Teaching Right From Wrong Scrapped

According to this report teaching school children right from wrong is to be scrapped.

Schools will no longer have to teach children the difference between right and wrong, under new plans, the National Curriculum will be changed to say teachers merely have to help them develop "secure values and beliefs".

Learning about Britain's cultural heritage will also be dropped in favour of simply making sure pupils "understand different cultures and traditions".

There has been anger and disbelief reported on the planned changes to the curriculum for 11 to 14-year-olds, coming at a time of mounting concern about anti-social behaviour and warnings of the consequences of record levels of immigration.

Nick Seaton, of the Campaign for Real Education, said: "I'm shocked that they are suggesting moving towards a value-free curriculum which I believe would be disastrous for future generations."

"It makes a mockery of Tony Blair's talk of respect - if young people don't have a proper moral education, what's to stop them respecting thieves or even terrorists?"

"Youngsters need to know the difference between right and wrong and to understand the culture in which they live if they are to become successful members of society."

Rob Wilson, Conservative MP for Reading West and a member of the Commons education select committee, said: "In many areas it seems as though some parents are abandoning children to their fate."

"With the church less relevant today than ever, it is schools that provide them with the last vestige of a moral education, and that must not be taken away."

"As for the heritage question, we know that New Labour has always been hostile to British history, but removing it from the curriculum would strike a huge blow to Gordon Brown's big idea of promoting citizenship lessons."

Can't wait to hear the next generation's reply to caution.........

"It is my secure value and belief that it's ok to beat the living crap out of my teacher."

Police Officers Can't Afford Mortgages

Police housing in crisis? Now that's a surprise!

According to recent reports key public sector workers are priced out of the property market in two-thirds of UK towns.

Policemen, nurses, teachers, ambulance workers and firemen can no longer afford to buy an average priced house in 65% of towns, compared with just 24% five years ago, according to Britain's biggest mortgage lender Halifax.

Martin Ellis, chief economist at Halifax, said: "Key workers have been hit hard by the strength of the property market over the past five years. Now it is difficult for key workers to buy the average house not only in the south of England but also in significant parts of the Midlands, northern England, Wales and Scotland. "

"It is important that the Government continues to develop schemes to help key workers onto the property ladder and to ensure that these schemes are not confined to southern England. The presence of sufficient key workers is critical to the smooth functioning of life in our cities and towns."

For further reports click police can't afford home loans.

Now let's think about this for a second...... The very people responsible for keeping our towns and cities running can't afford to live in the majority of them. How are the Jones' going to feel when there's no one to clean their streets, teach their children, heal their sick, put out their fires or investigate crimes committed against them?

This follows reports last week that police pay increases of just 3% haven't been agreed by the government.

Hmmmm........ I wonder if this is in anyway connected to the decision to sell off affordable police rental housing for officers with families, and section house accomodation for single officers post Sheehy Report 1994?

MP wants police to live on murder estate
Cop property shock
'Bonkers' police property sale
The paradox of 'affordable' housing
Police housing problems in London
Police Can't Afford Mortgage Loans
Police Pay Crisis End In Sight

ANPR Cameras May Breach RIPA

According to this report police and other number plate cameras may breach RIPA.

Sir Andrew Leggatt, Chief Surveillance Commissioner, urged ministers in Edinburgh and London to bring forward legislation swiftly to ensure the equipment is in line with privacy laws and police are not prevented from using the cameras to provide evidence in court.

The article initially published in The Scotsman, goes on to say that the camera technology, which alerts officers when a suspect number plate passes before a camera, is used by police forces across the UK to spot stolen cars and untaxed or uninsured drivers as well as vehicles believed to have been used in crime.

Sir Andrew Legatt described them (ANPR) as "very effective in crime reduction" and "a prime example of intelligence-led policing" but he warned that there was a danger they might be challenged in court under human rights legislation.

In his annual report, before both the Scottish Parliament and Westminster, Sir Andrew urged ministers to amend the law on both sides of the border to make sure the evidence from the cameras is not challenged in court.

