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The attack has left the police officer with “serious injuries” in hospital. https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/936801/manchester-police-officer-attack-sword-slashed/amp?__twitter_impression=true

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/shocking-footage-shows-moment-demonstrators-13170901 Just reading this article, had a look at the video within it which shows two officers knocked to the ground. What a bunch of brainless ignorant fools in the video. Could have ended up a lot worse if they wanted to cause any serious harm to the cops.

I wasn't sure about starting a new topic to be honest but thought this touched on general issues within Policing rather than the specific debates from today re arming etc. Although he is not a current officer I felt that it's quite refreshing to see such frank honesty about the state of Policing and resource levels. Interesting tone in the interview where Peter Kirkham actually says the government are ''lying'' Not sure if other people had seen this earlier ?

Police commissioner Tony Lloyd has become the first hopeful to confirm he will run for Greater Manchester’s mayoral candidacy http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/police-commissioner-tony-lloyd-reveals-10872038 Not sure how he has done as Police commissioner so far? Should he not be concentrating on that? Especially at a time when Manchester has been on the news for so many of the wrong reasons recently.

Panaroma - Today 8.30pm BBC1

Salford gunman targets boy and mother in house doorway 13 October 2015 From the section Manchester Image caption The force said it was not clear if the incident was linked to other shootings in Greater Manchester at the weekend A seven-year-old boy and his mother were targets of a "shocking" shooting when they answered the door at their home in Salford, police have said. The woman, 29, and her son were taken to hospital with leg wounds after the gunman struck in Gillingham Road, Eccles, Salford, on Monday night. The victims' injuries are not thought to be life-threatening. The force said it was not clear if the incident was linked to other shootings in Greater Manchester at the weekend. "This is a truly shocking set of circumstances in which a young boy and a woman have been injured after they were shot at by a gunman at their home," Det Supt Joanne Rawlinson said. "This incident has only just happened, but there is a huge police effort under way to investigate this attack and find those responsible." Ms Rawlinson said police do not know the motive behind the attack and appealed for anyone with information to come forward. Neighbour Sue Barry said she "heard two loud bangs and thought they were fireworks". "Next minute the police showed up and they've been there all night," she said. Image caption A neighbour spoke of hearing "two loud bangs" Image caption Police said there was a "huge effort" under way to find those responsible for the shooting Image caption Police said the shootings took place at about 21:30 BST Are you in the area? If you have any information you wish to share with the BBC, you can do so by emailing [email protected] Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: Whatsapp: +44 7525 900971 Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay Send an SMS or MMS to 61124 or +44 7624 800 100 Or use the form below Your contact details Name (optional) Your E-mail address (required) Town & Country (optional) Your telephone number (optional) Comments (required) If you are happy to be contacted by a BBC journalist please leave a telephone number that we can contact you on. In some cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name as you provide it and location, unless you state otherwise. Your contact details will never be published. When sending us pictures, video or eyewitness accounts at no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. Please ensure you have read the terms and conditions. Terms and conditions View the full article

Sky have commissioned a new 20x60minute series following the work of Greater Manchester Police. http://manchestergazette.co.uk/2015/07/30/sky-commission-fly-on-the-wall-documentary-following-gmp/

