North Wales To Recruit Polish Policja

According to reports, North Wales Police are considering recruiting Polish-speaking officers because of high levels of immigration in the area.

Deputy chief constable Clive Wolfendale said the force was looking at a number of measures to improve service.

The Daily Express has dismissed the idea as being 'ridiculous'.

David Davies, MP for Monmouth, said: “If you go to live in another country I do not think it is too unreasonable to expect them to learn that country’s language. My wife is from Eastern Europe and I have made the effort to learn Hungarian because I do not expect them to translate everything into English just for me. Having Polish-speaking officers in North Wales does seems a bit ridiculous.”

I've been sitting here smiling thinking about Polish police officers dealing with a section of the UK's population that has the highest percentage of Welsh language speakers per head of population. If you've ever been to North Wales as an 'English only' speaker, you'd find that there's a real barrier present already...

Under Home Office rules, any Pole or fellow EU migrant can legitimately apply to join police ranks from the first day they arrive in England or Wales.

Here's a few handy phrases that locals and current officers may wish to commit to memory in-order to show a 'big North Wales welcome' to their new Polish police colleagues. (I did look for a Polish-Welsh online translation service - unfortunately there doesn't appear to be one!)

Feel free to make your own up at English - Polish Translation.

'ello, 'ello, 'ello, what's going on here then?

Dobry dzień, dobry dzień, dobry dzień, jaki kontynuujący tutaj potem?

Right, chummy, that's you bang to rights and no mistake! You're arrested my son.

Prawo, przyjaciel, który jest wy trzaskacie do praw i żadnego błędu! Wy będziecie zaaresztowaliście mojego syna.

You do not have to say anything. But it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence.

Wy robi nie musi mówić coś. Ale to może szkodzić waszej obronie jeżeli wy nie wymieniacie kiedy zadawał pytanie coś który wy poźniej polegają na w sądzie. Coś wy robi mówią może być dawany w świadectwie.

Who do you think you are then, Nigel Mansell?

Kto robi wy obmyślacie was jesteście potem, Nigel Mansell?

Do you take warrant card?

Robi wy bierzecie kartę gwarancji?

I'm the station cat.

Jestem kotką stacji.

Stick the blues and twos on, we've got a shout.

Wbijają blues i dwa na, otrzymaliśmy krzyk.

The wheel's come off and it's all gone pear shaped.

Koło od i to jest cały nieobecny nieparzysty ukształtował.

I'd like to make a complaint.

JA lubił podawać skargę.

Area searched no trace.

Przestrzeń szukała żadnego tropu.

Get in the van, ooops mind your head!

Wchodzą środek lokomocji, ooops pamiętają wasz głowa!

Actually no, I did know my father!

Faktycznie żaden, JA zrobił poznają mojego ojca!

I think you'll find that this isn't against your human rights.

Obmyślam was będziecie znajdować co ten jest nie w stosunku do waszych praw człowieka.

Have you ever taken a breath test before?

Ma wy kiedyś wzięliście oddychanie próbują przed?

Welsh language information
English - Polish Translation
North Wales To Recruit Polish Police

Give DC Stephen Oake A Posthumous George Cross

The Posthumous George Cross for DC Stephen Oake debate continues...

Many thanks to You're nicked! for pointing the below out on his post Sign The Pledge.

Give D.C Stephen Oake A Posthumous George Cross is a petition on the government's own site, currently signed by over 1600 people. The deadline for signing this petition is 15 February 2007.

The petition has been lodged by Dave Brettell. He explains the reasons as to why he has created the petition :

The recent decision by the George Cross Committee not to award a posthumous George Cross to D.C Stephen Oake has outraged many in UK society. Many press commentaries have included the views of members of the general public who are disgusted at this outrageous decision. Indeed, many current and former members of the police service are considering returning their own medals in protest at the decision. This decision has come at a time when the UK is facing a challenge unseen since the Second World War. It is also a time when more and more elements of the criminal fraternity are prepared to arm themselves, and we are seeing greater numbers of police officers being injured or killed as a consequence of this. We petition the Prime Minister to intervene in this case and reverse this decision. This award will honour this brave and dedicated officer’s memory. It will show his family that the ultimate sacrifice he made has not been forgotten by his colleagues and those he was sworn to protect. It may also go some way towards improving the morale of a traditionally un-armed service that continues to serve the public with skill, dedication and determination in such trying times.

If you sign the pledge, you'll get an auto-generated email sent to the email address you've registered with on signing. In-order for your signature to count you need to click the link in the auto email. Please ensure you look out for the auto email, it may get filtered off to a junk folder or something similar...

There's also a specific warning to people who use hotmail email accounts, it would appear that hotmail doesn't recieve the authorisation email, so it would seem best to use an alternative if possible.

Please, please, please ensure you click the authorisation code or your vote won't count.

Whether the government will actually act on this Posthumous George Cross For DC Stephen Oake request is a matter of opinion, but at least we'll all have tried our best to get our voices heard.

