Police officers deserve our gratitude, not crazy Green ideas about shutting down jails – Stephen Jardine
PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough, killed in the line of duty, were the best of the best
As every comic at the Fringe knows, it’s all about the timing. Tell that to the Green Party of England and Wales. Just days after two police officers died in a high-speed crash, the Greens’ plans for policing emerged and you really couldn’t make them up.
The supposed first party of the environment wants to move money away from police forces, end the police presence in schools and make it official party policy to aim for the closure of all jails through “systemic obsolescence”. Whatever that means.
They also contemplated taking pepper spray and tasers from police officers but eventually decided that was too bonkers, even for them.
Jolly japers?
Alongside having the worst timing imaginable, the Green Party of England and Wales seem to live in a parallel universe where miscreants are all jolly japers who simply need a hug and a McDonalds voucher to be returned to useful lives in their communities.
They appear to think the police are the problem, presumably because they prevent Just Stop Oil protestors from blocking roads and protect Jewish people from anti-semitic attacks.
Setting aside the lunacy of their law and order views, they got one thing right. It’s time to have a conversation about the police.
As a job, it’s never been harder. Everyone thinks they know their rights nowadays and every move is filmed by someone hoping to make money or create the next national scandal, even if it’s just a probationary cop wrestling with a shoplifter. And every day, they put on the uniform and patrol the streets to keep us safe.
Doing something for others
The two officers killed last weekend were the best of the best. PC Matthew Blades, 37, was married with two kids but found the time to coach under-sevens football. Before joining the force, he was an English teacher. PC Tom Clough, 38, was a former soldier who’d served in Iraq and Afghanistan. His heartbroken family said he would help anyone.
Can you see the pattern? Service, giving back, doing something for others. The negative headlines always focus on a few rogue officers who abuse their position and commit appalling crimes. They deserve everything they get.
But the vast majority are like PC Blades and PC Clough, in the job to serve their communities and to improve the lives of others.
Conversations about the role of policing often miss the fact that it all comes down to the actions of individual officers who are human beings themselves. We see the uniform but behind it are husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, sons and daughters.
Following the fatal crash, I was struck by the words of Cleveland’s Police and Crime Commissioner who urged members of the community to show support to local officers. “If you can put your arm around an officer today and say 'thank you, hope you’re OK', that would go down well," Matt Storey said.
We need to hold police officers to account for their actions – with power comes responsibility. But we also need to remember who keeps us safe and deals with the stuff we would rather not see.
While we were tucked up in bed fast asleep at 3.39am, PC Blades and PC Clough were away from their families on a lonely dual carriageway driving straight into danger. The very least they deserve is our gratitude.