. GMP panel hears how colleague was 'disgusted' by rant, on Daily Mail story, which is ruled to have breached force's professional standards A police officer who posted ‘offensive and racist’ comments about Muslims on Facebook has been dismissed from Greater Manchester Police force. During only the second hearing of its kind ever to be heard in public, the officer admitted gross misconduct by breaching professional standards for equality and diversity and discreditable conduct. A panel chaired by Assistant Chief Constable Ian Wiggett heard how an officer, who remained anonymous throughout the hearing, had posted Facebook comments which had ‘disgusted’ a colleague. Officer A made a comment below a Daily Mail article about the number of Muslim and Christian children in Birmingham. ADVERTISING He said: “That’s because we have allowed them to settle into their own communities and they have no desire to mix, they would rather take over areas and breed like rabbits. "If you look at the way they take over certain areas it’s not unlike what the Germans did in Europe, they get a stronghold and then go for broke. We have already had 2 Muslim-related beheadings in this country in a year.” The comment has since been deleted. GMP bosses said the outburst came at a time when the force is ‘at the heart of tackling hate crime and defying racism’ and dismissed Officer A immediately. ACC Wiggett said the panel noted Officer A’s remorse and good service record - which included several commendations - and accepted the comments were made off-duty on a private Facebook account. But he said the officer should have been aware of the sensitive nature of race as a debate and of GMP’s work to tackle racism. Greater Manchester Police headquarters He said the ‘very concerning’ comments ‘seriously undermined’ confidence in Officer A amongst the public and his GMP colleagues. He said: “It’s clear to us the message was both offensive and racist in nature.” Mark Alberry, defending Officer A, admitted the comments made online last September were ‘clumsy and crass’. But he said the officer had been making a point that ‘segregation is not a good idea’. He said Officer A held a number of manual labour jobs before his 14-year career at GMP and was not well educated. He insisted: “He is not a racist individual who has entrenched views.” The panel heard character references from colleagues who described Officer A as ‘professional and enthusiastic’ with a good understanding of diversity and equality issues. One gay colleague said he was ‘one of the most open minded people on the division’, while a Muslim colleague said he was ‘considerate’. Mr Alberry said Officer A was mourning the death of a close friend and was depressed when he made the comments. But GMP barrister Jennie Ferrario said the force could not simply regard the comments as ‘clumsy and crass’. She said his continued employment would ‘make a mockery’ of GMP and added: “The authority has lost all confidence in Officer A and asks for him to be dismissed.” Police bosses say opening up police misconduct hearings to the public will increase transparency within Greater Manchester Constabulary. Police chief defends decision to keep identity of officer secret as GMP throws open doors to misconduct hearings ACC Ian Wiggett spoke to the M.E.N. following the first GMP misconduct hearing ever to be heard in public. The force is the second in the country to throw open its doors to the public for the hearings, after Thames Valley Police. ACC Wiggett said he hopes the public access will help to increase transparency and inspire public confidence in the force. He said: “In the past we’ve not had anything to hide. The panel reports were published internally and we never used to name the officer and we would only talk about the misconduct. “It is good that the public can see how the hearings will take place now. It really helps with transparency. “But we need to also make sure the officer can have a fair hearing and you’re not under public pressure. They need to still be fair and correct.” Assistant Chief Constable Ian Wiggett ACC Wiggett anticipates that space in the public gallery could become scarce depending on the case. He said: “In some hearings we will have victims and family members interested. In some cases a misconduct hearing will have a very high public interest. “You don’t want it to be a show trial, we’ve got to look after the officer. “These hearings have got really major implications. They are never easy to do.” ACC Wiggett decided the officer facing the allegations would be anonymous throughout the hearing. But he stressed that anonymity will rarely apply in future hearings. He said: “This was quite specific for this case. A one-off heat-of-the moment action means we now have an officer half-way through his service dismissed. That will stay with him for the rest of his life. “We need to have a diverse workforce policing a diverse community. We need a force that has the respect and trust of the community. This is about basic respect. That’s what we ask all our officers to do and the vast majority do.” http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/gmp-police-sacked-muslims-facebook-9398940

