Police set to join London protest
HUNDREDS of Devon and Cornwall Police officers are expected to march through the streets of London as part of a national protest against the Government's "unprecedented attack on policing".
The Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, is also to ballot its members on whether or not they should have full industrial rights, including the right to strike. The action follows the publication of the most radical review of police pay and conditions for a generation which was labelled as an "attack on the very bedrock of the office of constable".
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Sergeant Nigel Rabbitts, chairman of the federation in Devon and Cornwall, said: "People have sat down and done the maths and realised how the reforms are going to affect them and they are up in arms about it. We are going on the offensive with the ballot, the march and advertising and I think over the summer there will be a variety of different things."
Tom Winsor, who led the 18-month review, made more than 100 recommendations in a report which stretched to more than 1,000 pages. He proposed an end of the "job for life" with the ban on chief constables making officers redundant being lifted in the face of budget cuts. Fitness, qualifications, skills and experience on the front line should all be recognised in future, with exceptional business leaders and members of the military given the chance to fast-track their way into senior roles, the report said.
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Sgt Rabbitts said that could amount to a pay cut of around £6,000 for some officers, on top the current pay freeze and an increase in pension contributions. Anger over possible losses in pay, he said, had been compounded by the cuts in officer numbers being made by Devon and Cornwall Police to meet budget cuts of almost £50 million by 2015. The force is losing 700 officers from a previous strength of 3,500 and forcing them to retire after 30 years service. Many have seen their jobs change, or been moved to other stations, as the force moved to its new "Blueprint" model to help the force cope with the cuts.
"If we took the vote now I think there would be an overwhelming result in favour of having the right to strike," Sgt Rabbitts said. "Whether we would ever get that is a different matter. People are feeling vulnerable, whether it is on the frontline because there are less of them around, or because they have got less money in their pocket. They feel they are under attack from the political masters."
In January 2008, more than 20,000 police officers marched to Westminster, via the Home Office, following the refusal of the then-Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, corr to honour an arbitration ruling on backdating a pay increase.
Comments
by CornishPirate
Friday, April 13 2012, 4:18PM
“@NitroTab - Your post re; agent provocatuers.... Well done and well said. XD
There is evidence of these agents turning up at planning meetings for peaceful protests usually trying to incite violence and anarchy. When condemned for suggesting violent protest or questioned about where they're from or how they heard about the protest they've always mysteriously disappeared shortly afterwards...! There are even videos of these agents dressed as protestors being allowed to pass through the barriers of stormtroopers and riot sheilds - proving that they're working with the police to some sort of extent!
Agent Provocatuers and False Flag attacks are well documented historical facts, and if people choose to ignore facts like this then as you say they are "helping to usher in a totalitarian, fascist police state".”
by terryhalls
Wednesday, April 11 2012, 8:21PM
“i,d call this quote an accusation.......
No terry, the peaceful protesters didn't do those things you mentioned, the police did.
your words relating to my post Re What happened here in our own fair city.... obviously i must be a liar as well as a copper !!!!
Feel free to report me again for telling the truth.....evening all !!!!”
by NitroTab
Wednesday, April 11 2012, 8:21PM
“Actually terry forget my last comment, I'm not doing this with you. If you want to be one of these "stick your head in the sand" kind of guys and deny that the police/government would ever do anything to harm us then be my guest.
We'll just have to agree to disagree okay.”
by NitroTab
Wednesday, April 11 2012, 8:16PM
“No you didn't swear but you did use a derogatory word. Calling someone a "TOOL" is hardly constructive now is it. I don't think my post was childish or lies. The police do use those tactics that I described below or are you trying to deny that police provocateuring happens? Are you a copper by any chance? Just curious.”
by MickBarb
Wednesday, April 11 2012, 8:03PM
“CrazyP quote- ""Mick ive already mentioned 2 examples of peaceful protests the police tried to crack down on/stop completly so that goes against your lil idea there doesnt it?"-unquote
Kettling, or the "containing" of mobs, is a good idea because it stops them running wild through the streets on looting/rampaging sprees.
The kettling tactic is still under review but I doubt any police officer in charge would issue a "contain" order unless a few loudmouths in the crowd were beginning to stir things up.
The message to protesters therefore seems clear- "if just one of you starts shouting, we'll kettle you all!"”
by terryhalls
Wednesday, April 11 2012, 7:57PM
“no , and i don't think i swore......you made accusations, which were unfounded and basically lies...and i made a childish remark in reply to your childish post !!!!because everytime i saw pics connected with them , it was the usual suspects, unless of course they were all policemen !!!! funny because i thought they were a plumber, a lawyer and layabout wasn't it ?
anyway i digress, my original comment was with respect to the double standards from a certain person/persons who defend the right to protest until they don't like the ones protesting !!!!”
by NitroTab
Wednesday, April 11 2012, 7:35PM
“Thing is terry I didn't call you anything. I didn't swear or use derogatory words towards you. You choose to do that and it was uncalled for. Just because you might disagree with someone doesn't mean you need to use ad hominem attacks, name calling or immature behaviour.”
by terryhalls
Wednesday, April 11 2012, 6:56PM
“my post gets removed for saying "tool" and yet some one can call others what they like.....oh hum .....guess we can see which side the censors are on !!!!”
by crazypenguin
Wednesday, April 11 2012, 6:22PM
“Mick ive already mentioned 2 examples of peaceful protests the police tried to crack down on/stop completly so that goes against your lil idea there doesnt it? if the police did only crack down on troublemakers I would have no issue but theyve gone way past that! How do you explain for example the kettling of the save the nhs demo the other week? kettling which almost set off a riot due to riot police doing there stormtrooper routine to try and force people to run against the crowd. Then theres the rounding up of republicans before the royal wedding whos only action was to be on the way to a lawful alternative republican street party(one which had even been sanctioned by the council concerened) those poor people were rounded up under the terroism act of all things if that isnt abuse of power what would you call it?
Fact is riot police tend to stir trouble rather then prevent it if people think you are trying to take away there civil rights there naturally going to respond aggressivly thats what the police just dont get. They are all working men and women why are they on the side of the state? theyre cutting off there noses to spite there faces and never will that be made more clear to them when THEY themselves protest and then expect the publics support.”
by breezerrosie
Wednesday, April 11 2012, 6:18PM
“Trouble being that they 'crack' any heads guilty or not.”