Intellectual Thought.
America (and possibly Australia), at least, have not yet been completely overwhelmed – there is a heartland that continues to offer stubborn resistance, and may yet reverse the tide.
Tragically for this country, we are on the wrong side of this intellectual and moral Iron Curtain. All effective resistance against these twin evils has ceased, and the Humanists and Marxists, led by our lords and masters in Brussels and their all too-willing Satraps in our Public Institutions, are now engaged in mopping up operations to eliminate the last pockets of resistance to their rule.
I can recognise much of this in the modern police ‘diversity’ training. However, the lessons are so unbelievable and the ‘facilitators’ so lack credibility, that only the weakest and least intelligent individuals believe anything they say, the main result being to actually CAUSE anger, which is what they are trying to defeat! Brainwashing needs vulnerable subjects to begin with, and most police officers sitting in those classrooms are far from that. Having said all that, they are trying to brainwash. No question about it; for example, no discussion against multiculturalism is allowed at all, on fear of being branded a racist.
The real and very pressing question for me is how do deal with my anger, no, not anger, but boiling, impotent RAGE at what has been done and is still being done in the name of “Equality and Diversity”.
When one is at the very bottom of the chain of command (in my case in the Civil Service), one has only two choices, silent acquiescence (and to remain silent in the face of a Lie is to become a Liar), or resignation from the job. So far I have chosen the former, as I have three dependants to support, but I am rapidly coming to the point where resignation is the only option if I am to avoid a complete mental breakdown, such has been the destructive effects of “cognitive dissonance” on my mind.
It occurs to me we have a fair amount of short/medium nukes left over from the cold war…
Perhaps we could divert one ‘accidentally’….
boom…
end ex…
The real worry here is that Ruraltown is not instantly identifiable as being so exception that everyone would know – without reference to google – where it is. This indicates that whereas Ruraltown may be at an extreme end of a spectrum, there are many others nearly as close. Knowing where it is though, I have to ask IG ” how are things in $%&^%$£%?
Well, using those criteria, Ruraltown is a ‘clone’ town of modern Britten.
This’ll amuse you????
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1318028/As-families-face-benefits-cuts-Kelly-Marshall-spent-4-500-BOOB-JOB.html
No, not amused, not in the slightest. How does someone with no job run up £10K debt? Does Argos consider “on benefits” to be a form of employment when applying for credit.
Oh, and there are a lot of pictures of the lady in question in this article. You might want to finish what you eating *before* clicking the link. I wish I did.
Now he tells me! (Am cleaning my keyboard as tea has landed on it as I screamed at my computer!)
This woman has bought things with our taxpayers money that I will never afford to own (even if I wanted). Never worked a day in her life, and she is one of many in this country.
When I lost my job (made redundant) 15 months ago, I was told that I could not claim jobseekers allowance as my husband still had a job, even though I always paid tax. We struggled with our mortgage (and still are). Despite 3 Finance qualifications, 22 years experience in Finance, a Special Constable for eight months (all on my cv), no job due to competition from all who lost jobs in the city due to recession.
Last time I had the will to look, it was around 500-800 applicants online for one job on Reed alone. After much thought and tears, I have decided to re-train as a Nurse. I will worry about my future in 3 years time. At least I can sleep at night again……………………until I read this Daily Wail article.
Off to check my blood pressure……….!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a fucking disgraceful excuse for a human being. I don’t blame her, though. I blame those who allowed her to keep trawling up my cash.
She takes home more in benefits as a result of shagging than Mrs 24/7 brings home as a full-time PC … which is the most disgusting indictment of all.
Somehow, I doubt Ruraltown is as unique as you think.
Watching some police reality series (‘Road Wars’, I think) last night, two traffic cops stopped a woman driving her daughter to school in Reading. I feared for their safety when she got out, as she was the size of Godzilla and far less pleasant in demeanour than said radioactive lizard.
The reason they stopped her? Cannabis being smoked in the car, in broad daylight. By the fifteen year old daughter.