Joe Lawton was subjected to 'derogatory, mocking and inappropriate comments' about his middle-class background and his new car PA Tragedy: A police charge sheet was found near to Joe Lawton's body Police have been disciplined over their treatment of a teenager who killed himself just days after being arrested for drink driving. Student Joe Lawton, 17, shot himself at his family's £850,000 farmhouse. A charge sheet given to him two days earlier at Cheadle Heath police station in Greater Manchester was found nearby, alongside a note describing his fear of being a 'constant disappointment'. His devastated family, who believe Joe - of Disley, Stockport - feared he had ruined his life, weren't aware of his arrest because, at the time, 17-year-olds weren't treated as children in custody. J oe, who had been due to appear in court two days after his death, didn't ask for his parents to be informed. Laws have now changed after a campaign led by his parents. Google Sanctions: Officers were sanctioned following an IPCC report The Independent Police Complaints Commission investigated the contact officers had with Joe after the family raised concerns. Its recommendations can now be revealed after an inquest jury recorded a verdict of suicide with a number of contributing factors, including an 'anomaly' in how the law deals with teenagers. The IPCC probe found 'failings' in the performance of custody staff and 'evidence of a concerning culture' within Cheadle Heath's custody suite. Joe's parents' legal team claimed officers made 'derogatory, mocking and inappropriate comments' about Joe's middle-class background and his new car. One police sergeant was redeployed from a role in custody due to 'inappropriate behaviour' and another was given 'management advice'. Two custody detention officers were also subjected to sanctions as a result. The inquest even heard from a professor of adolescent psychiatry who said that if there had been contact with Joe's parents, it was 'very likely' that the death could have been avoided. Joe's parents Nick and Jane said the inquest was 'gruelling and frustrating' because neither the IPCC's report nor GMP's response were heard as evidence. In a statement, they hit out at the 'behaviour and attitude of the custody officers', adding: "We love Joe and will continue to miss him every day for the rest of our lives." The IPCC said the force has said it has 'learned lessons and had been improving working practice'. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/cops-disciplined-taunting-mocking-drink-5369031

Drunk who pushed police officer onto railway tracks jailed. A Cheshire man who pushed a British Transport Police officer onto railway lines in Manchester has been sentenced to 30 months in prison. Kevin Phythian, 32, of Halton Road, Runcorn, grappled with the female officer as she tried to arrest him after he had run across live tracks onto the platform at Manchester Oxford Road station on Sunday, 15 February. As the officer struggled with Phythian, he pushed her, causing her to fall backwards off the platform and onto the line. A quick-thinking station supervisor, who was also assaulted by Phythian as he tried to prevent him escaping from the scene, used an emergency phone to stop all trains to ensure she was not hit by a train. The officer, who was knocked unconscious, also sustained a cut to the back of her head, a broken finger and bruising to her arm. Phythian had earlier racially-abused a member of rail staff who asked to see his ticket at Oxford Road. Detective Constable Mike Dermody said: “The sentence handed to Phythian demonstrates the severity of his actions and the danger that our frontline officers face every day. No officer should have to endure such violence when they are simply carrying out their job, and putting themselves in harm’s way to protect the public. “This was an unprovoked attack on a police officer working in the line of duty and trying to detain a suspect. Violence against our officers and rail staff will not be tolerated, and we will seek to have them dealt with swiftly by the courts. I would like to commend officers who quickly apprehended Phythian. “A proactive CID investigation means that Phythian was sentenced only a fortnight after the incident.” Superintendent Eddie Wylie said: “This was nasty attack and Phythian’s sentence reflects just how seriously assaults like these are taken by the courts. "Officers have the right to carry out their jobs free from fear whilst making the public feel safe and secure and they should not be subjected to this type of behaviour. "Make no mistake, we will take immediate action on anyone who assaults a member of the public, a police officer or a member of rail staff. I hope that this sends a clear message that violence will not be tolerated on the rail network. "I would also like to praise the diligence and hard work of the officers investigating this incident which has helped secure the conviction and resulted in such a speedy outcome.” Phythian was sentenced to 18 months for aggravated bodily harm, six months for endangering rail safety, three months for racially-aggravated public order, and three months for common assault. http://www.btp.presscentre.com/Media-Releases/Drunk-who-pushed-police-officer-onto-railway-tracks-jailed-2d15.aspx