According to the Metropolitan Police's annual report for 2005-6, ANPR teams in London supported 80 operations in the last 12 months involving gun-related crime alone, leading to 259 arrests for offences including offensive weapons, assault, burglary and immigration irregularities.

In Scotland they have been very successful in catching motorists without valid tax discs.

The article is fairly lengthy but if this kind of thing interests you click ANPR May Breach RIPA.

UK Police Numbers At Record High?

According to this report, UK Police Numbers are increasing and have reached a new record high of 141,381.

Not sure whether these extra officers have been posted to my area or not.
Has anyone seen any shiny new 'straight out of the box' police officers walking about and looking lost anywhere?

You'd know if they'd been posted to your area, you'd be suffering from a localised sharp increase in HORT1's and FPN's!

Police Pay

Police pay is in the news and once again the government looks like it's going to try and squeeze out of it's agreement with the police negotiating board and refuse to accept the submitted police pay claim.

The police federation have issued the following press released - Police Federation disgusted that police pay claim not yet accepted.

Jan Berry, Chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, says:

"We are bitterly disappointed and angry that, for the first time since 1979, the Police Negotiating Board has not been allowed to agree the usual indexation pay claim, which is 3 per cent this year, put forward by the Staff Side for police officers throughout the UK. We have immediately asked for this matter to go to conciliation and arbitration and will fight to ensure police officers throughout the UK receive a just and fair pay deal."

"We fail to understand why that decision cannot be made now. It is always the July meeting that agrees the pay award to ensure that officers receive any increases in their September pay packet."

"What worries us is that the delay is not merely the indecision of the Official Side but outside political forces actually pulling the strings. If that is the case then it makes a farce of the Police Negotiating Board, and yet again demonstrates eagerness by politicians to micromanage the police service."

"Police pay reflects the unique sacrifice police officers make, namely, their accountability and responsibilities both on and off duty and their inability to take industrial action. A restriction not shared by other workers."

"We cannot, and will not, allow police officers’ pay – their financial security – to be eroded. Indexation for police pay is sacrosanct."

For those of you who may not know, police pay is subject to the Edmund-Davies agreement.

Police pay is linked to a survey commissioned by the Police Negotiating Board (PNB) entitled ‘Pay Awards for Non-Manual Employees outside Public Services Sector’

The survey measures pay movements to 7 June each year and police pay is linked to Median increase in total pay. This showed a 3 per cent increase to 7 June 2006.

In 1978 Edmund-Davies Committee of Inquiry on the Police, said in its Report on Negotiating Pay and Machinery: "In common with all those who submitted evidence for our consideration, this Committee is satisfied that the absence of the right to strike is a serious deprivation for any worker. It is essential that the police should not suffer in pay because they are deprived of the right to strike, and that it should be put beyond doubt that they are being paid fairly."

There's an interesting thread developing on the police forum on the same subject.

Police Pay Crisis End In Sight
Police Wages
Police Officers Can't Afford Mortgages
Police Work To Rule
Police Pay Increase Refused
3%? We’ll be lucky...
Prison Officers Vote For Strike

Police Horse

Whilst you're out and about sunning yourself in the UK's heatwave, spare a thought for 'Sunny' the albino police horse, who's 'riding out' the unusually hot weather by having up to 30 bottles of suncream applied everyday.

Humberside Police horse "Sunny", has a rare genetic condition which means that he has no melanin and therefore little or no pigmentation to protect him from the sun.

Mounted officers put out an Internet appeal for help to get Sunny through the heatwave. A pharmacy donated five gallons of factor 50 lotion in huge drums.

"We have been so worried about Sunny, especially now the temperature is soaring," a police spokeswoman said.

For further details check Police horse rides heatwave with sun cream.

Being a blond haired freckle face, I know how he feels. Suncream, collar up, long sleeves and a large hat is the usual clothing order of the day for me!

Man Given Jill Dando Award For Bravery

A delivery driver who was stabbed eight times as he single-handedly tackled armed robbers has picked up the Jill Dando Award.

