As If Proof Were Needed

This blog has repeatedly asserted that armed police in Britain are of an appallingly low standard and very dangerous. Whilst mainly due to the incompetence of senior officers, it is plain the training and quality of the officers is also sadly lacking.

Today we see publication of a photo showing armed police fooling around with weapons for their own amusement. Everyone should be able to have a laugh and the black humour of surgeons and undertakers is well known, but some things are beyond the pale. Acting out scenarios would be one area I would stay away from. You may make jokes that would seem shocking to the ordinary public, but you don't fool around in operating theatres.

And guns are definitely a no-no. But this photo gives an insight into the childish mentality of the people we hand guns to, to the lack of control over them; an inexcusable lack of discipline. No wonder their mindset when actually sent out to real or imagined 'armed threats' is notoriously hit and miss, with no predictability on outcome.

Will the person have a real weapon when we arrive, they think and will we shoot them anyway, regardless? Thank goodness for the IPCC and the compact with government never to pursue gun crime by police officers.

In a society where policing by consent was the norm, where the police were integrated with the community they serve, where the law is the servant of the people, police officers such as these would be dismissed from the force forthwith and also their managers. They talk of the heavy responsibility of the armed police officer; well, this is part of it. But we live in a region of the EU called Britain, a region where the people are the servants of the state, the police its enforcers and as such subject to state protection.

We're doomed

I went today to hand in a envelope containing a document at the County Court building. Well, what an eye opener on the world we live in. Morons everywhere. Firstly I had to empty all my pockets of metal items and step through a metal detector frame. Then a 'guard' used a hand held device to do another sweep and then I could go through to a small room with four counters. Naturally only one was open. People queuing had to explain their personal reasons for being there, court case etc in front of everyone else. I handed over my envelope and was told 'hold on', while she opened it. I was then given the 'OK' and I left. How on earth does the postman get on? As someone who has attended, as a Special, more than one 'firearms incident' with no armed officers present nor called for, I find the totally idiotic assumption that a County Court building will be subject to armed assault and the patronising nonsense that the two Reliance guards would make any difference, insulting.

Think it through (something the authorities obviously never have). The assumption is that people coming to County Court may decide to take a weapon with them, maybe to strengthen his argument. So the guards are placed on the main door to stop this happening. Well, why not treat people with respect and have the guards in the courtroom? They will be just as effective there as on the main door to the building and we would continue to see that almost no-one causes any problem. But I suppose the public wouldn't feel intimidated and inconvenienced (an important adjunct to showing who is in charge), so the stupid door procedures will stay.