The car was untaxed, she had no liceence, and her response to the question about the spliff was ‘So what? Every kid smokes here!’. The reason she was driving her to school was because ‘She refuses to get the bus or walk’.
So, that’s OK then…
I’m all for post natal abortion…
And then, after having felt sorry for the police after seeing this, I turn on my PC this morning and what do I see?
A 78 year old man goes to an East Kilbride police station, worried because he’s going away on holiday and he’s seen the recent reports of Lithuanian squatters taking over houses, and he wants to let the police know that he’ll be away in case anything occurs.
The police officer on the desk finds his reasons for worrying ‘inappropriate’ and warns him about making comments that might be construed as ‘racist’.
You really, really don’t help yourselves. Do you?
Of course, since we are always being told here that no-one on the front line agrees with all this politically correct rubbish, that it’s only the ACPO grades and their senior bootlickers who do, perhaps the poor old sod was just unlucky enough to arrive at the station in a time of shorthandedness and the Chief Constable was manning the front desk for a change?
What were the circumstances? were you there? or did you blindly believe everything the news report told you? I rather think the officers version of events may differ from the version you’ ve read.
The circs may indeeed be different from those described, but I myself have seen dickheads make similar comments when all the person wanted was a bit of reassurance.
IG, as previously observed you sound a bit down. Nothing lasts forever mate. I`m sure everyone is sending happy thoughts.
I dont know what you do for a living JuliaM…
and whilst I would agree that the pursuit of perfection is always a wise path…
However I suspect that…
If we had to listen to and read all of the fcukwitt/ nasty/ useless/ lazy incidents that have occurred in the other EMG serv/ Armed Forces / industry etc…
The newspapers would be several meters thick…
eh?
I spend a lot of my time (completely unpaid) helping people who have been let down by lazy/useless/thoughtless/ignorant twats in the NHS.
This doesn’t mean that the vast majority of NHS employees are like that, it’s just that the bad apples let down the majority and rarely get the publicity.
Ditto coppers.
I have to say that in defence of Julia, the East Kilbride story is quite sadly believable given the Scottish Police College’s push of diversity and insistence that every non-pc turn of phrase is robustly challenged, even at the expense of common sense.
Of course it could have happened in a way different to that of the 78 year old chap but I can believe it.
It’s not the cop at fault, it is the system. My money is the cop being young in service without the experience to more appropriately deal with the situation. Either that or an instructor just back on the street from SPC.
or maybe the old fella walked in and used some inflammatory phrases for foreigners that may have been acceptable when he was young, but are taboo nowadays. East kilbride front bar isnt the quietest either. But maybe we should get the facts before blaming the SPC staff, the cop, the CC or anyone else apart from the old racist man.
I`m sorry but JulieM is spot on. Years ago officers like the one in East Kilbride would have been told the score, probably in the canteen and by a more experienced police officer. These days he`s probably being hailed as a hero by one of his senior officers as he can tick one of his equality boxes.
Well said there, Once a Plod and Sniper. And shame on you people who have had a dig at JuliaM. I have seen enough comments on these pages that have been posted by contributors, who have claimed to be police officers, complaining about the type of officer who would readily fall within the two examples that JuliaM has given. After all if these people didn’t exist within the police, would Gadget’s blog have any relevance?
dont come onto a police blog, have a pop, and expect not to get a reaction.
Some of us still have a bit of pride, not yet kicked out of us.
Shove your shame where the sun dont shine.
Somerset01,
Glad that I am that some of you still have a bit of pride.
I’ve previously threatened young cops with and sent them to the ‘old sweat’ for ‘feedback’.
Everybody needs to be able to refer to higher authority when the feel they’ll lack clout, and the sergeants use me. As superintendents are beneath me and my contempt, I do it the old-fashioned way … the old sweat. My RSM.
JuliaM
I spent all of last night and a good part of this mornning, dealing with the dross and scum of society and some poor bloody kids who were victims, doing nothing more wrong than being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Please dont misunderstand, but I really couldnt give a toss about your opinion of us. I know my troops did a dammed good job last night.
funnily enough, I didnt see you there.