Anthony Crompton, 22, from Skelmersdale, was presented with a bronze rose, named after the flower that bears Jill's name, at the annual Police Federation / The Sun Police Bravery Awards.

Mr Crompton popped to a local garage to buy a bottle of Coke when he saw a shop assistant being threatened by a masked gunman behind the till while another held an assistant at knife-point.

Mr Crompton tackled both men and during the struggle managed to de-mask them. He was struck around the head with the handgun and stabbed him eight times - with one stab wound puncturing his lung.

Despite his injuries, Anthony chased the offenders when they fled but could not understand why he was unable to catch them.

‘When the police arrived five minutes later I told them I had to try and slow my breathing to catch my breath. I didn't realise I had a punctured lung.’

To read the full article click Police Federation / The Sun Police Bravery Award.

Click to see all the deserving winners of this year's Police Bravery Awards.

Gay Police Association

I have just finished watching BBC news and I am ashamed.

If a member of the public was to report the picture displayed on the BBC news item to the police, the matter would have to be investigated.

I also think the Advertising Standards Authority would be interested in hearing the public's comments.

I'm surprised that it's only made one news channel so far, but then again, I suppose they chose the Bible for the ad because they knew the press and public's reaction would be that of indifference.

Had the advertisement displayed a picture of the Koran or any other faith's Holy Scriptures, I imagine there would have been protests outside local police stations up and down the country, and all network television coverage of the Gay Police Association's blunder.

It seems funny that a faith based on forgiveness and reconciliation has been targetted, when a more obvious choice would have been a religion that preaches extreme punishment for homosexuality.

One wonders what level the Gay Police Association will stoop to next, perhaps a image of an OAP being forced to participate in a march with 'pride'? It seems an obvious choice to me, the elderly are usually less accepting of 'modern' ways, they therefore need to be taught how to fully embrace and respect diversity!

As a white Anglo-Saxon male I feel down trodden enough by certain sections of the community just because I happen to be of indigenous male stock. Now the politically correct police are attacking my religion!

It seems funny that you seem allowed to belittle my faith at will, but woe betide me if I ever questioned your sexuality or your right to parade virtually starkers through our capital city.

I'm all for equality, best 'person' for the job, (done with two fingers in the air giving a shape of imaginary speach marks.) best of British, etc. But just because I'm from the silent majority, don't think for one second that I won't stand up to you when you attempt to stampede across my rights and beliefs.

We need the champions of common sense to act immediately. I beg Melanie Phillips and Archbishop Dr John Sentamu to speak out on our behalf.

I think renewed website hostilities may be on the horizon - Police Get Google Bombed.

Updated 18/10/06
GPA Ad Broke The Rules

Updated 1/08/06 - For further check:
Faith Crime
Do Christians Have Basic Rights Too?
Britain Turns Christianity Into A Crime
Gay and Christian Police Row
Gay Police Face Christian Uproar
In The Name Of The Father

The Village Bobby

The Village Bobby is a poem published this week on the police forum by member Primus356.

He goes on to say:

'Elsewhere in this forum there is section for Community Police Officers and for PCSOs. There is also mention of Neighbourhood Policing. These are government initiatives from "Let's Re-Invent the Wheel & Co Ltd" I don't know whether to laugh or cry.'

Coming from the 'smoke', I don't know much about the village bobby's role, but I reckon it'd be much the same as the big town's good old fashioned home beat officer.

In my short time we've had all manner of different initiatives to try and replace all the local knowledge lost during the heady days of 'Tenure'. When local communities lost thousands of years worth of combined local knowledge in one fell swoop. Mainly due to some shiny arse deciding that if a constable had been at a station for over ten years, he was obviously loafing and needed to be moved to pastures new!

No kidding, the station I worked at during this time was left with no one with any serious local knowledge, we had coppers winkled out of all kinds of departments across town arriving for parade with cork lined top hats, capes, driving coats and all kinds of other weird out of date police uniform and equipment.

