A couple of weeks ago..

" Ah TDC TBL step in to my office”, remarked the DCI, (oh shit what now)
I thought as I cast my mind back on the last 72 hours (The time frame for how long something is important to the DCI for).

He then starts to make small talk, how I am, how is life, my workload and other non committal stuff, he is starting to make me edgy by this banter. I wait for the "just one more thing before you go ... " remark.

"Sign this would you please?" he toss's over across the desk a familiar looking orange docket that bears my name, it comes to a stop at my hand.

Glancing sideways I look for the hidden DPS spook, nope none in sight, a trickle of sweat drips down my back winding its way to my underwear, which I suspect is going to be full soon.

But no.. As I open the docket I see a magical phrase " Detective constable TBL ".

It’s done! I am signed off. I am now a proper 'techo.

Time to put the feet up, large it up, read the paper and shout at the lids!

(* Above remark is flippant)

oh and now I owe the DCI a very large and expensive drink at the next office "meeting".

Missing the point

Civilian staff can perform many duties better than police officers, a review by Sir Ronnie Flanagan claims.

What duties would these be Ronnie ?

Doing case papers? ... That get lost at court.
Administration ? ... Meaning we have to fill out a book to get a shirt or a pen.
Front desk? ... Giving wrong legal information to the pubic
Taking statements? … That don’t contain even the points to prove let alone make sense.

Or perhaps the eyes and ears as CSO's ...

Watching kids drown and locking them self’s in a room when a 13 year old shouts at them


No Ronnie, what’s needed is fair pay and free reign to get back to doing what we do best, catching criminals and putting them to court.

What’s failed is the court, putting the criminals away.

That’s what the public despair about.

Why is that ?

Oh right, lack of prison space, because officers are catching so many