If you want to forward the link to as many people as possible the direct URL for the petition is :
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/DC-Stephen-Oake/

Still No Gong For DC Oake
DC Stephen Oake

Prison Compensation Culture

Who'd be a criminal in the UK?

Once again the UK's criminal justice system is the laughing stock of the entire world.

First we had the announcement of the criminal compensation plan - a plan by the soft on crime, tough on the fighters of crime party to reward foreign criminals who'd entered the UK illegally, and been unfortunate enough to get themselves nicked whilst victimising the beleaguered UK populace.

Now we've had the announcement that nearly 200 poor dear criminals who've had to give up drugs whilst in prison, are to receive £750,000 in compensation for being forced to go through 'cold turkey'. The prisoners had argued that the short, sharp detoxification treatment in prison was a breach of their human rights. I'm sure their crime victims are pleased about the compensation awarded to these scum bags by our judiciary.

Legal sources said all but two of the 197 claimants are believed to have agreed to the settlement for the 'pain and suffering' they were subjected to while serving their prison sentences without the aid of drug-withdrawal medication. The cases alleged the 'cold turkey' withdrawal treatment they were forced to undergo amounted to assault!

One wonders what kind of financial settlement the 'cold turkey two' are holding out for..? Perhaps the other 195 poor dears will be kicking themselves in a few months time... If only they'd had the willpower to hold out from visiting the nearest crack house with their windfall, they'd probably find that the government would have substantially increased their compensation!

Join me in calling for Justice For The 'Cold Turkey' Two!

Only recently the government has trumpeted the fact that street drug prices are on the increase due to police targeting of drug suppliers / dealers. Perhaps someone in government is working in cahoots with the dealers - flood the market with compensation rich druggies at a time when illegal drugs prices are at a record high price, share the profits... No it would never happen, it's about as likely as being awarded a gong for donating money to the labour party.

Still No Gong For DC Oake
Bribery, The Government And Police Officers
Justice For The 'Cold Turkey' Two

Please Wear A Poppy

Please Wear A Poppy
Don Crawford

“Please wear a poppy,” the lady said
And held one forth, but I shook my head.
Then I stopped and watched as she offered them there,
And her face was old and lined with care;
But beneath the scars the years had made
There remained a smile that refused to fade.

A boy came whistling down the street,
Bouncing along on care-free feet.
His smile was full of joy and fun,
“Lady,” said he, “may I have one?”
When she’s pinned in on he turned to say,
“Why do we wear a poppy today?”

The lady smiled in her wistful way
And answered, “This is Remembrance Day,
And the poppy there is the symbol for
The gallant men who died in war.
And because they did, you and I are free -
That’s why we wear a poppy, you see.

“I had a boy about your size,
With golden hair and big blue eyes.
He loved to play and jump and shout,
Free as a bird he would race about.
As the years went by he learned and grew
and became a man - as you will, too.

“He was fine and strong, with a boyish smile,
But he’d seemed with us such a little while
When war broke out and he went away.
I still remember his face that day
When he smiled at me and said, Goodbye,
I’ll be back soon, Mom, so please don’t cry.

“But the war went on and he had to stay,
And all I could do was wait and pray.
His letters told of the awful fight,
(I can see it still in my dreams at night),
With the tanks and guns and cruel barbed wire,
And the mines and bullets, the bombs and fire.

“Till at last, at last, the war was won-
And that’s why we wear a poppy son.”
The small boy turned as if to go,
Then said, “Thanks, lady, I’m glad to know.
That sure did sound like an awful fight,
But your son - did he come back all right?”

A tear rolled down each faded check;
She shook her head, but didn’t speak.
I slunk away in a sort of shame,
And if you were me you’d have done the same;
For our thanks, in giving, if oft delayed,
Thought our freedom was bought - and thousands paid!

And so when we see a poppy worn,
Let us reflect on the burden borne,
By those who gave their very all
When asked to answer their country’s call
That we at home in peace might live.
Then wear a poppy! Remember - and give!

Click Poppy Appeal for further on this.

Last year I posted the poem For The Fallen.
The Poppy Appeal

Police Pay Crisis End In Sight

The police pay fiasco could be coming to an end, as the Independent Police Arbitration Tribunal has come back with a decision supporting the staff side's claim.

Just received the below press release from the police federation:

Police associations join forces to welcome pay crisis arbitration decision

Welcoming the decision of the independent Police Arbitration Tribunal and speaking for all the police officer staff associations of the UK, Jan Berry, chairman of the Staff Side of the Police Negotiating Board (PNB), says:

“This decision is welcomed by 170,000 police officers throughout the United Kingdom who should have received an increase from 1st September but have been waiting for their pay arrangement to be honoured.

“It is disappointing that this had to go to arbitration but the arbiters’ independent decision reaffirms what we have been saying all along – that the Official Side of the PNB acted unfairly and unjustly by reneging on their commitment to honour our current pay arrangement until it has been renegotiated.”

