Police who are they for?
Steve Sweetlove has written an extremely good article on Police self Defence etc. I have known Steve for approx 20 years he is an extremely good Judo and Sombo player, in his job as a police officer teaching self defence, riot training, weapon training etc he is also very well respected his article has made me think a great deal about the Police and their role in society.
I have had a lot of dealing with members of the Police Force over the years in my capacity as a Coach and competitor. My main expertise have been in Judo, Sombo and Wrestling these sports are an ideal training for Police Officers, these grappling forms do not allow any form of striking, they also have a moral dimension where you try and beat your opponent without creating any injury. A Police Officer must take these ideals to the street where they themselves may be in danger of their life not a particularly equal playing field but something the Law and we the public expect.30 years ago their was no need for specialised Police self defence training most police officers were strapping great men (remember the height restriction) plus the site of a police uniform sent a shiver down the spine of any yob, if you were taken to court you were punished severely and frowned upon by society.
So what has happened? The so called 60's Revolution started the ball rolling sex and children outside of marriage was no longer frowned on, drugs and alcohol were more readily available, marches against whatever were common place this so called freedom from the establishment led to more radical views on what freedom was and the rights of the individual. The people who were involved in all that now run our country, the majority of our MP's have admitted smoking cannabis in there younger days with recent medical reports confirming that cannabis can cause psychosis one wonders how long before the inmates are running the asylum. This search for total rights for the individual culminating with the "European Convention on Human Rights" with out a need for the individual to have responsibilities to the group is leading to anarchy within our society.
So how does this effected the Police Force in many ways:
1) I Believe that the Police are their to enforce the Laws of the Land, i.e. a Police Force.
I use the word Force in its literal context You will abide by the Law or else you will be punished. It is not the Polices job to decide what is or is not a good law that is our Parliaments Job. The modern way is for the Police to be called a Service i.e. something that is subservient to those wishing to use a service, this is completely wrong and sends out the wrong message. The Police are not servants of the Public they upholder of the Law a totally different thing.
2)The Police are their to uphold the Laws laid down by the British Parliament not some foreign legislation which does not understand the concept of British Law or the rights of Queens Subjects.
3)With Senior Police Officer's becoming more Politically Correct and more politically aligned we are now seeing the start of a "State Police" i.e. a Police which services the wish of the Government rather then upholding the rule of Law. If you do not believe this why is it a sackable offence for a Police Officer to be a member of the British National Party which is a legally recognised political party yet they can belong to a any other political party?
4) PC must be one of the worst things to happen to the Police over the years we have seen a steady decline in the standards of Police Office especially at high ranking level not just while on duty. Senior Police Office allowed his male lover to use cannabis in his flat was he sacked NO, another Senior ethnic Police Officer who misappropriated funds was he sacked NO, both stories were in the press and the media, how does this instil confidence in the Police. The Police have a policy of positive discrimination in favour of Homosexuals, Lesbians, Women and ethnic minorities when promoting officers, because it no longer the person who is the best qualified and most suited to do the job, you have seen a downward spiral of quality Senior Officers.
5) The government continually brings in more legislation which in most cases not needed and in some cases they are reinventing the wheel. This leads to fear in the community and gives the Criminal element the idea they are winning the war on crime.
6) The Constable on the beat seems to ignore some of the more trivial offence i.e. cycling on the pavement, swearing in public etc young people especially need to know that laws are there to obey all of them not the ones they just choose and the PC on the beat should instil this in them.
7) The Police are expected to be social workers, this is not there job. One of the biggest disgraces in this Country is under age pregnancies, how many times has anyone been charge with unlawful Sex? hardly ever I know of parents who daughters have become pregnant under 16 who have asked for the Police to get involved they have refused or the CPS have refused to prosecute. There is one young girl who was pregnant at 14 she rented a house with her boyfriend who was 21 they lived together as a couple without any charges being made and with the blessing of her parents. In reality the age of consent in this country is approx 12 years the same people who turn a blind eye to this disgrace then complain about paedophilia!
After every thing I have said Joe Public must still take a large part of the blame for our very sad society we must instil in our youngsters that being a member of a community is not just about rights but also about responsibilities, Laws are there to protect us and are there to be obeyed.
Martin Clarke