Police Officer Shot Dead in Croydon

[Magicpaintbrush]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-54293111

My DH is in the Met and came home on the verge of tears after night duty this morning, so demoralised, so cut up by the loss of another police officer who was just doing his job.

So many officers put their lives at risk daily, like the officer who has tragically died last night. But so many members of the public dehumanise police officers, seeing only the uniform, forgetting they are human beings too who work so hard and often in horrific circumstances - the media only reports half the story often - and that they have families and friends who love them. The powers that be, government et al, don't value them and treat them like disposable shit.

I am so desperately sorry for the police officer who has died so tragically, and his family. This is the kind of danger that officers face and they are not appreciated or looked after by the higher powers who send them out there to face these dangers, they just aren't.

@sashh what on earth do your individual grievances have to do with the murder of a police colleague at work? Have some respect.

@sashh I’m sorry you had a bad experience, but I think you need to go away and have a deep long think about whether your comments are applicable or appropriate on a thread mourning the death of a police officer.

@sashh - go away.

@Nicknacky I’m speaking as former job and I’m still gobsmacked that got missed. At the training centre in one of the early SDEs me and a colleague ummed and ahhed about searching someone (we were both female and role player was male) and decided we’d leave it til custody - at which point the role player produced a knuckle duster. We got hauled over the coals for that, rightly so, and I never made that mistake again. Thank god it was at the training centre.

I sort of disagree with the premise of the OP. I think most people can manage to be both sorry that an officer has died, and yet critical of law enforcement more broadly. It's not either/or.

@sashh

Not the time or the place. Someone has been murdered, someone with friends and a family. A human being. Have some respect.

@dreamingbohemian read the room.

@dreamingbohemian you only have to dip a toe into MN to find tens of threads criticising the police. OP started this thread to express sadness that somebody has been murdered whilst doing their job.

Absolutely devastating. I served in the Met for 16 years. Although I'm no longer a police officer, this has really upset me

Such dreadful news op, can you thank your DH for what he does on a daily basis quite literally putting his life on the line daily for everyones safety. I imagine human error has been at play here or just really clever cocealment, either way it's just so tragic and I fully support tougher sentencing for assaults and attacks on police officers. I hope this shines a light on the wife of Pc Harpers campaign.

This is so sad, I think unless you are in the police or are have a spouse serving it's hard to understand what they deal with on a day to day basis. I don't know how my dh does his job, the police in general get treated like rubbish. There is so much that people don't know or they assume. My thoughts are with his family.

'can you thank your DH for what he does on a daily basis quite literally putting his life on the line daily for everyones safety'

Yes me too. 100% respect for what Police Officers do. The code red series that has just been on showed the extreme abuse and assaults they endure daily.

@dreamingbohemian and @sassy

Have you ever heard the phrase, 'There's a time and a place?' Do you understand what it means?

@sashh I meant.

It's heartbreaking news. to all those affected, in any way, and please ignore the idiots who think this is a good time to air personal grievances.

It's truly heartbreaking.

How very sad. And I agree with the uniform. I also get fed up with the whole 'anti police/police are racist pigs' dialogue, that dumps our police in the same category as those in other countries or dumps all police incidents in the same category without reviewing each case on its own facts. Also the expectation that the police are super human and should be able to tackle every thing and do so seamlessly whilst under great pressure.

I have 11 years until I retire and 21 years left for my DH. Can't wait. I don't feel supported in our role and I've given enough to the job to want to enjoy a life out of it.

My partner is also Met, he went in for an early start this morning and found out when he got to work, texted me before it hit the news. He sounds pretty cut up. I agree the media never has the whole story - I’m personally aware via DP of some horrific attacks on officers that never make the news at all.

I feel sick about this tbh. It is absolutely horrific.

DP and I are both Met. Horrific news to wake up to. It could so easily happen to any one of us.

My DH is in the Met too. He has heard some of what happened from colleagues, it’s horrific. I feel sick with worry for my DH and the brave police family. My heart goes out to the poor officer’s loved ones.

@dreamingbohemian this is a thread about a specific incident; and expressing concern about attacks on police officers in general.

There are many nuanced threads out there debating the role of the police and any institutionalised behaviour that may exist. There are many more that just descend into “ACAB”. Go and post on one of those if you want a debate, don’t come in here over people who are grieving the loss of a colleague, or expressing concern over their loved ones. It’s not appropriate here.

Condolences from Cressida Dick Boris Johnson and Sadiq Khan ect are all well and good, but It’s not going to bring this brave man back to his poor heartbroken family. Why the hell wasn’t he searched. Granted I’m not the sharpest tool in the box, but I really don’t understand. Surely that’s a huge breach of Safe Guarding and heads will roll for it.
Oh and I wish the perpetrator a speedy recovery. I hope he pulls through and has to face the heavy consequences.

To any member of the police reading this - thank you for what you do.

My heart hurts for this poor officer and his family.

On the news coverage people are bringing flowers to the custody suite.

💔💔💔