There are unconfirmed reports that Tom Winsor has applied for the role of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary. When I read this I laughed out loud. I then realised that if this appointment comes about it will assist the Government implement the full disaster of Winsor 2 and the end of traditional policing in this country.
The public should be very concerned about Winsor. We know now that he invented information from officers in his report and some of the so called evidence is seriously flawed. Winsor has brushed this aside as irrelevant. We now know that Winsor is on the board of the law firm White and Case. This firm represented G4S in their negotiations with Lincolnshire Police who have privatised some of their services. The Home Secretary, Theresa May, has assured us that Tom Winsor's independent report into policing is nonetheless independent as he carried it out as an independent individual and not as a representative of White and Case. So, that's OK then.
Winsor isn't about pay and pensions. We know we are going to take a hit on our pay and pensions like the rest of the public sector. Winsor isn't about getting better quality recruits. He wants to reduce, substantially, the starting pay of recruits. That is not going to improve the quality. Winsor isn't about getting better quality managers into the police. Direct entry at inspector level and superintendent won't work. Winsor simply puts in place the building blocks to allow managers to be brought in to manage private security staff. Winsor is about the privatisation of the police service. Winsor means private security guards patrolling the streets of Britain instead of the police. Winsor means when you dial 999 G4S security will answer your call instead of the police. Winsor means when you report a crime it will be investigated by G4S or similar.
The Government will try and convince the public that this service will be as good, or better, than that currently being provided by the police. When you have private security guards on minimum wage and shareholders trying to extract as much profit out of the company as possible, it is obvious what service the public will receive.
Winsor applying for the role of HMCIC is worrying. Worrying, because he clearly hasn't a clue about policing. Worrying, because it seems unlikely he would apply for the role without some nod from those in power. Worrying, because his appointment will help the Government bring about the aims of his report and the end of policing in this country as we know it.
He seems a logical choice so his appointment could surprise nobody, lex.
ReplyDeleteBack in 2009, some of us could see two possible courses that policing could take in the near future. At the time, it seemed we were heading for an inevitable large scale cull or write-off. We were derided on police blogs as crazy 'apocalypse forecasters' because ordinary police minds refused to acknowledge the possibility of either event.
"What the f*** do you know about f****** police work...etc, etc." The biggest critics of a failing police service, still have their minds on a fresh start rather than more of the piecemeal reforms which account for most of the potted history of UK policing.
Now, all the big political hitters require is a clear vision of how things will be.
I've never met the man, but just looking at him, he looks like a pencil head desk driving asshole.
ReplyDeletemelv, vision with hindsight is always so much clearer, of course.
ReplyDeleteSheehy has partly been implemented already and Winsor simply takes it to another level beyond that.
I don't accept the view of critics that say the police service is failing. I still believe the current police service is effective. The problem is the rest of the justice system almost completely fails to protect the public from persistent offenders. Bail, sentencing, rehabilitation, none of that is working. Irresponsible parenting, appalling education Etc. Doesn't help. You cannot blame the police for the whole of society's ills.
"You scratch my back"....springs to mind.
ReplyDeleteJaded
What do you have against poor Mr Winsor? He asks that you work instead of beating the crap out of hippies and tells you (like the lovely Theresa May) that the good times are over. You remind me of lawyers in POW camps, always looking for a "special pleading". What is wrong with high ranking police that can actually read and write? Such bleating! Man Up!
ReplyDeleteI'm probably one of those hippy types you guys don't think much of - but the whole lurking G4S thing scares the shit out of me.
ReplyDeleteWhat can regular civilians do to help the police fend privatisation off? If I get into trouble either as a victim or an occasional protester, I want to deal you you guys, not a private company with a few ministers in their back pocket.
Metaldog - haven't got a problem with hippy types generally, just the ones that think they have a right to live off the state/taxpayer and think the law shouldn't apply to them.
ReplyDeleteThe public at large should be hugely concerned about the future of policing. The politicians aren't listening to the police. They will listen if a significant number of voters start making their views known.
You can start by writing to your MP or better still visiting them at their local surgery. You can write to the media. You can even organise lawful protests against the proposals.
I am pleased to hear some people are waking up to the future of policing in this country.
Yeah, whats wrong with people what can read and write proper? Up yours Ciaran!
ReplyDelete"A chain smoking alcoholic, an unreliable witness" The Untouchables. Gillard & Flynn, 2012, Bloomsbury.
ReplyDeleteHeh, I'm more the 'why can't everyone just get along?' sort of hippy.
ReplyDeleteMy local MP is Paul Burstow, who thinks he knows better than every professional in the Health service, so I don't hold much hope from him. I voted for that bugger last time =/ Sorry. It won't happen again.
I'll see what I can do, anyway. Good luck everyone. Nice blog btw, you seem pretty sane.
Excellent blog.
ReplyDeleteI met a war veteran who wants to join the private police. He expressed willingness to drag people out of their beds and kill them on orders from spooks.
I think you are seriously understating the dangers.
If Tom Winsor wants to save money he should seriously consider reducing his £200000 Salary by the same percentage as he has done to the New Constables as well as ensuring he also works to the age of 60..Craig Portman.
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