Being a policeman or woman has never been an easy job. For a start, you need to be able to pass the physical, and then attend college where you learn the law of the land and how to administer it. That, in itself, is no mean feat of memory.
Once you graduate, you join your local force where you work long, hard shifts, often at unsociable hours, for relatively low pay and a guarantee of discomfort. Every time you clock into work you can be sure that if you are policing on the frontline you will be dealing with harrowing situations, distressful situations and most probably, dangerous situations.
You go to work knowing the chances of being abused, spat on, injured or even killed are higher than in any other profession, other than the armed forces.
Yet still people volunteer to do this.
They know that the legal system demands precision, accuracy and reams of paperwork before any arrest becomes a conviction. They know that nothing in the job is easy and every day will be hard. And despite this, they still come forward.
I know this because the picture you can see accompanying this blog is me at my passing out parade to become a Special Constable in the late 1980s. I’m the one on the right; the Mayor of Northwich is leaning in to speak to me.
The more observant of you might also spot that this picture was taken at the back of the Northwich Police Station, at the top of the Sheath Street car park.
Back then I volunteered because I wanted to make a difference. I wanted to help my local community and keep them safe from the bad things that might happen to them if I could. I know that my contribution as a Special was only a small one, but to me, it was important to give something back.
What drew me in were the basics of Peelian Principles, those principles laid down by Sir Robert Peel when he first established the modern professional police force back in 1829. Now, 200 years on, our brave policemen and women are once again at the forefront of public perception and as such, it’s important we remember the basic principles around which their role is based.
Sir Robert Peel knew that the police could only be effective if the population allowed them to exist; basically, policing by consent. People need to consent and to agree that the police are there, representing the public and ensuring law and order are maintained.
The principles he laid down are worth repeating as they are as relevant today as they were back then. They are:
1. The basic mission for which the police exist is to prevent crime and disorder.
2. The ability of the police to perform their duties is dependent upon public approval of police actions.
3. Police must secure the willing co-operation of the public in voluntary observance of the law to be able to secure and maintain the respect of the public.
4. The degree of cooperation of the public that can be secured diminishes proportionately to the necessity of the use of physical force.
5. Police seek and preserve public favour not by catering to public opinion but by constantly demonstrating absolute impartial service to the law.
6. Police use physical force to the extent necessary to secure observance of the law or to restore order only when the exercise of persuasion, advice and warning is found to be insufficient.
7. Police, at all times, should maintain a relationship with the public that gives reality to the historic tradition that the police are the public and the public are the police; the police being only members of the public who are paid to give full-time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen in the interests of community welfare and existence.
8. Police should always direct their action strictly towards their functions and never appear to usurp the powers of the judiciary.
9. The test of police efficiency is the absence of crime and disorder, not the visible evidence of police action in dealing with it.
Over the last two weeks, we have seen serious disorder on our streets to which the police have been called. They have held fast against this monstrous aggression, and have held fast to the Peelian principles as best they can.
As police on the ground, they have to deal with situations as they arise. They are not responsible for the punishment end of the legal spectrum, nor for decisions on whether to punish offenders or not. They can only do the job they are asked to do at the moment they have to do it.
The public, however, don’t see this. They see inconsistencies in policing. They see one type of march or demonstration being ‘kettled’ whilst the other side gets a free run and can wave banners bearing offensive slogans whilst the police stand by and do nothing.
Police don’t get a say in this. Orders come from higher up.
People in the establishment are making these decisions, much as they have made the decision to arrest, prosecute and imprison rioters within days. This is a decision they have made. They could, if they wanted, make the same decision to deal with rape cases, where there are currently over 180 cases more than two years old in the system. The average wait time for a rape case to come to court is over one year.
The public are frustrated. They expect consistency from our legal system. They expect that if someone decides to attack a police officer carrying out their duty they are arrested, prosecuted and promptly jailed, as has happened to the rioters. What they also expect is that this process is carried out impartially (principle number 5) and that the law applies whatever your race, religion or ethnic background and wherever you committed the offence, be it in a town centre or at an airport.
The law is the law and must be upheld. Our police force do a fabulous job in this country and we should all support them and condemn anyone who thinks it is fine to attack them. We should never forget the seventh principle; “the police are the public and the public are the police; the police being only members of the public who are paid to give full-time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen in the interests of community welfare and existence.” In short, the policeman or woman on the front line is someone’s son or daughter and most likely, someone’s mother or father. They should not be subjected to abuse because it is incumbent on all of us to uphold the law of the land.
I was proud to be a member of Cheshire Constabulary, giving something back to my community. And whilst I witnessed both awful and wonderful things during my years in the force, I also felt honoured to be alongside men and women who would put their lives on the line every day to protect and defend their local community,
Remember, the police are not responsible for policy in the U.K., just for keeping law and order. If anyone has a grievance with the state of the U.K. then I would suggest that they raise it with their local M.P. and ultimately with the current government. Only they have the ability to affect reform and they should be in no doubt about the strength of feeling amongst the people in this county who are longing for a better, calmer, more cohesive and tolerant society.