So. Once again we have not enough officers on parade, once again we have no one to deal with the many outstanding jobs.Once again we see victims calling for help and not getting it, or getting it too late. Witnesses not located and suspects not arrested.
Once again we see officers hurt, Doctors called to custody, injuries compared, visits to A&E for others.
A normal shift then.
Except I have an admission to make. Maybe I'm getting soft in my old age, or maybe I'm just getting grumpy. But I can't accept that; seeing two female colleagues comparing bruising and cuts from another violent individual whilst typing up their notes in the writing room.
They're not going to report it - why should they? They're off in an hour, and have a set of case papers to do. What would be the point in tracking down a Sergeant then spending up to an hour filling in the appropriate injury on duty forms on top of their paperwork and their trip back to the nick they paraded from.
So once again the figures are adjusted to give the impression that we're not losing the fight for the streets.
Usually, we compare injuries, talk about the incidents and then moan about the frustratingly inadequate punishments at court - eg £50 for hospitalising a Police Officer attacked randomly on the street.
This then inevitably leads on to the "what's the point" conversation. No, we have no answers for that question. But someone (often me) always makes a mildly amusing comment, then we head back out and take the next 'Immediate' graded call.
I've run out of amusing comments though.
I don't think it's acceptable for us to be injured so often. "Police Officer injured in brawl" means little.
When it's your colleague, your boss, your acquaintance, your friend, your travelling companion, your confidente, your lover... suddenly it doesn't seem so palatable.
I don't take insults, calls, crimes, victims or suspects personally anymore. I have dealt with all manner of violent deaths and injuries, come home covered in blood on numerous occasions (some of it mine), delivered death messages and dealt with sobbing traumatised victims.
Then slept like the proverbial log.
But whenever an Officer is assaulted or injured, I take it personally. Every time, and the problem is that it's happening every shift now.
This is a more regular event than most politicians will ever admit.
