I once had a conversation with a superintendent of police at Siparia police station. I swear, trying to get him to understand why I had a letter in my hand (for hand delivery to an MP) was like trying to teach my cat to bark. I said it then, and I say it now, his IQ was roughly about the same as his shoe size. But then again, he was a big bloke, so maybe the shoe size won...
For a long time, I've been saying, you can't take duncey 3 'O' levels (in some cases, school leaving certificate only) candidates, who've been basically failing in school to maintain a certain standard, then put them in the police service and expect them to learn law, statutes, regulations etc. These are the people I'd hire to cut my lawn, or wash my car, simply because they're not qualified to do anything else. They have not demonstrated that they are capable of more responsibility , or more ability. More appallingly, they've demonstrated an inability (or unwillingness) to learn.
So it was indeed a pleasant surprise to read this article in the Express Newspaper. Kudos to the reporter for recognising a deficiency and highlighting it. I once would have said the embarrassment of exposure to the world might have brought resulting change, but years of experience taught me differently.
I was particularly impressed with:
Some might argue that the police service has enough dividends, something I won't question much, from the type of news reports I see.
I remember driving down from PoS once, with two persons in my car, and being chased by some drugged up madman who kept trying to ram my car (obviously scaring the hell out of my two passengers). Upon reaching the Mon Repos police station, I had to answer so many questions (repeatedly as if the officer could not fathom what I was saying) that one of his colleagues (a bright young Indian lad) walked out of the station cursing softly. Officer outside later told me the duncey talking the report was incompetent, all he had to do was put out an APB to stop the car (I provided the licence plate number) and then continue to get my report.
Incompetence to the highest degree.
But I digress. I am heartened to see that the problem is being recognised, and hopefully, in my lifetime, I might see necessary changes for a more effective police service.
So it was indeed a pleasant surprise to read this article in the Express Newspaper. Kudos to the reporter for recognising a deficiency and highlighting it. I once would have said the embarrassment of exposure to the world might have brought resulting change, but years of experience taught me differently.
I was particularly impressed with:
There are senior officers who entered the force with little or no formal education, whose basic report-writing skills are poor, and who spend years failing their police exams which focus on the very work they perform on a day-to-day basis.and:
But the police presence that our public interfaces with comprises many times of senior officers who seem barely capable of stringing a decent sentence together, and men on the ground who bark instructions and orders to innocent civilians.All soooo true, especially for anyone having a conversation with a senior duncey. I give Jack his jacket, some of the younger fellas now have no option but to go into the police service to survive. But then again, the brighter ones minimal, and usually opt for a career that will pay dividends in the long term.
Some might argue that the police service has enough dividends, something I won't question much, from the type of news reports I see.
I remember driving down from PoS once, with two persons in my car, and being chased by some drugged up madman who kept trying to ram my car (obviously scaring the hell out of my two passengers). Upon reaching the Mon Repos police station, I had to answer so many questions (repeatedly as if the officer could not fathom what I was saying) that one of his colleagues (a bright young Indian lad) walked out of the station cursing softly. Officer outside later told me the duncey talking the report was incompetent, all he had to do was put out an APB to stop the car (I provided the licence plate number) and then continue to get my report.
Incompetence to the highest degree.
But I digress. I am heartened to see that the problem is being recognised, and hopefully, in my lifetime, I might see necessary changes for a more effective police service.
