“reFramed” is a feature showcasing fine art photography and vision-forward photojournalism. It is curated by Los Angeles Times staff photographer Barbara Davidson. twitter@photospice
Rita Leistner is a politically and socially engaged lens-based artist whose concerned photography uses conceptual approaches to create photographs with a special relationship to current events and the human condition. Her work has been exhibited widely and published in many magazines.
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Ha Ha Ha hah!!!!!!
I just find the securing the 2012 Olympics motto at the bottom of then screen so ironic.
And who put the video together, I thought they were a multi billion pound corporation the image quality is terrible… in more ways than one. I know http://www.handycamguys.com could do better than that!
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Posted in Police, safety | Tags: 10th May 2012, 2012 Summer Olympics, g4S, Government, olympics, Police, public sector cuts
What the heck is this? I’ve been trying and failing to stop the government from privatising the National Health Service for years, and now a private healthcare company has contacted me about a job!
The email from Care UK says they are “seeking a Media Relations Executive for our Head Office based in Colchester and your skills and experience appear to be a good match.” Huh?
As Flooding hits many parts of the UK.
The Fire and Rescue Service in Devon and Cornwall issue this useful advice.
Time For a change in Police Training and Equipment – Flood and Water Rescue concerns
Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service Water Safety Advice – also deals with floods and safe rescue advice
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In this blog, I have tried to remain balanced, the issue of stealth privatisation of the Police is not about individuals it is about the Safety of the public, not sections of the public , but everyone.
I am retired, pay and conditions of serving officers make no difference to me, I continue to inform the public and politicians of my views as a Private citizen because I fear for the safety of this country.
I urge you to listen to the full report embedded on this page. I despaired listening to it.
How can a private company g4S quote £86 million pounds to ‘police’ the Olympics, now raised to £286 million and not train their security officers in basic health and safety, first aid or evacuation proceedures.
In my opinion : This is a disaster waiting to happen. I am glad that I have not got tickets for the Olympics because I would be concerned for my own safety, and I am trained and aware of security risks.
According to a reporter who has infiltrated the training of security workers. The staff do not even have basic life support training, and couldn’t even deal with a heart attack until emergency services arrived. More time is being spent on training security officers to refuse entry to people wearing non sponsor logo clothing than on ensuring public safety.
Why are they not trained in procedures that I would expect to be necessary?
It appears simply that the most crucial elements of training has not been ‘costed’ into the package.
This is an alien concept to me having served 30 years in a public emergency service. If you are being asked to take on a specific role, you are trained for that role or you find an officer that is. If you go to a night club the door stewards will have better training and qualifications than security guards carrying out an anti-terrorist role at the Olympics.
Is cheaper better? I don’t think so. A crown appointed constable is trained and equipped to deal with a variety of situations, with specialist support available for complicated incidents each officer acting with independence and responsible for their own actions, on behalf of the public with the support of the public, with simple aims currently being eroded by politicians.
Put basically
A constable’s role is: To protect life and property, to prevent and detect crime and to keep the Queens peace.
The role of a private security officer is to do what they are briefed to do, which in the instance of the Olympics appears to be more about protecting corporate advertising needs than protecting the public
Posted in Police | Tags: 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Olympic, Olympic Games, Police, Security guard, Training
BREAKING: A major programme of works is being commissioned to widen all the corridors inside the Palace of Westminster.
A source revealed that the move comes after Ministers in the present Government complained they couldn't execute U-turns fast enough in the confined spaces after announcing policies they hadn't thought through.
Three point turns
Since forming a coalition government with Liberal Democrats in May 2010, Conservatives are believed to have executed over 30 separate U-turns in the dark panelled corridors that make up the Houses of Parliament.
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Earlier this week as part of Water Safety Awareness Week I wrote an article giving details of a number of Police water rescues this year where officers have risked their lives saving others.
At least 2 out of 6 Police Rescues were in areas where no water safety training is given to officers and no rescue equipment available in vehicles.
However in Strathclyde where 2 police officers entered Loch Lomond to rescue a drowning man, officers receive yearly refresher training and all Police vehicles carry bouyancy aids and a throw line.
I have researched the Police Memorial site and discovered eleven officers have given their lives entering water to attempt rescues whilst on duty. Many more have died off duty.
Many times this year officers have entered water to rescue people at risk of drowning, but it is a postcode lottery whether the officer attending has received any water safety training let alone water rescue training and may or may not be supplied with any form of rescue equipment.
With flooding and flood warnings in place throughout the country many officers face the possibility of being involved imminently in a rescue situation,
I have served attachment with a marine unit and received a days sea survival training, but from the ‘frontline’ perspective I was trained to retrieve a brick and tow a compliant drowning person to shore in 1982. I served for 30 years and never received follow up training, yet have had to sit through the most boring and often irrelevant e-learning on other less important subjects.
What are ACPO doing about this issue. Well on 17th of June I provided my research and concerns,in an email entitled
Warning about a preventable risk likely to cause the death of a Police Officer if not addressed.
requesting to be told who would take this forward so that I could follow the response.
The response: We acknowledge receipt of your e-mail and will take the Rescue article into consideration and forward for the attention of the ACPO lead for Search & Rescue based in North Wales Police force and the Safer & Healthier Policing Portfolio based in Northern Ireland.
A reply asking for the contact details stated
Unfortunately we are not able to give this information to you but your details have been forwarded to them and they will contact you if they wish to discuss this further with you.
Both signed by a person who appears to be called ‘Kind Regards’ !
I understand from a source at the Police Federation that this subject has been raised with ACPO, and that a very large document has been written on the subject by the ACPO lead but this document was too large to be of practical use as an advice document for those that need it.
My personal view is that every officer could be issued tomorrow with a pocket book insert giving the general advice contained in the rescue section of this Water safety leaflet issued to the public by Hampshire Fire and Rescue service.
In essence this document recommends: Think, Get Help, Throw, Reach, Wade or Row.
I am also aware this year that an officer in Wales did in fact save a person from drowning in a harbour by rowing to the rescue.
An argument I have heard this week is if Police vehicles carried throw lines training would have to be given or officers wouldn’t hold onto the end of the rope. Personally if I was drowning I’d take that risk and would rather a police vehicle carried a throw line than not. If training is needed, well e-learning or a video should suffice. In fact my wife teaches better water safety to six year olds than the Police teach to emergency responders
Posted in Harm reduction, Health, safety
I look forward with little hope to the Police and Crime Commissioners elections.
Posted in Police | Tags: Commissioner, crime, Police
Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: Hampshire Constabulary, Police, Police officer, Portsmouth, Southsea
Probably the best explanation I have seen on line….although the possibility of increasing political control still concerns me greatly
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