Before you take the moral high ground, you need to prove your credentials by having climbed some mountains.
Otherwise, every time you open your mouth, to me, its just so much noise.
They had a POLICE OFFICER on the desk??????Wow………
On a serious note, that could have happened. difficult to say, because I don’t knwo teh substance behind the allegation. Onereason it could have happened is that the front offices are usually covered by CCTV and if ever found out that the officer didn’t “challenge inappropriate behaviour”, could have found themselves out of a job. Particularly scared officers young in service who are fresh from diversity training…… Or the elderly man could have been a member of an independent advisory group “checking up” on responses to different reports. This happens!
I feel bad for the elderly man if he was upset, I really do, and perhaps I would have been (much) more diplomatic that described above , but if he was being “potentially” racist I would have said something because I NEED my pay packet and my pension, end of.(and if he REALLY WAS being racist – which is possible – I would have also said something cos it makes me mad).
I don’t agree with excessive PCness. But if its a choice between that and employment you can’t really blame people.
Have you got alink to the story?
Whilst we’re busy combatting ASB I do hope someone is thinking about a contingency for any Mumbai style attacks here in the UK. Having seen the response to Messers Bird and Moat, I’m not exactly thrilled at the idea of our response to a bunch of trained militants carrying automatic weapons and explosives. Even the Indian Police will end up having done a better job. Here they’ll be out of ammo before anyone heavily armed enough can respond….
The army will respond to that one
Unlikely the army, or navy, or marines, or even the airforce are in a position to respond to anything else at the moment. I know that farces in my area are increasing amounts of ammo carried and `plans are in place`.
Mind you, I don`t know what the plans are or who wrote them.
There is always a lot of green in the UK on rotation and training.
And how long is it going to take to get armed green into situ (or multiple situs)?
“”And how long is it going to take to get armed green into situ (or multiple situs)?”"
Many many hours, for a start as any ex squaddie can tell you, You can get 3 or 4 hours just doing the “get on the Bus”, “get off the Bus” routine before you actually head off to the incident, then you have to add in the “Officer with a map” who will get you there……eventually, then it’s back to camp because the hay boxes of Range Stew and the ammunition have been forgotton………
You’ll find that Hereford Gun Club will probably deal with that sort of thing very effectively.
Downside is that they tend not to arrest very many people, but they do deliver kinetic effect.
I’m struggling to see the downside of various jihadi scumbags being filled full of lead and copper here, certainly save on the parade of lefty lawyers falling over themselves to give aid and succour to enemies of the state and / or traitors.
Frontrow the plans have been drawn up and army not used. One supt at the meeting said “I will send a response car first to see what is happening” 19 are the responders for us but army might get used if prolonged attack occurs. If a supernintendo tells me to go and ask a bloke with an ak if he intends to hurt anyone I can think of a suitable reply
LOL! Here our farce has decided to produce a PowerPoint with a new mnemonic on it for first attenders….
…like that’ll save you or the public from a lunatic with a Kalashnikov!!!
Lol first attending officers- fuck that for a game of soldiers!
You’d never get me attending an incident like that! I’d rather face disciplinary action than a body bag and a black major incident ticket dropped on my cold bloodied corpse!
Sorry just read Simon’s comment about an officer with a map getting the squaddies where they need to be – that would be a first!!
Ironically, one of the first slides helpfully points out that in the Hungerford shootings, the first attender was shot and killed in his police car.
Erm… and you want me to attend the next ‘Mumbai in Britain’ call armed with nowt but a steely gaze and a mnemonic to protect my sorry behind?
Normality is the opinion of the majority. The swamp sounds as if it could be normal . . . . . in statistical terms. A piece on the sterling efforts of your local MP and the local councillors to improve things and how they interact with local residents might be interesting . . . . seems like it might not take you long to write though
Take more water with it…
Lol
silly can oops mam oops … Etc
IG
Just for you – better to watch this than going to your Daily SMT Meeting:
Great post – like vintage Nightjack.
FFS – I was BEFORE Nightjack – Doh, I bit on that one!