It wasn't just uniform that suffered, the department was decimated as well, although I must admit a smirk or two when I found out about a few certain individuals who had been posted back to uniform!

'We thought that in the best interest of your personal career development, you'd benefit from a posting to Stoke Newington.' 'But I've only got 18 months left guv, and I live and work in Croydon.' 'Sorry, are you still here, what did you say.....?'

Home Beats, Sector Teams, Community Teams, Borough Policing, PCSO's........ The list goes on.

One need look no further than The Peelian Principles for guidance.

With all the talk recently about New York Style Policing, I think the below may strike a chord with a few old enough to remember a time when they had a 'named' local police officer.

The Village Bobby

With all this talk of urban crime that blights our city streets,
There's often little mention of more pastoral retreats.
As though our rural hamlets lay untroubled and immune,
With open doors and windows on a sunlit afternoon.

For those of us who live here, it's a far cry from the truth,
We have our own invaders and that element of youth.
Without respect or honour for the worthy and the wise,
Who contemplate retirement with suspicion in their eyes.

So is it any wonder that we dwell upon the past,
When the local village bobby held the situation fast?
He lacked the skills of Poirot or of Doctor Watson's chum,
But the job for which we paid him was appropriately done.

He didn't crave technology to know the good and bad,
The idle rogue, the reprobate, the decent, honest lad.
He'd little need for subterfuge or a large, persuasive stick,
When a hand upon the shoulder was enough to do the trick.

He'd get to know his people and he'd get to know his patch,
More tuned to crime-prevention than the numbers he could catch.
He lived and worked among them without a place to hide,
Oh, yes, he wore the uniform, but they knew the man inside.

He'd get to know the farmers, with his bike against the wall,
Just a cup of tea, a social chat, an amicable call.
But he'd warm the seeds of willingness to tell him what they'd seen,
Of anything that failed to match normality's routine.

It wasn't 'them and us', back then, we all were in the force,
An unappointed back-up squad of limitless resource.
We walked the local bobby's beat in that enlightened day,
Yet, just when he was needed most, we found him whisked away.

No more the wave, no more the smile or meeting-place of hearts,
Just faceless, fleeting panda cars en route to foreign parts.
No more the local ear to bend with matters of concern,
And, in a while, the good-intentioned left the bridge to burn.

And, once that bridge was gone, despite the jargon and the toys,
The public's new perception was of traffic-chasing boys.
Who lacked the old-time wisdom and the time to be a friend,
Now the partnership was over, the alliance at an end.

You'll rarely see a copper, now, a long a country lane,
It's not his fault, he does his best but money rules the game.
And so they buy computer links and fail to understand,
That the finest link they ever had would shake you by the hand.

Now, when the evening shadows fall and problems cause a flap,
You make a phone-call, say your prayers, and hope they've got a map.
And, down the road, they'll pass a house their seniors ought to know,
That's where the local bobby lived, those many years ago.

Written in 1995 by a resident of a Cheshire Home in Cornwall.

Why Are Uniforms Considered Sexy?

Just been sent the following press release from Uniform Dating - It made me smile!

You can't move on the net without seeing their ads or in any local emergency service's 'staff' room without seeing one of their posters.
I think they all must be ex-Met!

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The question, “What is it that makes a ‘man in uniform’ so attractive to some women? Or on the flip side, a ‘woman in uniform’ so attractive to some men?” was something during my early days as a young single police officer that I took complete advantage of without actually caring about!

I didn't want to know a scientific reason as to why all these pretty girls who wouldn't have usually taken a second glance at me, suddenly started flirting and thrusting telephone numbers into my hands the moment I donned my uniform and walked out of the police station. All I knew was that I no longer struggled getting a date organised for the weekend, the fact that most of these ‘relationships’ never progressed past first base didn’t seem to matter at the time.

Fortunately for me it wasn't long before I met the woman of my dreams who got me on the 'straight and narrow' and who also incidentally is a nurse. (Perhaps I'm also attracted to a woman in uniform?)

