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 Home > Police Tales from the Metropolis

Police: Stop and search ...another post.

Written by RSS Poster Tales from the Metropolis on the - A Police Blog
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The METS figures on knife crime in recent weeks are clearly horrendous.
Daily we are informed of the latest death or serious injury on London's streets. The media are in a frenzy, politicians demand action, family's want answers and results.
Stepping back from the figures the background to this seems clear. There has been a massive drop in stop and search by the Met over recent years. This in short has been led by a significant interference by politicians and other vocal interest groups in the use of stop and search and its perceived overuse on sections of London's communities. The political and media 'furore in days gone by has left the majority of officers stepping back and saying to themselves ....hands in pockets?...it's not worth it.
There was certainly never any overt pushing back on this by our upper echelons on the issue. Officers felt isolated and understandably backed off themselves.Politicians talked of discipline for 'incorrect  use ' of stop/search.
They came out with some rollout for ' unconscious bias'...

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Police: An officer down but a hero rises

Written by RSS Poster Tales from the Metropolis on the - A Police Blog
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Constable Keith Palmer paid the ultimate price for doing his job yesterday at the Palace of Westminster. Unarmed, he was fatally wounded as he confronted the crazed maniac who had caused senseless carnage on the bridge moments before.  
I was one of the many officers despatched to assorted parts of the Metropolis as the event unfolded. My team were constantly checking for updates on our mobiles until, sadly, confirmation came through of his death. 
I was watching Prime Minister Questions today and her speech to the House and the assorted back and forth as MPS from both sides tried to catch the Speakers eye. Much, and rightly so, was talk of the bravery of Keith Palmer and the police and emergency services in its aftermath.The event was clearly very close to home for those who work at the Commons.  
Sadly, such is my innate cynicism regarding the political class that as I was watching each honourable member standing up and saying their piece, I was thinking, is this from the heart? or a scripted sound bite to tap into the...

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Police: MET HR and the new reality blueprint

Written by RSS Poster Tales from the Metropolis on the - A Police Blog
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Well at last they've finally  come out and said it . MET HR admit they no longer see the job as a career. A paper produced by MET HR and presented to a Chief Constables council states that by 2020 'we no longer expect to see policing as a job for life'
In typical MET HR speak it goes on ' We see healthy churn as a positive, creating space to recruit new capabilities which would take many years to develop internally'.
It also talks of officers leaving being able to  join a new 'formal reservist capability' which will be developed internally.
Its an admission at least that all MET HR exists for, in its basic form and in 'non HR blah speak' is to 'produce boots on the street and get bums on the seats'
I doubt any of this 'new concept  going forward' ( as HR would put it) will feature in the glossy multi media recruitment campaigns it put out
I've lamented in my previous posts about the way the METS going and this is just another confirmation of it.
Also the fact that they are so completely out of touch with the grassroots rank...

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Police: MET HR and the new reality blueprint

Written by RSS Poster Tales from the Metropolis on the - A Police Blog
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Well at last they've finally  come out and said it . MET HR admit they no longer see the job as a career. A paper produced by MET HR and presented to a Chief Constables council states that by 2020 'we no longer expect to see policing as a job for life'
In typical MET HR speak it goes on ' We see healthy churn as a positive, creating space to recruit new capabilities which would take many years to develop internally'.
It also talks of officers leaving being able to  join a new 'formal reservist capability' which will be developed internally.
Its an admission at least that all MET HR exists for, in its basic form and in 'non HR blah speak' is to 'produce boots on the street and get bums on the seats'
I doubt any of this 'new concept  going forward' ( as HR would put it) will feature in the glossy multi media recruitment campaigns it put out
I've lamented in my previous posts about the way the METS going and this is just another confirmation of it.
Also the fact that they are so completely out of touch with the grassroots rank...

Continues, Read More...


Police: The IPCC tries again

Written by RSS Poster Tales from the Metropolis on the - A Police Blog
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The determination of the IPCC to nail a police firearms officer continues unabated.


They have referred the shooting of Jermaine Baker to the  CPS. An incident well covered by the media following an incident in Wood Green last year


I can understand the concept of a referral. A male has been shot and has died and a police officer fired the shot.


However the use of the words 'an indication' a criminal offence has been committed'  is somewhat vague.


As a police officer I would be given short shrift if I submitted a file to the CPS stating there was an 'indication ' an offence was committed. They want a WHOLE lot more than that.


Reading into this it seems the IPCC want to pass the buck upstairs to the CPS and not make a decision themselves.