There’s a distinctly negative overtone to these last few posts.
IG – we’re worried about you!!
Perhaps you should book yourself in with an SMT Political Officer for a little expectation re-alignment?
In other news, Miss Snuffleupagus has outed herself!
Even cuter and scarier IRL!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/oct/05/teacher-applauded-attack-education-system
Oh! So that’s why she closed her blog!
Good to see she hasn’t been ‘got at’ by some weasel, as I feared!
I bet the diversity bods had a heart attack when they saw her, then heard her!
lol
She looks like a bird I know called Sonia!
Took her long enough to grow up then? Still, at least she has at last!
And developed amnesia at the same time. Remarkable.
She teaches French? I would happily practice my French with her anytime of the day.
J’aime Comment La Conversation Française, Mais Je Veux Que Vous Me Montriez Plus De Comment Le Baiser Français.
Gardez la foi!
I’ve a feeling she wouldn’t confuse inflation with fellation!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/27/rachida-dati-former-frenc_n_740828.html
There is a town about six miles from me in the North West that is genuinely twinned with Auschwitz and a town in The Somme. What kind if a hole do you have to be to get those two?
Rossendale by any chance
Blackburn !
that could of been my next guess I used to live in oswaldtwistle
Who the hell thinks up the names for these places?!?
Ramsbottom is close by
There’s always Wetwang…
There’s also lots of various Piddles.
*collapses in a chuckling heap*
Why are offenders with a history of breaching community sentences given further community sentences?
Because locking ‘em up doesn’t work either! None of the issues IG has highlighted in the last two very bleak posts can be tackled by policing or the CJS alone. We need to tackle the root causes – it’s possible but not easy or straightforward. Sadly the government *ucked up the Probation Service some years ago and encouraged us to pull out of places IG describes. We’re run like business’s now with shed-loads of ridiculous targets – recognise that?!
It is bleak and the only way I can see things improving is to turn the clock back and re-invent some things we abandoned like:- a youth service, youth clubs, detached youth work, intermediate treatment, job creation schemes, apprenticeships, jobs, even bloody National Service if necessary – but finally a personal plea to stop the destruction of the Probation Service and allow us to go back into these communities and do what we used to.
Ah the old days…..
Occurence Books……Prosecuting Sergeants…….smacks round the ear……proper tea stops…….minimal paperwork (relatively)…….knowing your patch…….being known and trusted on your patch……shifts that were teams and gaffers who got stuck in with you (24/7, Scottish/Welsh Inspectors being exceptions who prove the rule)….local Comms…..Police Women in skirts (well some of them!)………………….
No body armour… no stick… crap clothing (same there…)…
Jeez their are a lot of eugenicists on here. Charles Murray was the instigator of the underclass thesis, which later morphed into the bell curve. Just google his (charles murrays) financial backers, i.e. the bradley foundation…basically a bunch of nazi eugenicists….
I know most of you are front line cops are not academically inclined but yu need to know who is advancing this underclass ideology and their real motives…you lads seem to have fallen for the oldest fascist trick in the book….
Prof
Just do a week with any copper on any estate in the country and we will see if you would like to amend your views
I have read the Bell Curve, and other works by Charles Murray, and I understand where you’re coming from. But the work is hardly current (published 1994). The left wing is also embracing the idea of the “underclass” (see the work of Jock Young for example) although their stance, as I understand it, is more of a call to address the causes of the development of the so-called ‘underclass’ – and I don’t think that the “new criminology” or “cultural criminology” which seems to be in fashion at the moment, has anything to do with eugenics.
I’m not sure that you can make a link between academia and real life, certainly in this case.
With all due respect it is dicks like you that have created the current situation.
Come and work with me for a late/night shift over the weekend on my area. You wouldn’t last an hour.
Thanks for patronising me Professor.
I’d prefer it, though, if you took your assumptions and filed them undetected.
I will waste no further words on you.
24/7 i wasted a few words. ho hum. i felt that it was worth saying to indicate that it is not a few “frontline cops” who think like this but quite a few of us MOPS as well.