I think that this question was a major deciding factor in the research, design and creation of Uniform Dating a couple of years ago. Even if the ‘attraction’ question can never be fully answered. On a plus point however, Uniform Dating is owned and operated by mainly ex-emergency service personnel so at least they understand and relate to their target audience.

The site idea basically follows on from 'real world' emergency service parties, which until recently used to play a major part in any single uniformed or emergency service person's life.

These parties used to be on a strict invite only basis for non-uniformed people – in fact it was not unusual to be accosted by members of the opposite sex outside a nightclub running these events, in the hope of you giving them usage of your ‘plus one’ ticket allowance!

I say recently, due to the fact that unfortunately numerous emergency services’ accommodation blocks, nurses’ quarters or police section houses have been closed due to Government forced budget cuts. There are therefore now, aside from loitering outside your local police station, hospital, fire station or army barracks etc, only a few places a ‘non-uniformed’ person can frequent in the hope of nabbing a date with a person in uniform!

From a 'uniformed services' personnel point of view, uniformed professions seem to have a higher than average divorce / split up rate when compared to other professions. Generally once the attraction of the uniform wears off, the unprepared soon grow tired of the weird shift patterns and the reality that most people working in uniform appear to be 'married to the job' first. This is due mainly to strict work discipline codes, which also govern their time off, as well as the fact that most uniformed people treat their job as a vocation, rather than a ‘food on the table’ means to an end.

The most successful relationships I know of amongst my ex-peers in uniform are usually down to the other partner working in some kind of uniformed environment themselves, or the non-uniformed partner being accepting of the day-to-day work pressures placed on their man or woman in uniform. Generally having a bad day at work these days is nothing like a ‘bad day’ at work whilst I was a police officer, for obvious reasons.

It’s not fun working long unsociable shift patterns, and it’s certainly no fun for the partner of a uniformed emergency shift worker waiting for the safe return of their loved one night after night.

In short, if you’re attracted to people in uniform, please also ensure that you’re prepared for the reality of dating someone in uniform after the initial attraction ‘buzz’ has worn off!

Press Release By Di Davies.
Press Liaison
Uniform Dating

************************************************************************************

Well there you have it.......!

If you're serious about dating someone in uniform, for goodness sake check out Uniform Dating.

Police Merger Plans 'Axed'

Police Merger Plans 'To Be Axed' according to this report controversial plans to cut the number of police forces in England and Wales are to be scrapped.

There's also numerous other reports on the scapping of Police Merger Plans.

Shadow home secretary David Davis said: "It is clear that the government has woken up to the folly of its own proposals to regionalise our police forces. The government's approach of putting it back to consultation can only have one sensible outcome, namely that we junk the 'one size fits all' approach to our police forces and pursue an intelligent, co-operative, resource-sharing approach to mending the gaps in protective services."

Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Nick Clegg said: "Surely this is the nail in the coffin for the government's ill-judged and rushed plan to introduce regional police mergers?Government ministers should listen afresh to alternative ideas which meet the same objective of allowing our police forces to pool resources and tackle serious crime."

The only possible 'spanner in the works' is reported on the BBC - Police force merger u-turn denied.

According to the following report, Charles Clarke has attacked the Police Merger U-turn. (I don't know why, but that photo always makes me chuckle!)

Mr Clarke whilst Home Secretary, was the architect of plans to slash the number of forces in England and Wales from 43 to as few as 17 by 2008.

He launched a scathing attack on his successor in a series of interviews at the end of last month, and spoke out publicly against Tony Blair, accusing the Prime Minister of losing his "purpose and direction".

No sour grapes there then eh?

Some have even stronger opinions - IDiot Alert.

So it finally looks like the Government has decided to listen to popular opinion and act on it. I still don't know whether they're trying to shake off their Soft On Crime mantle or not!

I wonder what No Police Force Mergers! has to say about all this?

See also Police Reform - Police Mergers and Radical Law And Order Reform for more.

Also check the article titled Demise Of The British Bobby and Offical Home Office press release titled Home Secretary Delays Police Force Mergers.

