Policing the Police

Jim Jardine was once the chairman of the Police Federation. He always stood up for the average bobby. He didn't like wrongdoing, he wanted a well-paid police service and he was proud of the methods and traditions of British policing. That was some 25 years or more ago. I know times have changed, as we are constantly being told, but surely integrity, honesty and decency don't. Jim Jardine said that a policeman came from society in order to police, not that society should be controlled by the police.

Over the years, the various constabularies having taken on fanciful initiatives, bucket loads of political correctness, and an increasing propensity for incredible activity (such as the Stockwell shooting). Now if the police come from society, they bring to the job all the manifestations of society. Like thinking it OK to speed!!

I cannot understand what went through the mind of the Chief Constable for South Yorkshire, Meredydd Hughes, when he was clocked going 90mph in a 60mph zone. Did he think that 70 was too fast when his speedometer got there? What about 80? No, he can't have thought much about it, because he shoved it up another TEN mph!!

The trouble is that today there is a general arrogance with a lot of drivers. "I'm in charge, sod the rest of you" seems to be the thinking. So in that sense Mr. Hughes is only mirroring society. Driving reflects the tenseness of people, the tiredness of people, their agressiveness, their stubborn refusal to see a public dimension to a private activity. Motoring has gone, driving is the thing, and unless our attitudes are seriously revised, it will drive us crazy.

And to add insult to this tale, Mr. Hughes only gets a ban for 42 days. Lucky for him he didn't kill anybody.

Posted in: Fines,Police,Speeding