Complaints against officers

[Fedster + 1,307]

It says there have been occasions where actions of some have caused offence to others.

(PA)

Date - 19th September 2018
By - Sophie Garrod - Police Oracle

4 Comments

 

A force will deliver “banter training” to its officers at the end of the month to teach them the fine line between bullying and fun.

The three-hour long workshop at Leicestershire Police aims to “put political correctness in its place” whilst recognising the benefits and risks of workplace banter.

According to the training summary, officers will be looking at “banter-related case law" and will learn about “what the Tribunal expects of employers” in order to minimise the risk of employment claims.

Participants will also be provided with advice, guidance and a technique for tackling raillery in the workplace, it added.

Lynne Woodward from the force’s diversity and inclusion unit, said:  “The force places a great deal of emphasis on upholding professional standards and the code of ethics in the workplace.

“We celebrate the fact we have a hugely diverse workforce where people have differing opinions and views and this is something that everyone needs to be mindful of.

“The training has been delivered after questions from the workforce about what is acceptable and what isn’t, as there have been occasions where the actions of some have caused offence to others.

“This voluntary session aims to provide our officers and staff the opportunity to have a practical discussion about how comments made, either in conversation or online, can be interpreted by others.

“We recognise the workplace should be a sociable environment and this training is not about constraining and restricting conversations among colleagues.”

In January a trainee detective sued Essex Police following a prank which went wrong and left her injured.

Former PC Rebecca Jenkins sued the force for £500,000 after she hurt her knee when her supervisor hid her phone in a ceiling void.

Her total award came to £10,825.70, which includes a deduction of one third for what the judge ruled was her "contributory negligence".

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[Hyphen + 693]

I could write an NCALT package for them if they wish, it’ll take a couple of minutes to deliver.

Know your audience, don’t say or make any ‘jokes’ that are nasty/racist etc, don’t say anything you wouldn’t like said to you. Most importantly again, know your audience.

Module 2 is probably the most important. 

We are all adults and in a professional role. If you don’t like what someone has said/done or are offended then have a word with the other person first. Try to challenge and discuss the behaviour in a constructive manner.

end.

I notice that this is a ‘voluntary’ session, therefore it isn’t actually aimed at improving anything, it is a paper exercise for someone to use in a portfolio. 

[Mac7 808]

Surely there needs to be a module on “snowflake identification,”

[Hyphen + 693]

12 minutes ago, Mac7 said:

Surely there needs to be a module on “snowflake identification,”

Very true, can’t believe I missed that.

[obsidian_eclipse + 1,202]

Dont forget The Banter Caution needs to be delivered to all officers:

"You do not have to say anything, however it will harm your character if you mention when questioned, or not, anything at all. Everything you do say will be taken out of context and used against you in the court of public opinion. There's no use trying to understand, ok?"

[Jimbo26 + 199]

No doubt at the end of the training they will pass out the confidential Dob-A-Mate phone number.

[TheMoo 66]

The instructors. 

Edited September 19, 2018 by TheMoo
Better link

[Zulu 22 + 4,569]

Sanitization by the Politically Correct.

[Reasonable Man + 1,230]

Just to buck the trend of automatically condemning anything that can be linked to ‘politically correct’, done properly, this could be a good thing.
A couple of hours to describe and discuss what is acceptable and what is not acceptable with grown up discussions as to why should save a lot of heartache in the long term. Just some simple friendly advice so new joiners (and the not so new) understand that what may have been acceptable in the school playground/ students union bar/ building site/ or rugby/golf/social club is not acceptable in a public service.
Most people don’t want to upset others but have never had the guidance.
It should also dispel a lot of myths about actually is acceptable and so stop those of that ilk from being offended and complaining.