Arash Adyati, 18, from Chorlton, who has never passed his test, pinched the keys to his mum's car before causing havoc on the roads Arash Adyati was spared jail A teenager who took his mum’s car for a spin nearly mowed down two police officers before smashing into a motorist and fleeing the scene. Arash Adyati, 18, who has never passed his test, wreaked havoc on the roads after deciding to visit pals for a computer games session at 6.30am on November 29, but has been spared jail by a judge. Manchester Crown Court heard he pinched the keys to his mum’s Volkswagen Bora after a night out at a casino, but was unable to control the car properly and ‘panicked’. Shortly after he left his address at Brandwood Ave, Chorlton, he was spotted by police doing a u-turn in the road. In a bid to avoid being caught with no licence and no insurance, he pulled over at a garage forecourt and pretended there was an engine problem before walking away. When he thought the police weren’t looking anymore, he rushed back to the vehicle and got behind the wheel. As police saw this and shouted for him to stop - a shocking series of events unfolded. Google Street View Princess Parkway Adyati reversed the car at speed so a customer on the garage forecourt had to leap out of the way, before revving the engine and pointing the vehicle at the two police officers and driving straight towards them. Describing what happened, one of the officers said: “It was reversed with such force and aggression the vehicle turned approximately 90 degrees - once he stopped reversing he immediately began accelerating with extreme speed, then suddenly swerved in my direction. “I froze for milliseconds, terrified the car was to hit me. I thought my only option was to back off out of the path of the Bora while striking my baton against the vehicle in a moment of panic.” Adyati then gunned down Princess Parkway, forcing drivers to swerve out of the way as he veered wildly between lanes, before ploughing into the back of a Peugeot 106. The driver of that vehicle had to escape through the passenger side. He suffered only minor injury, but his car was a write-off. Adyati then drove home. The court heard Arash Adyati acted in a 'moment of madness' The 18-year-old was originally arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, before being charged with dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle taking, driving without a licence or insurance, and failing to stop. Describing his offending as ‘moments of madness’ that were ‘very much a one-off’ caused by ‘blind panic’, Dan Gaskell, defending, said jail would be ‘catastrophic’ for the future of the college student, who has never been in trouble before. Sentencing, Recorder Philip Curran said it must have been a terrifying experience for the officers to see the car ‘hurtling towards them at speed’ as he tried to get away. “You could have killed them”, he added. He also blasted him for ‘running from the scene’ when the Peugeot driver could have been injured. But, the judge drew back from sending him to jail after the defence submissions and a series of testimonials which showed he was ‘regarded as a decent young lad’. “The truth of the matter is that many people might think you do not deserve it”, the judge said as he spared him jail with a six months suspended sentence, a driving ban, 150 hours unpaid work, and a 10pm to 8am curfew. http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/incoming/reckless-teenager-who-drove-straight-8736519

What a callous person.

Tony Lloyd (left) and Sir Peter Fahy have been critical of budget reductions A police chief has warned government cuts to the policing budget could lead to a "fire brigade" style of policing. Sir Peter Fahy, chief constable of Greater Manchester Police (GMP), said there was a risk it could "just attend emergency calls and investigate crimes after they have happened". The force could lose between 300 and 400 officers in the next 12 months. Policing minister Mike Penning said there was "no question" police would have resources for their work. "What matters is how officers are deployed, not how many of them there are in total," he said. GMP announced last week it would have to save £41m in the next financial year. It follows the Home Office's confirmation in December that central government funding for police forces in England and Wales would be cut by almost 5% in 2015-16. 'Pet projects' After the government's spending review in 2010, GMP's budget fell by £134m over four years, resulting in a loss of 1,100 officers, the force said. It estimated it could have fewer than 6,000 officers by 2017, compared to 8,000 in 2010. Tony Lloyd, Greater Manchester's Police and Crime Commissioner, said government cuts were "making it more and more difficult... to provide an effective service". He said the government would take nearly £10m from the GMP budget to pay for what he described as their "pet projects", including the Independent Police Complaints Commission and police inspections. The sum was £3m more than what it "top-sliced" from the GMP budget in the past year, he added. The government said police reform was working and recorded crime fell by 20% in Greater Manchester since the last general election. However crime figures are measured differently by the Home Office and police, with GMP saying recorded crime rose by 8% in the past year, particularly violent crimes and domestic violence. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-31492153

Should make for some interesting wedding snaps.