The Police Mind

I have long given up trying to understand the police mind in Jersey. There was not long ago the case of the coach driver with a heart attack precipitated by police.

 

I still remember that having let cars park on yellow lines with impunity outside St Thomas on Sunday for years and years, the day they arrived in force to give everyone there tickets was the Sunday of remembrance just after Pope John II had died. Thus alienating most of the Island's Catholic community in one fell swoop.

 

I have twice been stopped for driving too slowly, evidently they thought I was drunk. The first time, many years ago, I had passed my test, so was driving very slowly and the policeman who got off his motorbike was clearly annoyed at not having a "catch" and told me not to drive so carefully in future! The second time, I had been out for a meal (no alchohol drunk!) and we were heading home with time to spare before the babysitter's time was up, so meanered around the Corbiere road when all of a sudden a police car drives up close behind, waits for a few minutes, then blares out all sirens full pelt. No doubt they felt giving me a shock was there idea of fun!

 

I think on the whole the police probably do a good job in keeping crime at bay, but they seem to have little or no skill at handling people, and I am not aware of any screening process or counselling to ensure that - while keeping within the bounds of legality - they do not behave in a manner likely to antagonise the general public, in other words, that those individuals who enjoy the exercise of power learn the psychological dangers that may be inherent in such a desire.

 

As an amusing aside, in an effort to make themselves appear more "user friendly", they were going to rebrand themselves the "police service" rather than "police force", but then ended up with Graham Power as chief, a surname which lends itself to the word "force" like no other!