Awards devalue real heroes
Following the much publicised bravery awards ceremony organised by Chase Division Chief Superintendent Nick Howe, where certificates were handed to police officers for "good attendance" and to a chief inspector for "overall performance" (I didn't see him on Come Dancing), I hear that police authority chairman Mike Poulter is in the final stages of selecting recipients for the following awards
:Police dog award for barking very loudly.
Pc Tallbody for being able to tie his own shoe laces.
Pc Smith for regularly coming to work with very neat and tidy hair.
Sponsorship is being sought for the funny walk category.
Before Nick Howe and other senior officers put pen to paper (he has in the past said my figures for the number of specials was wrong), replies only from those who have arrested, red handed, more bad guys, been to court to give evidence more times, or have taken part in more high-speed chases or taken firearms from dangerous criminals than we did in the 1970s and '80s.
That only leaves the few at the sharp end. Awards for entering blazing buildings or arresting criminals should be given, but this kind of action devalues the real heroes.
In much the same way as the police vanished from our streets, the fire service is receiving the same treatment from its senior officers. In recent years Stafford has grown in size on a massive scale. More houses and more factory units, all paying extra tax and needing fire cover. More cars mean more accidents and more trapped people to free.
Even if they left the number of fire appliances at the same level, any increase in cost should be met by the "extra" households paying into the coffers.
Thank goodness the reaction of real firefighters is to tell us the truth.
If they do have to resort to strike action to keep the full time fire engines at the current level, I will be the first to give them a donation.
Trevor Houlton, Anson Drive, Walton on the Hill, Stafford.
