Time to walk the thin blue line?

After the publication of Adam West’s article in The Sun, on Friday 14th April 2017, headlined ‘The Thin Brew Line’, I feel compelled to put fingers to keys. 

The article is the epitome of lazy journalism, criticising a group of police officers for having their tea break on Plymouth’s picturesque seafront. In the wake of the horrific Westminster attacks, West and The Sun have picked the wrong fight. Chastising these eight officers, the public backlash from the article has been phenomenal. Garnering hashtags like #copperscuppa and #brewsforblues, the internet has seen an outpouring of support for our police forces. It makes a refreshing change from the finger pointing and mundane criticism.

Deja Vu

Aside from the article itself, there are however a few things that bother me. In my short career, I’ve had a unique privilege of working within the NHS, charities and a police force, with front line and senior command officers, and medical professionals. 

One thing that has struck me more than anything else, is that across all these settings, from the depths of Devon to the smog and city lights of London, the issues faced by all our public services are the same. Not just similar, but identical. The only difference, as far as I can see, is the uniform and the sound of their sirens. We aren’t just talking about an NHS crisis, a social care meltdown or a police fiasco; we’re looking at a burnout of our public services. It seems to me, that despite these issues being so similar, high level discussions about the solutions to these problems are happening in isolation. 

There appears to be an acute failure to recognise that attempts to solve issues or make changes independently has a direct domino affect on other services; in short, it doesn’t solve the problem at all. The issues relating to mental health are reported on regularly; cuts to health and social services, inadequate care provision and hospital beds for mental health patients, particularly for young people.

As a result, it wasn’t so long ago we saw Devon and Cornwall Police’s Deputy Chief Constable Paul Netherton publicly voicing his despair at a young person experiencing mental health issues being looked after in a police cell, and subsequently transported out of the county in order to access a hospital bed. I spent time out on insight patrol with front line response police officers and saw first hand the sheer amount of time spent dealing with mental health related incidents - it was truly mind boggling.

Where does the buck stop????

Perspective

There is also something to be said for the leadership of these organisations. Frequently frontline staff within these hierarchical and often bureaucratic organisations perceive leadership to be removed from reality, in their ivory tower. My experience says otherwise. The ivory tower? The dingy second floor of one of the most unattractive blocks of concrete I’ve ever set eyes upon. 

I’ve had the luxury of seeing both sides, the senior decision makers doing their best to make the right decisions for frontline staff, whilst keeping communities safe. And the frontline officers who working tirelessly, with unquestioning care and compassion to serve us all and protect the vulnerable in our society. To senior managers, commanders, clinicians, those working on the frontline, in our communities, on our wards, on our streets and everywhere in between, I urge you, seek to understand your colleagues and your peers, understand the plethora of perspectives amongst you, and use them to strengthen your decisions and resolve.

Lazy journalism in HD

Andy West’s article comes in the same week that ITV aired their new fly on the wall police series Devon and Cornwall Cops. Like 24hrs in A&E and 24hrs in Police Custody, I’d hoped it might give an invaluable insight into life on the frontline and day to day carryon. I may be calling judgement too soon, but I was so disappointed to see it default to a stereotypical view of rural policing, complete with the Bodmin Beast, sheep attacks and a bumbling soundtrack for good measure. To my mind, this is yet another example of lazy journalism. 

Would it really make such terrible TV to showcase Devon and Cornwall Police as a serious police force dealing with real crime and working hard to keep their local communities safe? 

Stop caricaturing our public services for entertainment and adding fuel to a poisonous fire. It may seem harmless, but ultimately it is disingenuous and damaging.

Understanding the services that we default to in time of need is imperative. Its all too easy point the finger and criticise. So before any of us start making assumptions, is it time that we walked the thin blue (insert uniform colour here) line, in an effort to understand the reality of the pressures our services are really facing? 

So my challenges to us all are these:

• To government, policy makers and decision makers: stop looking at these issues and services in isolation. Acknowledge that our entire public service system is in crisis and look at the bigger picture.
• To the leaders of our public services, of officers, doctors, fire fighters, social workers: Be brave. Stop being scared of the media. Be honest and authentic, especially when it is hardest - those that you serve will thank you for it. 
• To the communications, media and PR teams within these services and organisations: encourage and support your leaders, give them the training and confidence to actively demonstrate honest, authentic and courageous leadership. I desperately implore you, stop feeding mindless, lazy journalism. Help build a culture of trust and tell the story of the tireless work that keeps our communities and those we love, safe and well. You are the guardians of the voice of our services. You have skills and the knowledge to make your messages loud and clear. Your leaders, and your organisations will thank you for it.
• To The Sun and Adam West, lazy journalist extraordinaire, two things: Go and spend a night shift with a police response or ambulance team or in your local A&E department. And finally, next time you or one of your loved ones receives care and support from one of those police officers or doctors, tell them they don’t deserve a tea break in the sunshine. I dare you.