Tricky forces....

A tricky force...

I’m not a massive fan of the police. This is probably because I see the worst side of them . I see the obnoxious side. The lawless side. The ones who think that statistically a conviction is preferred as opposed to ensuring that the right person is brought to justice. Of course I see a lot of good officers as well. Like with everything however they are not always the ones that stick in your mind. Its the ones that wrong you who do. I don’t propose to turn this into a critique of the police force based on my personal experiences. It would take too long.

I feel however that I need to comment on the recent criticisms levied at officers in the wake of the recent riots.  There appear to be two issues in relation to the conduct of the police.

Some of the rioters indicated that they were looting shops and smashing windows as a result of their perception of police brutality.  It appeared to stem from a protest being held at Tottenham police station by the family of a man shot dead by police. The wider community then took this up a notch and the result was the first night of rioting. (I do not in anyway suggest that this was due to the relatively quiet protest carried out by the grieving family).

I think that this was however used as an excuse by those who wanted  to cause trouble and felt that in some way they would be exonerated if they claimed “its all about police brutality innit”.

There was then an tricky stop and search incident and again the rioters flared up sighting this as there basis.

This formed the basis of the first criticism laid at the door of the police.  

This was not helped by the BBC. They seemed to be intent on stirring up the feelings of the rioters. Why broadcast that the IPCC found that the man had not shot at police before being shot dead? Why not focus on the fact that he is a known drug dealer. He was armed. That means that he was carrying an illegal loaded gun. Innocent men in my experience, do not feel the need to tote illegal firearms. They don’t need protection. They don’t need it as a persuader.

In the picture broadcast into millions of homes, he is gesturing the well known gun symbol with his hand. Despite not being employed he is clearly ‘blinged out’. This is plain to see.

So yes its sad. A man lost his life and that of course should be properly investigated. Just don’t paint him as an angel because he is dead and don’t use his death as an excuse to display ridiculously poor and unnecessary behaviour. Youre doing t because you want to not because you feel you have to.

Secondly the police were criticised more widely about their perceived lack of action in the riots. They didn’t charge in there knocking people out of their way. They didn’t beat them with batons. They didn’t spray everyone around them with CS spray and they didn’t taser people on sight. Some people think that they should have.

They think that the police weren’t tough enough. That they should have quite literally stamped it out.

You see the dilemma. The rioters use police brutality as an excuse for their unruly lawless conduct. The general public want police brutality to put an end to the riots. Its a catch 22 situation.

I’ve even heard politicians put there two pennies worth into the mix. They agree the police weren’t tough enough. They blame the police for the escalation of violence and disorder. Its their fault it got so our of hand.

They neglect to tell you of course that they make the law. They are the decision making body who has decided that the police must act in a certain way.

For instance in order to use a water cannon, this would need to be authorised by parliament. The riots occurred during parliaments summer break. The first night of rioting was Saturday. Parliament convened an ‘emergency; sitting on....Thursday. why the wait? Because the politicians, the law makers, were on holiday. They didn’t want to come back. They were quite prepared to leave the country they run in a state of disarray.

So why blame the police? Because they think that it will win them voters. That they can score political points by jumping on the bandwagon of public confusion.

What they should do of course is explain to the public that it is they who make the law. It is up to them to authorise further action on behalf of the police. That they are the ones who caused the problem by allowing society to fall so far into the gutter....

Of course they are just trying to take some of the heat away from themselves. They know that they are not coming across well in all of this. If they can blame someone else then they will. They don’t care that it makes a mockery of the bravery displayed by the police who took to the streets to defend the public from a potential civil war. They did a great job. They should be praised not put down. They were injured. But still they went out.

Had they acted with brutal force would they not have proved to the rioters that they were right? That there cause had some merit? Would they not have demonstrated in someway that there was truth in the notion of police brutality....

Small things...

The small things make all the difference...

Sometimes when you are having a bad day, you think that nothing can make it better. No one can improve your mood. I usually start out this kind of mood by ranting relentlessly about the perceived wrongs to the nearest willing listener. To be honest they are not always that willing. They are cornered.

Sometimes this is enough. At least for the time being, to stave off the mood at least to a certain degree if not entirely. Sometimes it makes no difference to my mood at all. At least not in a positive way.

You see the pitfall of ranting about something is that it stirs it all up more for you. It can make it far worse than it was before you started on a Hamlet style monologue. It can really get you worked up into a proper lather. Then you can’t stop ranting and thinking about it in a vicious cycle. Neither of which makes you feel any better.

There are two things in my experience which improve this situation. I'm not ignorant enough to think that this will not work for everyone and that you need to find your own helpful “get out of mood free” handles.

The first for me is writing a letter of complaint. Ill touch on this more at a later stage I'm sure. I’m  going to have to be at a far more confessional point before I reveal the true extent of my letter writing. Lets just say I’ve written a lot of letters whilst on maternity leave. Some I haven’t even had the balls to actually post. But more of that later.

The second perk me up is sure fire. I think its far more universal. Its noticing the kindness of strangers.

Generally I think that society has lost a lot of its moral fibre. I think that we live in a world where people will help you up after a fall and then rob you blind. I think that we have nurtured a culture which expects to be fed what they want without having to contribute anything to the human race in anyway.

Its not fair however to tar everyone with the same brush. Not everyone has this lack of social etiquette. This lack of ability to live within a community. Some people really are amazing. Not because of one single great act. Because of who they are. What they believe in. What they stand for and of course what they will not.

Take the recent riots. Ive never been so ashamed as to watch a group of idiots smash up this country. Part of me lost all faith in humanity as I constantly watched story after story of the selfish acts committed by this group of bafoons. Never had I thought that the image of Britain had been so damaged.

Then out of bleakness, something absolutely amazing happened. The people fought back. Not physically of course. They are not the same as the others. They fought back with something much more powerful. They united. And united they decided not to allow people to spoil their lives.

They coordinated a clean up of the damage caused. Thousands of people mucked in to sort out the damage done by their fellow country men.  They restored the faith of human kind. My pride for them soared. Each and everyone of them made me feel so much better about the world in which we live. They came together regardless of gender, ethnic origin or religious view an they did a brilliant job.

Out of the evil of the rioters came triumph. Certainly a triumph for national pride. It moved me to tears.  That'll be the hormones...

This isn’t an isolated incident however. People can be good. They really can. Whether it be the small act of holding open a door for you to go through or passing a compliment to a stranger. These are acts which make people feel good about themselves. Nothing major. Nothing costly. Generally just good manners or a desire to be pleasant.

This is a sure fire way to rewarm the cockles of my heart. I can smile about it for ages. Of course you have to have your eyes open to see it. You have to be aware of your surroundings. Not have your head stuck firmly where the sun isn’t shining. If you close yourself off in such a way then you never see such acts. For that im sorry. There really is no faster way to improve a mood.