Anti Terror News

This week there's been countless news stories in the run up to the 1st anniversary of the July 7th London bombings.

'We Must Defeat Ideas Of Extremists'
Al-Qaida Plan to Infiltrate MI5 Revealed
Judge 'Misunderstood Anti-Terror Legislation'
Police Anti-Terror Efforts At All-Time High
Reid Contests Control Orders Ruling
MPs Demand Anti-Terror Safeguards
Muslims 'Sidelined' In Anti-Terror Policy

However, the most dignified newspaper quote of the week was given by Zeeshan Hashmi, the brother of Lance Corporal Jabron Hashmi, the first British Muslim soldier killed whilst fighting the "war on terror" in Afghanistan.

"These Muslim brothers who are willing to carry out suicide bombings and sell drugs to fellow Muslims, they still think they have the ability to criticise people who want to do things differently," he said. "With the anniversary of the July 7 bombings approaching, it is important to try and break down the barriers in society. You can be proud to be Muslim and British - the two don't have to be separate."

To read the full article click Muslim Soldier's Family Condemn 'Terrorist' Claims

My thoughts go out to Lance Corporal Jabron Hashmi's family and friends.

Stop Ronaldo Winning! (Whining)

As much as it pains me, I have accepted that my dream of England lifting the World Cup in 2006 was just a dream...... It wasn't prophetic.

It was wrong of me to suggest that you may get good luck by rubbing my head.

I also agree that my insistence in wearing exactly the same clothes for each England match (in order to channel my luck so England could continue in their match winning ways) was completely silly, it caused unnecessary 'washing strain' on my long suffering wife's daily house hold chore routine.

I am receiving counselling and I feel that I'm ready to move on with my life - Until the next major sporting tournament obviously!

Now then, not that I’m vindictive you understand, but I’ve just been sent the below via email.

***********************************************************************************

There is a very real danger that Cristiano Ronaldo will be voted the fans' best young player at the World Cup despite his pouting, diving, and pretty boy antics designed mainly to get himself a lucrative transfer to Real Madrid, thus avoiding the good *!?!*!?!* he deserves from Wayne Rooney at Manchester United's training ground.

He is currently 1st in the FIFA voting table just ahead of Luis Valencia of Ecuador.

Please can everyone go to Stop Ronaldo Winning and do the decent thing by voting for Valencia. (When you get to the page Valencia is bottom left.)

It doesn't matter who you support, just stop Ronaldo by voting for Valencia.

It takes 30 seconds...

Pass the word on to your friends - You know it makes sense!

Police Blogger Affiliate Programs

Police Related Blogger or Webmaster Affiliate Programs

If you're able to use alternative registration details or comply with regulations regarding second incomes in some other way, then they're several police affiliate programs that are suitable for police webmasters or police bloggers.

Uniform Dating - Pays 50% on full member paying transactions. Look for the link bottom right named partnership if the above doesn't take you to the correct sign-up page. We've all seen Uniform Dating posters around, why not earn a little cash referring people to them directly!

Really Fab Jobs - Allows the creation of a 'white label' jobs site. You can create a site specific to the police, military, security etc industry. If you can do a little html, you can add google ads to the template and generate an additional income stream. This is also a really good way to create 'useful' topic specific content for your site - Do a post a week on current suitable job vacancies matching your site's target audience. You earn 50% on advertiser payments, so if you've got a busy site this can be fairly lucrative!

HowToBecome - Pays 50% on referred 'How To' guide purchases. You earn £4.50 every time you sell a guide such as How To Become A Police Officer. This is a brand new police webmaster affiliate program, launched by a company who've just won the HSBC Business Start-Up Awards.

Obviously there's Google Adsense and Amazon as well.

If you want free police content for your police related website then you can use the following police RSS feeds. You'll probably need a RSS news reader.

Police News : http://www.policeoracle.com/policeoraclenews.xml
Police Jobs : http://www.jobsoracle.com/jobsoracle-police.xml