[a-bothan-spy 81]

Just to buck the trend of automatically condemning anything that can be linked to ‘politically correct’, done properly, this could be a good thing.
A couple of hours to describe and discuss what is acceptable and what is not acceptable with grown up discussions as to why should save a lot of heartache in the long term. Just some simple friendly advice so new joiners (and the not so new) understand that what may have been acceptable in the school playground/ students union bar/ building site/ or rugby/golf/social club is not acceptable in a public service.
Most people don’t want to upset others but have never had the guidance.
It should also dispel a lot of myths about actually is acceptable and so stop those of that ilk from being offended and complaining.

Or, conversely, perhaps people need to toughen up and stop being so delicate?

[Reasonable Man + 1,230]

Or, conversely, perhaps people need to toughen up and stop being so delicate?

So no one should ever be caused any upset by anyone no matter what they say? Cops should go around using the ‘N’ and ‘P’ words and any ‘funny’ term they like for LGBT people and if that upsets people then its their fault. They should toughen up and not be so sensitive.

[Mac7 808]

So no one should ever be caused any upset by anyone no matter what they say? Cops should go around using the ‘N’ and ‘P’ words and any ‘funny’ term they like for LGBT people and if that upsets people then its their fault. They should toughen up and not be so sensitive.

Some times I think you have a really sour view of the people who serve today. Jokes, quibs, like hearted Micky taking, banter etc are all part of morale in my opinion and you will find it in every nick up and down the country. Not forgetting that it can really help people get through some tough incidents.

Of course cops shouldn’t go around using derogatory terms but then again so shouldn’t anyone else. I’ve never heard colleagues use terms such as that. I’m sure it has happened in the past and the odd one or two may use it in the future but we are good at rooting them out.

I enjoy the banter. It’s almost cultural in the police. I’m not sure why this course is needed. Perhaps it’s a reaction to our perceived over sensitivity. But, give the cops a break. We are 99.9% Honest decent people.

[Reasonable Man + 1,230]

Indeed. Of course 99.9% of people working for the police want to do the right thing and not upset people but does everyone know what is and is not acceptable.
The attitude of ‘we are all grown ups and so know what is banter and what goes beyond’ is what results in some people having to have ‘difficult conversations’ with PSD or their boss as a result of inadvertently saying the wrong thing.
A couple of hours of ‘you can say this and you can’t say that’ ‘you can do this but here’s the line not to cross’ should result in some people not having to have those difficult conversations because of some well intentioned and not malicious thing they said or did without realising what those boundaries are.

[Mac7 808]

If people don’t know what is acceptable or not then should they be in our organisation?

Surely that kind of education comes through parenting, schooling, social circles etc.

We also have standards of behaviour, code of ethics to abide by. I know where the line is and so do all the colleagues I’ve worked with. Plus is this course in reaction to an increase of internal complaints from colleagues who have found banter offensive? If it’s just an ad hoc course then I find it strange and almost a way of controlling banter and wittery in the workplace which is, in my opinion, very important. Any form of control is only going to have a negative impact and a yard stick by which to measure people by.

I don’t necessarily have a problem with the course it’s just a sad indictment of where we are socially.

[Hyphen + 693]

I think @Mac7 hits the nail on the head. 

If people use racist/discriminatory/unacceptable language or actively bully people then there is no place for them in policing full stop. I have no issue with genuine substantiated complaints being dealt with by PSD or supervision. There is no excuse for this sort of thing, I think we can all agree on that.

However, banter and practical jokes (within reason) are part of parcel of the job. Especially with the way things are now we would go nuts if there was no light hearted relief with all the stress and some of the awful things we have to see and deal with. 

Why can’t people blow off steam and have a laugh behind closed doors in the station? 

Let’s be honest, usually if people take the mickey out of you and play the odd joke it usually means you’re liked.

The issue I have at the moment and some of the stories that circulate is the small percentage of people who have no resilience, no backbone and no life skills to be able to challenge or discuss something that has offended them. I’m sure most reasonable professional people would take this on board and apologise. We are all adults. I do have to wonder if people get offended by a bit of banter how they can effectively be a cop on the front line? 

The bigger concern is that we are raising generations of people to be victims and to be offended and upset over anything or on behalf of others.