To want to praise the police - London sword attack

[boozeclues]

I have just watched the footage of some very young police officers who detained the man in London today wielding a sword. Not only had he already killed a child, he was determine to kill anyone he met.

The video I watched is here: https://news.sky.com/video/share-13126428

These are mainly very young officers, not wearing much protection (e.g. their whole heads and faces are exposed), and not many of the people in the video can be more than 20 to 30 years old.

Truly heroic IMO. They all deserve a medal. The police bashing in this country also has to stop, we are not America, most of our police force is full of people who want to protect the public, bad management, lack of funding and politics aside.

I am also truly very sad for the young boy who lost his life today and his family, I hope they know the whole country is mourning their loss and want to support them.

The OP says people should stop "bashing" the police.

Fears · Today 01:41
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The police officers in attendance today seem to have handled the incident well, but we should not stop talking about the MANY bad officers/staff in the police force, many are under investigation”

Most of whom are old school. The officers involved in Hainault were young men and women working together effectively. I’m pretty sure they will hold different attitudes and opinions to their older colleagues.
Credit where it’s due.

I'm honestly proud to live in a country where we taser someone like this instead of shooting them dead, and where our police are willing to tackle someone when they are only armed with batons and tasers. Good on them.

I agree with you. But what I am saying is that many people DO think women are in some way not up to this stuff. So IMO it is worth the reminder.

I don’t feel patronising to her, but I do feel critical if people who sit in pubs making stupid jokes about women fire fighters, police etc.

When we live in an equal world we will be able to look at everyone for the job they do and stop having to prove a point.

We should highlight the bravery of a female police officer because having more women in the police is one of the best ways to tackle some of the sexist behaviour that allowed people like Wayne Couzens to go under the radar.

Yep very brave officers. Even with a taser you must be in absolute fight or flight mode to confront a sword wielding maniac.

On a side note we seem to have so many men now who are mentally unstable. It’s a real worry. There are a few round here, they roam the town shouting abuse at people (usually women of course, they’re never so mad that they shout it at bigger men) and intimidating children/the elderly. Makes me so angry.

Absolutely. Don’t forget the female cop in Australia who handled the recent stabbing spree. Women have been very effective recently in dealing with incredibly scary situations in a swift and professional way.

I cannot say for certain, but from my experience in China, government wumao (basically people paid to post government propaganda) always stress the ‘heroic’ efforts of the police or bystanders, instead of talking about the underlying issues (in China, this often had something to do with terrorism by Uighur extremists, which cannot be discussed for reasons you can imagine).

I feel somewhat nervous when I see the same sort of tactics in the British media, i have to say

That’s on them. But pointing out ‘look! It’s a woman!’ doing something unremarkable (for a police officer) is emphasising those people’s prejudices that women aren’t capable at being brave or leaders. We should do as we’ve always done, which is get on with it and let our actions do the talking.

I don't think the police get enough credit, frankly, or enough support from the general public. I've no doubt some of them are incompetent and unpleasant, but considering the utter vermin they have to deal with, it's a miracle they're not worse. Just now I watched two young men with XL bully dogs go walking past my window (tracksuit bottoms, hoods up, smoking weed, etc). They live nearby and are nasty, vicious, evil little shits, both of them. Imagine having to deal with people like that, day in, day out – swearing at you, kicking you, yawning and smirking when you interview them.

Two policemen came to my house the night my father died. They were thoroughly decent men, both of them, and behaved impeccably. Even on the two occasions I've been arrested, the police were respectful and professional. I'm sick of this trendy leftie view of 'da police' as oppressors. Those pathetic, overgrown students who call for the police to be de-funded ought to be made to live on a housing estate with the two men I described above – no rules, no police, just nice liberal anarchy. I wonder how long they'd stick it?

Isn't this a sexist comment on one level?

Surely male and female offices have to do the same job? Why should the bravery of a female officer be highlighted above that of a male officer?

You're nervous because people are saying these police did well? And are linking it to Chinese conspiracy? Are you saying this is a fake government propaganda event?
Are you serious? A child has been murdered and you and other posters with your "yeah but..." are disgusting.

I do think it’s often missed as well that Couzens did get rejected from the Police, multiple times

he circumvented this by applying to the civil nuclear constabulary, and once warranted, transferred into the Met.

i am still waiting for the pp to explain who else he killed. Even the met aren’t as ineffective or corrupt as to not notice/hide a serial killer. Stop bending facts.

Do armed police only appear when the perpetrators are armed with guns or any deadly weapon? Because my first thought is why wasn’t he shot?

Wow to the woman running towards him in first footage. So brave. And thank you to all the brave officers committed to stopping him.

RIP to the young boy who lost his life. Tragic and senseless loss.

Oh, if there had been AFOs present he would have been shot dead, there's no doubt of that. Like this guy who waved a plastic scale model sword at police during a mental health crisis: https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hull-east-yorkshire-news/mums-pain-ten-years-after-88064

You’ve got it wrong. We are wondering why there is not a general thread, instead of just this thread praising police (or there could be others by now?).

Perhaps nobody wants to discuss underlying issues, which is fair.

But I am just observing that reporting or discussing a story like this by pushing a particular framing (brave police!) may be burying the lede—what caused a young man to go swinging a sword at random people in the street in the first place? The ‘heroic police’ or ‘heroic bystander’ is a secondary part of the story imo

This is a very common tactic in Chinese domestic media, btw.

I agree that the police yesterday were brave and did a good job.

But I take issue with this:

The police bashing in this country also has to stop, we are not America, most of our police force is full of people who want to protect the public

It really isn't. An unacceptable number of police officers have a criminal record, and I can think of several recent incidents where police have been shown to be consistently sexist, racist, and misogynistic. Police officers have a higher rate of domestic violence than the average man in the street.

So @Bridgetta you're on the "WHOS TO BLAME FOR HIS KILLING SOMEONE!!" route??
Why is it the blame is always on someone else?

And yes, they were fucking brave. Stop with your agenda, what ever it is. Are you a 'defund the police/anyone you see as 'authority' ?

Can't believe some people straight away centralise the murderer. He KILLED a child.

Quite a common way of opening a champagne bottle in the Army!

I would be willing to bet that in whatever sphere you work there will be bad examples. Are you ready to be judged by that minority?

I think some people on this post have forgotten in their anxiety to use this to remind everyone how terrible the Police are is that people have put their life on the line

Somewhere out there a parent, a partner and a loved one got a dreaded knock on the door to say that there had been an incident and that someone they care about is hurt

They have received life changing incidents and you from the safety of your nice warm home think it's a great time to comment about Wayne Couzins in case people have forgotten, they haven't but please let bravely stand alone and these officers get the recognition they deserve

I’d have to disagree. Once the tasers had been deployed, they were a little clueless. There is no time to hesitate in situations like this.

Do we know wether or not he had mental health problems. He may have just been evil, such people do exist.

And you highlight these people's views by highlighting the fact she is female and almost feeling the need to shout out they can be brave.
It shouldn't even need to be raised, people should not even bat an eyelid, the more you do the more it's noticed.

How many people were viewing them as police officers before your post highlighted the female. The gender is irrelevant they are police officers, the more people highlight the gender the more people will focus on it. That is why your post is being questioned.