14 Aug 2007

Sir George Young Bt MP - On a lighter note!

Whilst trawling the net for a little light relief from policing our dismal society, I came across the musings of Sir George Young, MP for NW Hampshire. And, whilst flicking through the On A Lighter Note section of his website I found a piece entitled, Police Parliamentary Scheme and read on... It would appear that the 'scheme', one of many similar ones, is designed to let an MP experience the issues and day to day problems of people in different walks of life. What a great idea! Perhaps it should be compulsory then just maybe, politicians would really understand what policing is all about, instead of proposing sweeping changes that have a major impact upon our ability to provide a service? The following is a verbatim extract...
The firearms test was a humiliation. I watched the video, with my finger on the trigger of some virtual firearm connected to a computer and was instructed to fire if the armed gunman, who had taken a child hostage in a shopping centre, opened fire. He shot me eight times before I winged a lady pushing a trolley several yards from the target. Shoot too late and you're dead; shoot too soon and you are hauled before some disciplinary body.
During his time at Southampton Police Station, he met and was impressed with... "The sheer patience of the young officers was striking, putting up with intense provocation from young men looking for trouble and enraged by alcohol".

The piece (very refreshing) is worth a read, if only to realise that some of our politicians really do understand where we're coming from!


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