A few weeks ago, I was going to write a blog post about perceptions of the Police Force in the UK Media. I put it off- and feel like today is the perfect day to bring it back up again.
Over the last few years, having seen Policing from the inside out, I've taken more notice of media perceptions of the Police in this country. In the last 18 months there has been an outpouring of anti-police messages from the media ranging from tory-based newspaper articles, to TV programmes. The papers are quick to pounce on a story highlighting inadequacies, incompetence and the chance to ridicule a police force- but there was little praise for the Police officers who leapt into action when the Riots took off in August 2011. Not a word from the home secretary or Cameron to thank them for their hard work.
Specifically, a BBC made programme called Mayday made a mockery of the UK police service showing incompetent police civilian staff and bumbling police officers, not to mention the actual murderer was a police man. This isn't the first time, but is the freshest in my memory. An ITV series, about to finish on prime time TV, called Broadchurch also shows a struggling police investigation with staff mostly painted out as demotivated, miserable workers who are feeling around in the dark.
None of the above is an accurate portrait of UK Policing. None of it is justified or fair and I believe it is a deliberate attempt to rouse a general distrust from the public for British Policing and de-sensitise the public to the damage being done to the Police Force by the Tory Government.
In stark contrast, in the US, Police Officers are respected and praised. They are celebrated in US cop shows- CSI, NCIS, Law and Order, Hawaii 50, NYPD Blue all show clever, dynamic and vibrant policing where the officers are given an almost hero status. On the day that US police captured their bombing suspect- celebratory tweets, thanks and praise flooded in for the police operation and officers involved. Boston Police's now famous "CAPTURED" tweet was re-tweeted around the world in seconds; Fellow American Facebook users posted "Thanks to our Forces" pictures, words like Justice where being used just for the police arresting a man who is still by all accounts just s a suspect!; even the anti-police BBC ran a full headline story about the policing operation.
Whilst I am aware there are changes that should be made to British Policing, our force does NOT deserve the daily onslaught of degrading news articles and TV representation. There is good policing going on, unheard, unseen; it's because of Officer and Staff hard work without fanfare or reward, that communities are kept safe from harm for the most part unaware of some of the dangers they may otherwise face.
It's not the British way to celebrate and praise- but a bit of pride, respect and recognition from the media would be nice. I don't think for a minute that the general public has as much disregard for the Police as the Media clearly does, but it still has an impact on community perception, especially when the Police is undergoing such huge financial strain.
Policing needs the backing and support of the communities it protects. The media would do well to remember that.
3 comments:
I totally agree with you on all points. The police in my opinion are constantly weighed down by bureaucratic red tape, handed down by people who think they know better. I think this is symbolic of every past and present government, and i doubt it will change anytime soon.
Not so Mark. Even Thatcher respected the Queen's Police Force- granted for political purposes, keeping them on side because of all the riots she caused, however, having spoken to colleagues no other government has sought to damage the Police Force with so much venom, clear bias and wanton destruction before. Red tape and stats maybe from the last government, but this one is seeking to completely destabilise. Dangerous and stupid.
Maybe i'm wrong but i just think that the severity of the deficit we are in hasn't hit home to the government yet. They still believe we can thrift our way out of trouble, but cutting essential services isn't the way.
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