Monday 23 February 2009

When Is A Policeman Not A Policeman?















Image credits Fife Police and ifls



Answer. When he's a P.R. man!


There is a fine line between imagining 'scenarios' and talking 'as if' they were true. It is the Police's job to think through possibilities and prepare for them it is not their job to speak publicly about things that haven't happened.

This is the way of the 'altercaster' The way of speaking about people 'as if they' behave in a particular way. This is careless because when people are 'cast' in a role they tend to behave in that role.

Inadvertently the public relations message of Summer of Rage is commanding an unwanted behaviour. The Police (even if they are preparing for the 'summer of rage' scenario might do better in public by talking about 'expecting well ordered protests' or 'good natured demonstrations'. Stick to Policing not P.R. or assume your part in the problem.


This is gullibility.

Read more:
The Guardian
The Telegraph
NCLG blog
Old Holborn

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