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A Senior Moment: These crime commissioners – will they be an expensive waste of time?
I hope the polls to elect Police and Crime Commissioners will reflect a true picture of how the nation views these new appointments.
Regrettably I fear not. Apathy invariably rules ok and I doubt the majority of hard pressed punters – immersed in self preservation, have fully grasped the what why and wherefore of the whole thing.
Being a good little citizen – well rather a large one actually, I dutifully trundled along to cast my vote but to be truthful remain somewhat ambivalent about it all. When the idea was first mooted I was extremely doubtful as to its value.
Having always held our police force in high regard (creep, creep) I saw little value in tinkering with it on that tried and tested premise ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.’ But there are rotten apples in any organisation, nothing is perfect and there is always room for improvement. So eventually I came to the conclusion that independent oversight would be a good thing.
And therein lays the rub – to misquote Willy. “To be or not to be?” Will these new appointments provide independent unbiased leadership, or will they simply create another layer of political bureaucracy? Will they prove be an expensive, disruptive waste of time, resources and money, or create better, more efficient and effective policing? That is the question. I do hope so. Time alone will tell.
And while I am in Shakespearian mode, there’s a glut of outrageous slings and arrows being cast about these days. My normally nimble fingers are barely able to keep up.
For a leading ITV presenter to thrust a list of alleged child abusers at the Prime Minister demanding a response in front of millions of viewers, is nothing short of scandalous. Bottoms should be smacked. (Oops!) Heads should roll.
And the same applies to the other lot with their ‘Newsnight’ fiascos reaching epic proportions.
I have said many times – and will continue to do so until I run out of pixels, newscasters should be reporting the news, not trying to make it. But that is exactly what is happening more and more with aggressive questioning and a determination to get only the answers they want.
Those responsible for fixing this whole media mess must put and end to this self-serving headlong rush for headlines.
At this rate it won’t be long before the weather forecasters are having a go!
And as for a certain self appointed and opinionated political inquisitor thirsting for new blood after his success as a hacker attack dog, hurling accusations in every direction, as long as it’s to the right of centre, he should be ashamed for using the protection of parliamentary privilege to engage in mud-slinging attacks on the back of other people’s suffering. It takes cheap political point scoring to a whole new level.
I trust his own background is squeaky clean.
I’ll bet there’s a small army of tabloid journalists out there beavering away frantically with their shovels and spades!
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Weather for Stamford
Thursday 23 May 2013
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 4 C to 10 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 5 C to 10 C
Wind Speed: 28 mph
Wind direction: North
