Port of Tilbury-Police Constable

[Fedster + 1,307]

PFEW warns that only a 'reactive service' will be in operation during visit.

 

The Police Federation says US President Donald Trump's controversial visit has placed “unquestionable pressure”  on a service "already creaking at its knees”.

Simon Kempton, Operational Policing Lead for PFEW, says although Mr Trump’s visit has been planned for some time, the impact it is having on forces and routine policing was being felt across the country.

He said: “I and my colleagues at the Federation have been involved since Mr Trump confirmed his plans to visit. We have been working to ensure that the welfare of our officers who will be working away from home, covering additional hours and over periods when they have had their days off cancelled and that they are paid for what they do.

“Thousands of officers will be deployed from their home forces as part of mutual aid agreements, which are an important element of policing in this country to allow our resources to be flexibly and where they are needed most.

“However, the fact cannot be ignored that while the officers on mutual aid are deployed elsewhere thousands more of their colleagues left behind in their home force will be expected to pick up the slack leaving them even more stretched. There was a time when we could do it all but now choices have to be made – we cannot do it all and this type of event puts a service which is already creaking at its knees under unquestionable pressure

“During this time we are likely to become a merely reactive service - and we may struggle to even be that - and that is all before you throw into the mix that the World Cup is also happening over the same time period.  

“Events this week in Amesbury, which have added to the increasing Mutual Aid demand, demonstrate how important it is that British policing remains able to adequately respond to protect the public when major incidents occur.

“You have to ask what would happen if were unable to resource incidents like these. Would we see the situation where the military were drafted in place of police officers? Green uniforms instead of the blue ones people would – and should - expect to see? It’s a worrying prospect.”

View On Police Oracle

 

 

[SimonT + 1,185]

Creaking? Ha! We are doing ten percent of our work quite well. The rest we are simply kicking down the road. 

 

[MajorDisaster + 579]

Slightly off topic, but I crave the Moderators' indulgence for my favourite story of protest against a foreign Head of State.

 

Back in the 90s the Emperor of Japan was due on a  State Visit.  The association representing ex-POWs held by Japan voiced their objections. [The rest of the story was told to my by a now deceased ex POW, a fine gent with a capacity for whisky matched by none!].

The ex-POWs announced their intent to demonstrate - despite them all being elderly - and they received the usual notice from the Met about public order, robust action, no placards, etc, etc...

As the Emperor drove down the Mall there were about 50 old boys, berets, blazers and medals on show.  As the official car approached the command rang out "PARADE, ABOUT TURN" and as one they turned their backs on him, knowing that that to turn your back on the Emperor is the gravest insult in Japanese culture.

He said the 'lads' really enjoyed the moment and they had a fine night in London drinking as guests of various Army regiments.

[Fedster + 1,307]

 

 

[SimonT + 1,185]

Social media is jumping with this, strangely little from the top though. 

It is somewhat hilarious, how badly the management can get things wrong. I have colleagues on this op, in a very nice hotel, shared with one other, but hardly unreasonable. 

If this was the scene of a major incident ongoing then yes, sleep on the floor, in your carrier etc. But not a planned op known massively in advance. 

If I looked over and saw the chief constable in a camp bed, saying the force had no money from the devastating cuts, then maybe it wouldn't be too bad. But I'm not sure that would happen. 

Incidentally, we aren't supposed to use our notebooks any more. Have to use our job mobiles. Which apparently we can't charge. Fun times for all. 

[Techie1 + 2,024]

What’s really creaking is those camp beds. 

They're hard enough to sleep on when you’re not surrounded by 300 people. 

I couldn’t imagine doing a 12 hour shift after sleeping on one of those. 

Good luck to all on mutual aid. 

[Mac7 808]

The accommodation is an absolute disgrace. I believe some are sleeping in squash courts?

I’m sure the fed will come to rescue with a few tweets in their usual after the horse has bolted fashion.

[SimonT + 1,185]

Enough tweets managed to get the overnight allowance put back in. Shaming the chiefs into doing the right thing.

Not sure it can be done now though. Even if it is just money, not sure they could house that many people in the right place for the job they need to do. 

Of course if the fire safety people get a look in, that might solve or create a new problem. 

[SimonT + 1,185]

The npcc have weighed in, suggesting it is not acceptable and that Essex will be working hard to fix it. 

They have thanked officers for raising it   On the other hand, twitter is suggesting that officers are being prevented from tweeting about it and bring sent home. 

We are always afraid of the truth. 

[obsidian_eclipse + 1,202]

Afterwards they should repurpose them for MPs and dispose of the second home allowance [emoji848]

[Mac7 808]

The accommodation would have been booked/planned a while ago. From the pictures I’ve seen it would have taken some setting up as well with many resources being shifted around. Shame it wasn’t regarded as poor/inadequate at the planning stage. Saving money against some ear ache from officers was probably seen as a risk worth taking. Officer welfare should not be at the bottom of the agenda.

[Fedster + 1,307]

A police chief has apologised after it was revealed some officers deployed to work on the US president's visit had to sleep in conditions described as "an absolute disgrace".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44806144

[SD + 688]

No matter how bad the sleeping arrangements were I doubt many will hand their tickets in.

[sierragolf95 + 55]

Maybe this is a big deal for police officers, I work in security around the country and it's a case of getting a small patch of grass to set up my tent, might get a packed lunch if I'm lucky. I mean yeah it's not exactly luxurious accommodation but I can't imagine the police being able to host hundreds of officers in Travelodges or B&B's. It's only 3 days and at the end of the day it's not the worst sleeping arrangements in the world, then again I have worked in some total dumps...

[Reasonable Man + 1,231]

I always said I’d never be a ‘Back in my day...’ type - but here goes ...... Back in 1984-85 I slept in exactly these conditions for a week at a time when on the miners strike. One week we were in an old cinema that had all the seats taken out and so had to sleep on a sloping floor. All my colleagues thought I was odd as I was the only one who slept head down the slope.
No one complained, but then we didn’t have social media to immediately post pictures on.