@ Prof Green “the bradley foundation…basically a bunch of nazi eugenicists”
Say what? You’re a nutcase.
Underclass ideology? Have you actually been to any British city center on a Friday or Saturday night? Why not climb down from the ivory tower, drop into your local estate and see how well you can “empathise” with the locals.
Whether or not the “underclass” exists doesn’t really matter. You can’t deny what the front line cops have to deal with day in day out.
Do you think that obliquely calling the bobbies fascists will help them try and regain the estates from the serially unemployed?
I don’t think he’s a real prof in a real ivory tower you know!!!!
well done Prof.
You got the society you wanted and no doubt deserve.
Perhaps you could invite a few of the “underclass” around your house for a cuddle and biscuits?
No? thought not. The real world, bit different from academia isnt it?
Prof you complete idiot. No one is talking about eugenics. although it would certainly solve a few problems….
What we are talking about and raging against is the fact that society in this country has been ruined by the application of liberal policies that have bred an “entitlement generation.”
Those people are the underclass. They do not contribute. they do not take part (unless they can skive something or rip the system off or steal from us). The take and never give, whining constantly about their rights and entitlements with out ever understanding that those things should be earned not just given.
And not academically inclined? How very dare you on behalf of myself and others on here. I have observed that many people who comment on here share a number of things that the underclass lack;
1. A understanding of what is right and what is wrong
2. An understanding that we have a responsbility as members of society to contribute
3. An understanding that those who uphold the law deserve our support (and admiration)
3. That we as individuals have to take responsibility for our own actions
That’s worth more in my book than any degree (and i have 2 of them by the way. In proper subjects as well not some basket weaving b*ll*cks).
Read IG, Frank Chalk, Militant Nurse, Winston Smith, Nee Naw to get a real idea of what it is like out there. Go and watch a shift at your local A&E, walk the streets with some cops or ride along with some paramedics. Otherwise bugger off back to your ivory tower and stop runining it for the rest of us.
Sorry IG. Rant off. I’m going to go and have a cup of tea and a sit down in a quiet corner.
‘Prof’ – you don’t seem to be ‘academically inclined’ either!
‘Their’ – ‘yu’ !!!!!
Just spell it like it sounds why not!
He enjoys Mark TWAINS approach to punctuation too … by not using it and implying it should be “liberally scattered about the text” by the reader.
I’ve read Charles Murray’s stuff. It all makes sense to me. The underclass are the underclass because they choose to be not because they are poor.
“They were defined by their
behaviour. Their homes were littered and unkempt. The men in the
family were unable to hold a job for more than a few weeks at a time.
Drunkenness was common. The children grew up ill-schooled and illbehaved
and contributed a disproportionate share of the local
juvenile delinquents.”
Page 32 at http://www.civitas.org.uk/pdf/cw33.pdf
Charles Murray didn’t instigate it. He just popularised a name for a group of people we all recognise.
1 Timothy Ch.5:8 A man who does not provide for his family is worse than an infidel. …
Ruraltown sounds exactly like my last posting…As an example we once had “Professional Wrestling” come to the local Sports Centre.We got a call to go down there after trouble broke out and we had to throw a few locals out.
Later that evening I am in the local chippy when this transit pulls up and out gets all the wrestlers”FFS” says the biggest and ugliest one(a woman by the way) do you work in this town all the time?” “Yes” I say”Well best of luck” came the reply-”We have been to some shitholes but never one like this-we aint never coming back”
Prof
I take your point however, i live if not on a swamp then at least somewhere damp and i see the people described in this and the last post day after day after day. Tell me what do i say to my kids who ask why?
Why work?
Why Study?
Why behave?
Why be polite?
Why wash?
Why buy a house?
Cos little johnny down the road doesn’t and he’s got a ps3, 40 inch plasma, season tickets ofr the footy and goes on holiday to disney land
All i gotta do is deal a bit of blow mug a granny nick a car and get the gorl over the road pregnant and i’m set for life
So forgive me if i find your post a little insulting and forgive the officers on hear if they feel the same.