The independent decision of the Police Arbitration Tribunal is binding on both the Official Side and Staff Side of the Police Negotiation Board, and is now passed to the Home Secretary, John Reid, for ratification.

Calling upon the Home Secretary, Mrs Berry says:

“You know the strength of feeling amongst police officers across the UK, who have felt cheated, angry and undervalued throughout this dispute. The independent arbitration tribunal has now delivered its decision and found in our favour. The matter now rests with you Mr Reid. Only you can put this right. Show your support for the police service; honour our pay agreement and pay the 3 per cent now.”

Police Federation's Fair Pay For Police Poster
3%? We'll Be Lucky.....

The Poppy Appeal

This year the Royal British Legion have launched a new way of giving to the Poppy Appeal.

By texting the word POPPY to 85099, you can download one of three Poppy images to your mobile phone in return for a donation of £1.50. Each download (two of which are animated) feature the Poppy icon with the words 'Remember' and the time and date of the Two Minute Silence on 11th November: 11.11.11.

By downloading the Poppy you will also receive a text reminder on the day before 11th November to remind you to pause for the Two Minute Silence.

Click Poppy Appeal for further on this.

Whilst on the poppy appeal subject, I'd like to award 'Scum Bag' of the week to whoever was responsible for the robbery on the 74 year old veteran and theft of his Poppy Appeal collecting tin in Pitsea, Essex.

Veterans are again in the news this week, with the reported National Lottery climbdown due to public pressure highlighting their refusal to part fund a national memorial to the 16,000 soldiers, sailors and aircrew who have died in uniform since the Second World War.

According to sources, this money had initially been allocated to guinea pig farmers in Chile, after they complained that their Peruvian peers had been shown favouritism with an earlier lottery donation... This still doesn't account for the £2billion in funds awaiting distribution to other crackpot tree-hugging worthy causes.

Last but not least, thank goodness there wasn't a health and safety executive present on the Normandy coast during the D-Day landings. All this fuss about big strapping lads climbing a ladder is beyond me.

Wear a poppy with pride.

Still No Gong For DC Oake

Dorset Police Federation Chairman Clive Chamberlain, has sent back his Long Service and Golden Jubilee medals to Tony Blair in disgust.

Writing for the Police Federation magazine Police, Mr Chamberlain said: "The failure of this government to truly recognise Stephen's bravery is an insult to both him, his family, friends and colleagues and will be an irremovable stain on the Prime Ministership of Tony Blair. It demonstrates a complete lack of understanding for what he gave and I believe those responsible for the decision should be named.

"This is a gross injustice and it is clear that there is no willingness to reconsider. I know that I will no longer feel proud or comfortable wearing my Long Service or Jubilee Medals and so have decided to send them to the Prime Minister as a mark of my disgust."

Back in February 2006 I wrote on this subject and quoted DC Stephen Oake's father, who at the time was being asked by the press to comment on DC Oake not being posthumously awarded a George Cross for bravery in tackling an al-Qaeda suspect.

His father Robin said: "He would not have wanted any recognition, he was doing it for his colleagues." He added: "Certainly his bravery needed some recognition and he got that of course at the Old Bailey trial. At the end of the day, as a Christian man, Steve's reward is in heaven."

At the time this case was even more controversial as the whole government 'cash for honours' scandal was just coming to light, with any 'joe' with enough money to donate to the labour party seemingly being awarded knighthoods and the like.

The problem being now is that if DC Stephen Oake is posthumously awarded the George Cross by the government, this will just be seen as bowing to police pressure.

Perhaps if DC Oake had been 'good enough' to have donated money to the labour party, prior to being killed in the line of duty whilst arresting an al-Qaeda suspect, this matter would have been looked at in an entirely different light? Instead he was 'just' a copper, doing his duty protecting the public and his colleagues from the illegal acts of terrorism in our great nation.

The George Cross, (which may be awarded posthumously) is granted in recognition of "acts of the greatest heroism or of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme danger."

Shame on you Tony Blair.

More police may hand back medals
Soft On Crime, Tough On The Fighters Of Crime

Police Federation's Fair Pay For Police Poster

Just seen the Police Federation's Fair Pay For Policing Poster.

They've also published the parliamentary briefing document on the police pay crisis on their site. This is a nice flashy pdf handed out to MPs, asking them to show support to police officers by signing an 'early day motion'. To download a copy of this document click Fair Pay For Policing.

Pictures of Fair Pay Poster around London.

Not sure what an 'early day motion' is - sounds a bit of a strange request to me, hopefully it's in no way connected to 'early turn' bottom, as I imagine the take up of signing one of those would be pretty poor!

Police Pay Crisis End In Sight
3%? We'll Be Lucky.....
Police Pay Negotiations
Pay row 'could disrupt policing'
Police 'Work To Rule' Threat
Operation Safeguard Update
Police Pay Dispute Press Release
Police Pay - MP Gives Support
Police Pay Dispute
Public Sector Pay
Police Wages
Crime Does Pay
Police Officers Can't Afford Mortgages
Honesty And Integrity
Met Inspector Has His Say