Poll - Englands Best Riot Cops

[Dedworth]

I can fully understand that John, and I'm sure there is some logic in it. However, in the meantime, peoples homes and livelihoods are destroyed as the Police watch. Quite rightly, they are very upset about this, and don't necessarily agree with that justification.

Hundreds of millions of pounds worth of stock has been looted from shops, most of which will never be recovered. Although it will be covered by insurance, ultimately, we all end up paying for it through higher insurance premiums in the future.

There is also the question of loss of earnings/profits for the businesses and employees who's shops have been destroyed while the police let the looters help themselves.

There isn't an easy answer to this, if the Met had gone in heavy handed to begin with, would it have made the situation worse? Hopefully lessons have been learned and the public will support the Police if they are more robust in future. Whatever comments others make, I have always supported our Police and always will, the Bobby on the street has a thankless and often dangerous job. The majority of Police I have met, are very good people and deserve full support and co-operation from the public, and we have to accept that sometimes they get it wrong. None of us are perfect

As was said on Question Time last night by former senior officer B Paddick the Met is rudderless at the top at present and senior officers made the catastrophic error of treating the whole thing as a Public Order matter rather than hordes of rampaging criminals.

Since 1997 when Labour took office the Met's higher echelons have been riddled with politically correct, time serving apparatchiks who instead of maintaining law and order are solely concerned with statistics/targets, their image, human rights, health and safety along with where the next free lunch is coming from.

For the ordinary copper who wants to do his job, catch criminals and protect the public it must be a frustrating organisation to work for. I still think the job for life, early retirement and fat taxpayer funded pension aspects need reviewing

[johncar54]

As was said on Question Time last night by former senior officer B Paddick the Met is rudderless at the top at present and senior officers made the catastrophic error of treating the whole thing as a Public Order matter rather than hordes of rampaging criminals.

Since 1997 when Labour took office the Met's higher echelons have been riddled with politically correct, time serving apparatchiks who instead of maintaining law and order are solely concerned with statistics/targets, their image, human rights, health and safety along with where the next free lunch is coming from.

For the ordinary copper who wants to do his job, catch criminals and protect the public it must be a frustrating organisation to work for. I still think the job for life, early retirement and fat taxpayer funded pension aspects need reviewing

Brian Leonard Paddick (born 24 April 1958) is a British politician, and was the Liberal Democrat candidate for the London mayoral election, 2008, coming third behind Boris Johnson and Ken Livingstone. He was, until his retirement in May 2007, Deputy Assistant Commissioner in London's Metropolitan Police Service and the United Kingdom's most senior openly gay police office


I didn't know Paddick as a colleague but from listening to his views I really don't see him as a typical copper, even if may have been at some time in his service (and he did leave 'under a cloud' having said police should ignore people using canabis).

He is now a politician. (He came third behind Boris Johnson and Ken Livingstone, with 9.8% of first preference votes).

Forgive me for believing that what he says is more likely to be aimed at potential supporters than to be his true thoughts.

[Dedworth]

Brian Leonard Paddick (born 24 April 1958) is a British politician, and was the Liberal Democrat candidate for the London mayoral election, 2008, coming third behind Boris Johnson and Ken Livingstone. He was, until his retirement in May 2007, Deputy Assistant Commissioner in London's Metropolitan Police Service and the United Kingdom's most senior openly gay police office


I didn't know Paddick as a colleague but from listening to his views I really don't see him as a typical copper, even if may have been at some time in his service (and he did leave 'under a cloud' having said police should ignore people using canabis).

He is now a politician. (He came third behind Boris Johnson and Ken Livingstone, with 9.8% of first preference votes).

Forgive me for believing that what he says is more likely to be aimed at potential supporters than to be his true thoughts.

You could be right - I thought he came over with some valid points last night. But having only left a few years ago he's of a similar ilk to a fair few seniors still at the school - remember their former Head Boy "Sir" Ian Blair who's stock reply when his namesake Headmaster said "jump" was "how high"