written by The Duty Sgt from The Duty Sgt
In my first post I said this blog would be a kind of therapy. Sometimes I need to vent, I can’t moan to those below me, partly because they have their own issues and to be honest it’s unprofessional and I don’t want some of them knowing my own personal issues. Ive had it thrown back at me when dealing with people. They heave replied “WELL, SGT X DID THE SAME LAST WEEK!” Or “I CANT APPLY FOR THAT JOB COS OF MY SICKNESS? WHAT ABOUT THE INSPECTORS SHE HAS MORE THAN ME!” The problem is I agree with them but can’t say so. My Inspector changes every six months and the current one takes as much time off as possible so we end up with other Inspectors who have been dragged out of offices covering us. They don’t care about the shift and are generally in office based jobs for a reason and just want to get back in doors as soon as possible. I’m the only real continuity the shift has and to be honest it’s wearing a bit thin.
Due to the state of the economy central government has tightened up the purse strings to bail the banks out and pay for MPs expenses. Chains of command, BCU (Basic Command Units) and shift patterns have been changed to try and do more with less, morale has plummeted. Anyone that can is trying to get off response and onto another department. The gaps are being filled with problem children that have been kicked off their own departments or new probationers. It feels like Nazi Germany with Hitler moving divisions around on a map and everyone is too scared to tell him that they don’t exist anymore. You speak out and tell your superiors that the new plan isn’t working and you’re a trouble maker and adverse to change with the implied criticism that you’re an old fashioned Police officer which the inference your corrupt, racist and sexist. The reply I keep hearing people being given at the moment is, “AT LEAST YOU HAVE A JOB.” For me its not just a job it’s a way of life, maybe that’s why things are the way they are at the moment in the Police service, too many people view it as ‘A JOB’
When I had my diversity training at training school one of the definitions we had to learn and recite was the responses to racism, one of these was acquiescence which means submission or acceptance. At the moment I'm in the acquiescence stage I want promotion and still have a vain hope that it will all work out and someone up top actually knows what they are doing.
Due to the state of the economy central government has tightened up the purse strings to bail the banks out and pay for MPs expenses. Chains of command, BCU (Basic Command Units) and shift patterns have been changed to try and do more with less, morale has plummeted. Anyone that can is trying to get off response and onto another department. The gaps are being filled with problem children that have been kicked off their own departments or new probationers. It feels like Nazi Germany with Hitler moving divisions around on a map and everyone is too scared to tell him that they don’t exist anymore. You speak out and tell your superiors that the new plan isn’t working and you’re a trouble maker and adverse to change with the implied criticism that you’re an old fashioned Police officer which the inference your corrupt, racist and sexist. The reply I keep hearing people being given at the moment is, “AT LEAST YOU HAVE A JOB.” For me its not just a job it’s a way of life, maybe that’s why things are the way they are at the moment in the Police service, too many people view it as ‘A JOB’
When I had my diversity training at training school one of the definitions we had to learn and recite was the responses to racism, one of these was acquiescence which means submission or acceptance. At the moment I'm in the acquiescence stage I want promotion and still have a vain hope that it will all work out and someone up top actually knows what they are doing.
In response to my last comment it does appear someone somewhere knows what they are doing. I’m glad to hear that four MPs have been charged with fraud offences relating to expenses claims and will follow their cases in the media with interest, I wonder what will happen to them and if it will be commensurate with what happens to Police Officers caught doing similar things? After all both are holders of offices and have trust put in them by the public to carry out their duties in the correct manner. A certain senior Met Officer has finally got his just deserts. Ive read his book, various newspaper articles and followed the story in the news. Thankfully he will no longer be able to call himelf a Constable and abuse his position for his own ends. Im sure there will be an appeal, the Met and the rest of the Police will be called racist. Personally Im not racist I just hate bullies and criminals no matter what colour their skin is or what they do for a living.
The original post can be found http://thedutysgt.blogspot.com/2010/02/soap-box.html
