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Another difficult day for police officers. For those out there on duty fighting crime, policing protests - being abused, assaulted. Also for those, like me, who aren’t on duty, but are exhausted by this constant anti police rhetoric portrayed on SM and in the media.
A thread.
A thread.
I have 13 years service. More than some, a lot less than some. Most of my service has been on the front line. Earlies, lates and nights. Days off cancelled. Long extended shifts, force mobilisations. As a skipper on a really busy borough I’ve done a lot in that 13 years.
I’ve attended calls where someone has discovered a loved one dead. Carried their grief, tried to hold back my own tears while I comfort them with theirs. Trying to balance the need to follow protocol with being compassionate and aware of those present’s feelings.
I have been in the back of an ambulance, holding a Father’s hand as we blue light it to hospital with his 16 year old son who has been stabbed through the heart. Then comforted him as we watched a surgeon perform emergency open heart surgery on him.
I have located missing people. Children, elderly people, those with MH issues. Do you know how hard it is to ask someone for a picture and toothbrush/hairbrush belonging to their loved one for DNA, in case the worst happens?
I have, in the middle of a busy high street at rush hour, plugged the wounds of a man stabbed 8 times. Whilst people looked on, filmed it on mobiles. I’m sure they caught the fear on my face when the suspect turned up still armed with his weapon. But he was still detained.
I’ve chased a man, who discarded a loaded firearm with a bullet in the chamber ready to go. I have fought on the floor with a colleague with that man not knowing what else he may have on him. That gun was linked to 17 shootings. Large amount of class A drugs taken off the street.
I’ve driven a mother to hospital on blue lights as her 18 year old son who has been stabbed may not make it. So she can say goodbye.
I’ve removed the man who’s been abusing his wife for 15 years to custody so she can feel safe.
I’ve removed the man who’s been abusing his wife for 15 years to custody so she can feel safe.
I have been the first person on scene to a victim of a stranger rape. Again, balancing the need to preserve evidence with wanting her to know she’s safe, hold her hand, put an arm around her. Reassure her that we will do EVERYTHING we can to help her.
I have been punched, kicked, had my hair pulled, spat at, bitten. My children have been threatened. I have been abused for the way I look, my size, my job. Told I would be followed home from work and murdered, raped. All because of my job.
I have cut a man down who had hung himself and tried to save his life.
Walked through deserted, dark houses searching for burglars.
I have sat with children intent on taking their own lives.
I’ve prevented adults from taking their own lives.
Walked through deserted, dark houses searching for burglars.
I have sat with children intent on taking their own lives.
I’ve prevented adults from taking their own lives.
That’s not even 2% of what I’ve done. There are 123,200 officers in E&W. My story is a drop in the ocean but everything I have said is not uncommon. All officers have their own stories. You can talk about all the bad you see in policing, but maybe, try & imagine all the good?