As I have made clear in my previous posts about this organisation I don't believe the I stands for Independent and it certainly isn't for Impartial 





Police: I was sitting there ...!

Written by RSS Poster Tales from the Metropolis on the - A Police Blog
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As the MET tries to cram more and more people into fewer and fewer buildings its 'Hot Desking' concept leads to desperate measures .









Police: Stop now you crazy Diamond

Written by RSS Poster Tales from the Metropolis on the - A Police Blog
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A DIAMOND group has been formed in the upper reaches of the MET. I am not sure where they get the names. Clearly the old BRONZE, SILVER , GOLD is so last year.


One of its aims is to explore the possibilities of bumping up the Detective ranks ( of which the MET is severely short ) by using Specials and pushing new entrants straight through to DC pathways without, it would seem, the implied inconvenience of spending a couple of years learning the basics in a uniform role.Frankly I am not surprised that senior management think this is workable. There is much discussion in other police forums as to how desperate this idea is and I wont waste any more columns adding my 10 pence worth to it.


I then read we have an entity called MET Enterprises ( a nice consultancy fee somewhere coming up with this baby!) which aims to explore and utilise the MET brand. One of its aims is to sell the MET's worldwide reputation and in particular its world class training.


At around this point I had to stop and think WTF!


I am then convinced the brains behind...

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Police: What do you expectorate?

Written by RSS Poster Tales from the Metropolis on the - A Police Blog
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I was reading the Evening standard on the commute home last week and saw a small article saying the Met had decide to trial the so called spit hoods on a selection of Boroughs.
The discussion on  use of spit hoods has been bouncing around the Met, off and on, for years. As expected the SLT at the higher levels huffed and puffed. Anecdotally its rumoured one of the SLT asked if we were expected to wear the hoods!!!!
Any way it came as no surprise that the usual suspects  came out bleating with weapons grade handwringing angst.
Leading the pack were Liberty ( as ever )
Apparently Martha Spurrier is quoted as saying 'A spit hood is a  primitive cruel and degrading tool  that inspires fear and anguish'
So is being gobbed on.
Frankly it came as NOOOOO! surprise there was a U turn as our new mayor and MOPAC threw the usual politics into this and our Management ( sorry.... Leadership) rolled over as only they can.
Usual excuses made.
'The Metropolitan Police service has listened to concerns and will consult further before starting any pilot'
I bet...

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Police: What do you expectorate?

Written by RSS Poster Tales from the Metropolis on the - A Police Blog
Comments and Reactions
I was reading the Evening standard on the commute home last week and saw a small article saying the Met had decide to trial to so called spit hoods on a selection of Boroughs.
The discussion on  use of spit hoods has been bouncing around the Met, off and on, for years. As expected the SLT at the higher levels huffed and puffed. Anecdotally its rumoured one of the SLT asked if we ere expected to wear the hoods!!!!
Any way it came as no surprise that the usual suspects  came out bleating with weapons grade handwringing angst.
Leading the pack were Liberty ( as ever )
Apparently Martha Spurrier is quoted as saying 'A spit hood is a  primitive cruel and degrading tool  that inspires fear and anguish'
So is being gobbed on.
Frankly it came as NOOOOO! surprise there was a U turn as our new mayor and MOPAC threw the usual politics into this and our Management ( sorry.... Leadership) rolled over as only they can.
Usual excuses made.
'The Metropolitan Police service has listened to concerns and will consult further before starting any pilot'
I bet the...

Continues, Read More...


Police: FED still in denial

Written by RSS Poster Tales from the Metropolis on the - A Police Blog
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The Police Federation of England and Wales have started to E mail its members. I hadn't heard from our hardy band of firebrand representatives for some time. I did check my pay slip .They are  still taking my subs so I assumed they still existed.This flurry of activity is no doubt due to the recent Federation jolly at Bournemouth in which the Fed Reps at assorted levels assemble on Fed expenses and as the highlight for a few days by the sea invite the Home secretary to attend and generously give her a platform for a speech which basically  rubs their noses in it....again.


The Chairman sends these E mails out proclaiming previous 'success ' at damage limitation in negotiations of the introductions in Government change. They will probably get around to ripping that up at the next round of negotiation.The latest E mail is a survey asking us about our opinions on Pay and conditions. Even if every Fed member filled it in....and we know it would be an overwhelming 'its s**t and getting worse' what are the FED going to do with it ? Armed with...

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Latest Tales From The Metropolis Stories

Stop and search ...another post.
An officer down but a hero rises
MET HR and the new reality blueprint
MET HR and the new reality blueprint
The IPCC tries again

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