Re: Police Perspective - from the real world!
Regarding the anecdotes of criminals targetting police and their families, I'd like to know what the actual statistics are, and how they compare with the rest of the population. I want cold, hard facts, rather than emotive stories. I want real, credible evidence.
But talking of stories, I could tell a story of my own. An account of how, while merely observing a public demonstration, I ended up being violently assaulted by a police officer.
I was just there to observe, a neutral observer, to see the truth for myself. Were the police the brutal thugs they were made out to be? Were the protesters a threat to public order? Where did the truth really lie? And so, there I was, with camera (before digital photography was common), to observe, witness and record what I saw.
Things got heated. Scuffles broke out. The police started charging some of the protesters, and I continued to watch and observe. Taking a photo of a protester running away from a police officer in riot gear, I suddenly found myself sent flying. What I hadn't realised was that the police, while my back was almost turned to them, were also charging me. My camera was smashed on the road, evidence of violent crimes (mostly, but not exclusively, perpetrated by police) lost as the film was exposed. And I was left with severe pain in my neck and elsewhere.
I could go into lots of detail, tell you all sorts of things about what happened on that occasion. I could tell you about how my complaints were dealt with. I could tell you what I witnessed happening to others there, how the police really behaved, and how I was treated as if I was a violent criminal, when I was only there to observe.
I could tell you about other occasions, other demonstrations I've observed and occasionally participated in. And some of you would be left furious with the police, taking it all as further evidence of how out of control our police have become.
And, of course, we can always mention Ian Tomlinson.
But I'd be making it all up. It would just be a massive bunch of lies. Just pure propaganda to turn people against the police.
The point? The point is this: when we hear stories from those claiming to be police or family members, how do we know what's true and what's made up? Who is Reid Malenfant, and what is the truth behind his story? I'm not saying he's lying, but we all know there are some people in this world who would make such stuff up, despicable though that is. Are we to accept everything we read at face value, and let ourselves be manipulated by propagandists? Or should we demand credible evidence in support of the claims made?
I'd like to know what the actual statistics are, and how they compare with the rest of the population. I want cold, hard facts, rather than emotive stories. I want real, credible evidence.
Interesting that the police and their families seem to so often want to tell their emotive stories instead, though.