Police Helicopters Under Threat

[Vancouver]

The current UK Government in its dismantling of Great Britain want to severely cut police services, the latest being the Helicopter services. In these days of impending terrorist threats and other sophisticated crime it seems totally out of step with reality. You may wish to sign this petition. Especially interesting considering one of number here is a police observer on the 'copters. Memory fails me as to who it is at the moment.
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/75107

[DaveB]

Alex..

I've moved this to E&S as it's not really a FS topic

Difficult to see where they can make more cuts as the service has already been merged, condensed and cut to the bone
ATB
DaveB

[cstorey]

You do not seem to realise, Alex, just how unpopular the police have become in the UK . As Quentin Letts , the distinguished journalist , put it in a recent book, even the Upper Middle Class have begun to question them , a pivotal point having been the shooting of the completely innocent, and unarmed , Juan Menendes on a tube train by a bunch of armed police . Had murder charges been preferred , then the police might have been seen as not being a. out of control and b. above the law , but the failure to prefer charges has had disastrous consequences

[tonymadge]

Hope you remember that comment when god forbid some low life is about to break into your house or is fighting outside with a knife, you can hide behind your curtains whilst a bobby who for a lot less money then you think puts his or her life on the line saving your neck... You are quite comfortable to criticise without the full facts unless you read the Daily Mail who will lambast every public service they can, but then again they are a Tory led newspaper...

The cuts the police are suffering are frightening the cut to NPAS which runs the countries helicopters is equally frightening, NPAS are in my view (having been a bobby on the beat and in the air for 28 years) are run by bad managers who will happily keep the aircraft grounded and save money, offering a service does not come into it. Their methods of training and selection is a joke they are run by idiots. I retired from service after spending the last dozen years flying in the helicopters and enjoyed my role. I was asked by my base manager to re apply recently as a "civvie" observer. I refused as I did not want to go back to something that worked perfectly but now is broken....
Our police service is in my view the finest and most scrutinised in the world, the officers work with little support in manpower and equipment yet do it day in day out.
How many of us would do that job? knowing that very move is being watched, every violent offender is out to harm you when stopped. It is very easy to sit in the comfort of the armchair and be a "qualified critic" I would advise you to join the Special Constabulary to see what the job entails then come back with your comments, I somehow think after a shift you would not put the uniform on again.......
Tony

[Airspeed]

You tell 'em, Tony!

There are rare instances that get the rabble rattling on; like when a teenager jumped the station barrier because he didn't have the train fare. Two "Special Protective Officers" who are employed by the privatised railway, repeatedly capsicum-sprayed him. The whole thing was recorded on security cameras, and the SPOs lied in court about events. These isolated cases make popular media, but if they broadcast all the robberies, rapes, bashings, thefts etc etc the public would soon change their tune.

[cstorey]

Tony Madge. If you look me up in Who's Who, you will find that I am , perhaps, not just " an armchair critic" as you call me so disparagingly. It is your sort of attitude which has caused such trouble , and in particular , has resulted in Juries being so sceptical , and cynical , about the police, with , as I have said, disastrous consequences . Perhaps, on mature reflection, you may think that an apology is in order for your intemperate post

[PaulC]

As a serving officer who has seen his particular department shrink by 66% over 4 years while those above tell the public we've got bigger, I whole heartedly agree with Tony. Those who complain and pass uninformed judgments are still happy to call 999 when they need us...

[Steve M]

C Storey
I find nothing in Tony's comments to provoke such a reaction against British Policing in general. I wholeheartedly agree with his comments.
Perhaps instead of suggesting a search of Who's Who to find out from what position you speak you could enlighten us all.
Having proudly served 30 years in front line Policing (Now retired) it is your comments and generalisations which I find offensive towards a profession filled by people who regard Policing as a vocation as opposed to just a job.
I still have contact with former colleagues who become more demoralised by the day with cutbacks and sniping by the gutter press and others who have never faced everyday policing situations .
It is not Tony Madge who should be making an apology in this instance.

Steve M

[DaveB]

Before this thread falls further into the abyss.. let me say a few words while sitting on the proverbial fence as it were. I intend taking no sides as there are no sides to take.

I don't think Chris's original response was meant to be particularly inflammatory.. it is what a good many people 'outside the force' think.. right or wrong. The vast majority of the population may go through life without ever encountering a Police Officer or having need for one. Others will say that whenever you need one.. there's never one around then flip a coin and you'll find one there when you least need one.. when you're blissfully zooming along at 33mph in a 30mph limit and you've just been knicked! I have some small experience in seeing both sides having had a sister and her husband in the force.. a sister-in-law and her husband (x2) in the force.. plus an aunt and 2 grand fathers in the force.

I'm not really surprised that the only other people who've responded to the thread are either ex or serving Police Officers. Being an ex pub landlord of 23years.. I never got used to folk being under the impression that all pub landlords water down their spirits and beer. Fact remains that some do and it's these who make the headlines.. in effect tarring us all with the same brush. Some are lucky and get away with it for years. Others get caught much sooner. Others, like me, NEVER EVER did or would even contemplate doing such a thing.

The general public only get to hear about what's reported. Let's end this here while we're all still friends

ATB
DaveB

[Techy111]

Thought I'd pop in on my phone as thats all I have after a second fried PC........As a serving London Paramedic I do see both sides and as the NHS is suffering as bad if not worse than the Police as such I would love to wade in but will remain on the fence.

Go MPS

And Dave isn't English beer gnats water anyhoooo ?

I'll just slip out the backdoor again.

Tony