As we all know, the leaders of the police in Britain are 100% focused on the safety and well being of the British citizens...unless that is of course they are drowning, or indeed not fellow police officers.Therefore it should come as no surprise to learn that Nanny's chums in the Greater Manchester Police (where they allow schoolchildren to drown, see yesterday's article on that) have banned its officers from riding bicycles for safety reasons.
Greater Manchester Police have decreed that its officers and PCSOs must not patrol the streets on their mountain bikes. Nanny believes that the officers do not have enough training to handle road conditions across Greater Manchester.
This is rather unfortunate, as the patrols are popular with the public because they allow officers to chase criminals down narrow lanes and through parks and they act as a visible deterrent.
The ruling follows the death of PCSO Christopher Maclure, who suffered head injuries in an accident with a lorry in Wigan.
A GMP spokesman said:
"The safety of officers and staff is our first priority.
Officers should ride a police cycle only
if they have passed a competence test."
No mention of the safety of the public being their first priority!
Here's a radical suggestion, why not train people to ride the bikes?
That, I guess, would take all of one or two days?
Here, totally free of charge, is a short training video that may help the GMP train its men.
Erm, so why are they not banning their employees from using cars as well? Surely they are even more risky?
ReplyDeleteSurely if the safety of the employee comes first there is no point in having, say, police or firemen? I mean, they are to protect the public and even property - if they aren't going to do so because they might get hurt (a risk in the simplest of situations) then they have no purpose at all? Enforcing the law and capturing criminals would presumably be out of the question, since there would always be a risk, of say, an aggrieved smoker dotting the copper one on the conk? Filling forms in at the office, presumably, would be the safe option, but of course it would neither protect anyone nor catch any criminals.
ReplyDeleteIsn't road safety a core function of the Police? What an admission: that Manchester's roads are too dangerous for police cyclists. What about civilian cyclists, pedestrians and motorcyclists who have no choice but to take part in Manchester's daily re-enaction of Death Race 2000?
ReplyDeleteMemo to GMP's Chief Con: get shut of the "money cameras" and get some proper police patrols back on the roads. Including those on bikes.
Pete
Perhaps this is the reason for the cameras everywhere. Policing is dangerous by nature so perhaps the plan is to keep all the bobbies in doors watching cctv screens. Ahh but wait, 'elf n safety may not permit this as one of the poor luvs could get eyestrain!!
ReplyDeletePerhaps I could volunteer to carry out some of these bike patrols because almost fifty years ago, I passed my cycling proficiency badge and as you know I have my Bronze meddallion. I got my first aid badge in the scouts, so where do I sign? only problem is I'm not too PC and I don't like form filling, but I do enjoy a donut.
>>Ahh but wait, 'elf n safety may not permit this as one of the poor luvs could get eyestrain!!
ReplyDeleteDon't forget the risk assessment of the desk and chair lest they get posture problems or rsi (and we all know the type of wrist injury CCTV operators get).
And what about the dangers of working at a height for the people installing and maintaining cameras?
Watching this video I'm reminded of my times at kindergarten. Oh, isn't engaging in a shooting dangerous? Shouldn't they wear bulletproof vests?
ReplyDeleteWho exactly are they going to shoot anyway?
If the police continue to withdraw from any areas where thier officers are injured,very soon they will be doing absolutely nothing,apart from arresting small children,if they continue to act in this way i think that we , the public should stop paying them,we get nothing for our money anyway as they turn up After the crime has been committed what is the use of that!
ReplyDelete