I always like to pass on inspiring stuff, it being hard to find amongst the upper echelons of the police service - and this one came from Inspector Gadget.
I found it sort of heartwarming yet at the same time a little tragic. Why? Because in the first decade of my police service, the majority of the very senior officers were gutsy when the time came. I can recall many times on demonstrations and other large, spontaneous public disorder events, where I've stood shoulder to shoulder with my Div Commander or Chief Superintendent, swapping blows with the other violent mob. (We used to win by demonstrating that our lawful violence was best avoided).
It was unusual to find those who weren't prepared to lead from the front and, as a result, most of the lily livered were well known for it. How the tables have turned that we have to herald this sort of leadership as the rare exception when once it was taken for granted.
Can we have a spine replacement unit at Bramshill now?
3 comments:
I mostly agree Hog - though I had one divisional commander who fitted the new mold to a 'T'. Our nick had a Civil Defence cellar in which stocks of baked beans and powdered egg were kept. I found him in there during a siege by our black community (1976), trying to locate some missing tins! He wasn't for coming out. Sick leave followed and his replacement was first to respond to my assistance call as some scum bailed out from a stolen cay one tea-time. They promoted the other clown to ACC while he was sick. Perhaps he found the lost beans|?
Blue is spot on. I'd love access to promotion portfolios and being able to check the allegedly 'real' experience detailed in same. I suspect most of it amounts to claims of bomb-squad experience when one was the Jeep driver.
I can't defend the academics Hog - other than to say some of us do write on the last place to learn leadership being business schools or leadership programmes. Accenture and the like peddle snake oil. I've often found the expensive management development company is owned by the 'chief constable's wife' (or whoever can order it). I have my students reading Dilbert cartoons to warn them of what to expect.
ACO: Thanks for re-commenting!
As for the missing commanders, yes they were about. I was in Leicester Square in 1972 as an IRA march got wobbly. My Commander was there in the front line. His 2iC had vanished just before we drew truncheons and formed a square. My Cdr missed not a trick and called me over, told me to nip down the public lavvy, where he believed I would find said 2iC, give him his compliments and ask him to join us - and escort him back up top. What a leader - what a 2iC.
Another depressing thing is that the public services have been so desperate to become modern and businesslike that they have totally failed to learn from modern businesses. I bet you good money that Barclays Capital does not try and instil leadership at an Accenture village. It uses the normal process of career evolution to select the most promising people.
Likewise what business organisation would have such a stupid rigid rank/grade structure? What business would treat its lower-ranked as if they were thick children and totally ignore any good ideas not coming from senior level or from outside consultants?
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