Walk a mile in my shoes actully dont cos round here you wont make a full mile without hassle and thats got nothing to do with some academic study or fascists!
James
Walks off muttering ” should have got out years ago”
My spellings getting worse!!
gorl = girl
It’s not your spelling, I suspect that it’s the frurious emotion of futility raging through your veins as you vent.
Frurious? Is that related to those puddings, that one sees on the shelf of the local emporium?
Goes to show I share the pain, having read about that ‘lady’ bought tits with my tax.
‘Tit Tax’ ?
I thought they were small white mints.
A tax of tits sounds like an appalling idea … buying tits with tax is probably worse, but they are not the same thing!
I’ll get me coat …
24/7 that’ll be it!
i ve lived here for to many years and not through choice i couldn’t afford to buy a house in a decent part of town and wanting to provide for myself and family thought it would work out ok but after 4 burglaries countless cases of damage to my car (why have you got a new car if you live round ere?” its a company car but feel free to key it anyway) and assault on my daughter caught on cctv (told to remove this as it covers the path and carpark) i think i may have been mistaken.
As far as i am concerned its bu**er all to do with society and more the individuals within it.
the big question is not where did it all go wrong but where is the incentive?
why work etc
why should i work 50 hours a week and struggle to save a few quid for a weeks holiday when those who sit about all day mainlining Jeremy Kyle (sp) just have to shout at the DSS and get it for nothing?
in my case the answer is because i can because i believe i have a duty as a parent to work and provide and educate my children to teach them the difference between right and wrong.and to live in a society governed by laws weather i think they are right or wrong
but its been hard and the pressures from outside my front door have not helped.
i think i need a holiday!!
( remember James 3 years the mortgage is paid and you can move!!)
101st!!!!
What airborn?
Lead the way, hoooarrh!
Semper fudge!
Where is this place? I know every town has its rough estates but thi is like nowhere I’ve ever lived.
As a slight aside:
Anybody else been p!ssing themselves laughing at people on the news crying about losing child benefit?
£40,000 threshold?
Yeah I’ll cry about you losing your handout whilst thinking about my friend struggling to make ends meet on £15,500 a year, raising a kid on his own.
Julia,
I work with volunteers one has asked not to work with a service user anymore because they have hygiene issues.
So i talk to his keyworker and a meeting is called and do you know what the outcome of that meeting was?
My volunteer and indeed my department have been accused of racisim because the SU is from a different culture and eats different food.The fact he defecates without warning and cannot wash himself was totally ignored.
i have now lost a valuable member of my team and i expect more will follow.
So much for the big society Dave!!
BTW my volunteer is from an ethnic background the same background as the Service user
So by your reckoning my entire company is racist
or maybe just maybe someone is a little to hasty in blaming others as defined by the big book of correctness
You cannot make it up
Oh and the keyworker thier manager and others in this meeting were reluctant to shadow us in our work to see the problem first hand.
I am too lazy to read all the comments, but over the last few weeks as the cuts approach, I have been spouting repeatedly, that in 21 years, I know of not one career burglar, or any other non-life imprisonable sentence, who has got sentenced to anywhere near to the maximum. This is why the underclass are laughing at us
As a professional in the mental health services I am becoming concerned about your mental health. This post is really depressing and is exhibiting a hopelessness and worthlessness that is in most cases a precursor to depression or suicide. What the frontline police do is not hopeless.(good judgement today, clean kill) What the good frontline coppers do is worthwhile, I saw a huge bobby today pick up a tiny wee lady who had fallen over and get her taken home. Just because your shit has settled out on the surface and you have your share of useless back room slugs must never stop you and the rest of the great lads giving up. One day my boys the world will be yours. Thank you for being there every day
“I saw a huge bobby today pick up a tiny wee lady who had fallen over and get her taken home. ”
Oh no, if he carries on like that his home will be stuffed full of old ladies.
F.
Sounds like a fabulous place. It would be good to invest there and when the local council is replaced with young, motivated members it will thrive.
A fantastic piece of writing, however depressing it might be.