The furore over PC Kelly Jones's claim for compensation after tripping over a kerb shows no sign of abating, and has brought about a confused and muddled response from the police force itself.
Stephen Bett, the Norfolk police and crime commissioner, has called on Jones to withdraw her compensation claim.
As per the BBC:
"In my mind, that would be the right thing to do and, judging from what people have been telling me, what the public would want to see.Norfolk's chief constable Phil Gormley said he was "disappointed personally and professionally" by the claim:
Police officers, like other members of the emergency services, accept that when they join up they may have to put themselves in danger in order to do their job.
It is appalling to think that rather than putting the public first, there are some who see the possibilities of taking their own legal action to benefit financially."
"Policing is a contact sport, as is life on occasions. You can't eliminate all risk.However, Steve Williams, chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, which is backing the claim, said PC Jones should not be vilified.
I'm not saying be cavalier but one of the things when I was a lot younger that attracted me to the police service was that level of excitement and, on occasions, risk.
You only have to sit in an accident and emergency department and all around you in many places there are encouragements to sue people.
It breeds defensive organisations and it generates a lot of bureaucracy."
As per the Norwich Evening News:
“Both the public and police officers have expressed concern that this type of case has been taken forward. However, it is important that the public understand that police officers are not financially compensated by their own force for injuries received on duty and, in fact, can lose money through half pay and reduction in allowances.That is all very well, but what did they expect would happen when a police officer sues a member of the public who is not a criminal?
Let me be clear – to vilify this female officer is wrong.
She took legal advice as to how she could claim back some of her lost earnings as a result of the injury, and at this stage no formal proceedings have taken place.
In my view it is actually we [the federation] that should be looking at our processes and structures in terms of how we provide advice.
She is our member and I feel that our organisation has failed to prepare her for the wider personal impact that might arise from such a claim.
The police federation’s structure is being independently reviewed and no doubt how we continue to provide advice in the round for our members will be examined as a result of this unusual case.
While PC Jones may be an easy target as she is one individual within a media storm, for me it is the police federation that needs to be mindful of the widespread public and member perception that has arisen out of this claim, and address that where relevant in our advice going forward.”
David Abbott, a retired police officer from Hadleigh, is quoted by EADT24:
“I have been retired for eight years now but during my 30 years in the force, working in places such as Ipswich and Hadleigh, I was assaulted by people, bitten, scratched and kicked by wild and domestic animals, and I tripped on a dark railway line.Quite so!
I fell into an HGV inspection pit in pitch dark, broke an ankle climbing over high gates while pursuing a suspect, and I was even shot at with a firearm.
We didn’t even have stab-proof vests in those days, but everything was in the line of duty and not once did it ever occur to me that I could claim against anyone.
This should never had been pursued in the first place as no permanent damage was done (to Pc Jones). In my opinion, the whole thing is ludicrous. If tripping up a kerb is worst that you encounter as a police officer, then you are very lucky.”
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David Abbott, a retired police officer from Hadleigh, is quoted by EADT24:
ReplyDelete“I have been retired for eight years now but during my 30 years in the force, working in places such as Ipswich and Hadleigh, I was assaulted by people, bitten, scratched and kicked by wild and domestic animals, and I tripped on a dark railway line.
I fell into an HGV inspection pit in pitch dark, broke an ankle climbing over high gates while pursuing a suspect, and I was even shot at with a firearm.
We didn’t even have stab-proof vests in those days, but everything was in the line of duty and not once did it ever occur to me that I could claim against anyone.
This should never had been pursued in the first place as no permanent damage was done (to Pc Jones). In my opinion, the whole thing is ludicrous. If tripping up a kerb is worst that you encounter as a police officer, then you are very lucky.”
I quite agree with Mr Abbott, a man I respect as he clearly seems to be one of the 'old school' who believes police officers primary purpose is to serve the public. A great pity there are not more like him in the force today, instead of some of the modern generation of politically correct jobsworths, some of whom appear to be more concerned with elf'n'safety than proper policing.
My Lord:
DeleteHere here!
Every company and organization have rules about the way that their staff conduct themselves both in and out of the workplace, so there must be a way of disciplining this woman, perhaps even sacking her for ‘bringing the force into disrepute’ or similar.
ReplyDeleteIf her bosses are truly upset with her actions why don’t they simply get rid of her?
Because she might sue for compensation, and with our daft society, she'd probably get it, by the bucketful, even if a few more police stations had to be closed to pay for it!
ReplyDelete