Police Officer killed during arrest

[AGoldenOrange]

Another officer seriously injured

news.sky.com/story/986584/policewoman-killed-during-attempted-arrest

Had to name change otherwise I would out myself.

Those poor, poor women. I feel so sorry for their families. I sincerely hope that this is going to result in the community in that area having the courage to stand up and provide evidence against these crime gangs. Was listening to the news this morning that despite the £50k reward offered by GMP, that no-one had turned this guy in.

FWIW I am armed, and whilst I can agree with the arguments for not arming police routinely, I know that having a firearm has saved my life.

On a routine call to a stolen vehicle, a guy came running at me with an axe. It was only when I drew my firearm that he stopped in his tracks. I have no doubt that he planned to maim me (at the very least).

It's true though that a firearm will not help in many other circumstances - I have had cars driven directly at me, been shot at, a colleague standing in the same spot I had been 5 minutes before was shot dead . Having a firearm wouldn't have helped in those circumstances.

I was on a thread a few months ago where there was a lynch mob about the fab pensions that police get. A lot of comments about why should police get gold plated pensions when nurses don't etc. They certainly aren't gold plated, and have the highest contribution rate in all of the public sector (at 13.5% of gross pay). Even those officers who do make it to retirement have a much lower life expectancy than the general population.

Just about to come back for work , waiting for my car sharing colleague . Very very quiet day , with a very subdued team indeed .

We get 'mad over this ', this slaughter of innocents , because we are a team . One big team . From England to Wales , Scotland to Ireland . We are all on the same side , and we always watch each other's backs . I couldn't count the number of times I've had some agitated bloke stopped , and then noticed afterwards the TSG carrier parked just where they can keep an eye on me . If I have to deal with something on the train on the way home , I've rarely got to my feet alone . And I do the same for any other colleague . We all do .

I never met those girls , but I feel I knew them all the same . Every team has the irritatingly cheerful one at 5.30am , whether male or female . Every team has the quiet dependable one . They will be missed immeasurably .

Plomino That was the most touching tribute to those two officers and indeed to all those who have been killed doing their job.
You have my utmost admiration. I work for the ambulance service in frontline and would like to add me and my colleagues shock and disgust. We consider that the police are part of our team and we work together understanding the challenges we both face in a way which the general public sometimes find hard to fathom.
Please stay safe, all of you, wherever you are.

to all the response officers on this thread, i wish you all a Q shift tonight and stay safe. DH has been kept on late for about the 18th early shift on the trot dealing with a sexual abuse case involving a 2 year old . I really don't think the general public realise what awful fiends there are out there masquerading as human beings

Oscar - where exactly on Ashworth La. is the vigil? I will be over at Mottram at tea time with dd, at the corner with Broadbottom Road, so would like to go along.

Was at a meeting at a central Manchester Fire Station this morning. We all willingly trooped out into the front yard for 1 mins silence at 11am.

Hopefully at the park, but GMP and organiser are having a meeting in the morning to confirm details. There is a facebook group to keep updated. I don't know if I'll be able to get online during the day tomorrow, but will do my best to update you.

thanks v much.

Warming to see that twitter hastag #covergmp is being used to register police volunteers from around the country who are volunteering to work the streets and stations whilst GMP staff go off for the funerals.

UPDATE on vigil.

GMP have cancelled it for now, local MP has just tweeted.

GMP are hoping for Monday or Tuesday for the vigil.

It's probably wise to delay. With a few day's notice there will be thousands and thousands wanting to show up.

#covergmp has 2,000 police volunteers from across the UK in under two hours. I've volunteered for any civilian jobs on the days, whenever they are.

i agree with viggle on the way forward, that rather than arming us routinely perhaps more preventative measures to tackle gang culture, that rather than budget cuts we should be adequately funded (we are struggling at the moment with a lack of vehicles and a lack of computers- just as our systems have all gone computertised they took our computers away) and pay us fairly.

i was also on the pensions thread - i think i may have ended up hiding it in the end though i was heartened by the responses on that aswell - as i am on this one.

very often i feel undervalued, unappreciated and shat on from a great height.

ive just got in from another difficult shift, again with no break and i was late off to boot. i do it, for nothing, time and time again because i care about what i do.

it is heartening that the public are so outraged, and that people are united in the sense of shock and anger. We were just saying today that it could have been any of us, those girls would have been us, talking rubbish in briefing, taking the piss out of each other, then looking at our watch and saying wed best get to that job.....
we do it every day. only they didnt come back.

www.facebook.com/events/145712672239044/

Looks like it should be monday now.

Niceguy2

Sunwukong, great philosophy in life. Let's hope the next time you are a victim of a crime the police officer you report it to doesn't shrug their shoulder and say 'shit happens' eh?

Sorry, but the last time I was a victim of crime, thats exactly the impression the police did give me i.e. shit happens. Condolences to all families of Fiona and Nicola, I hope the evil scum gets whats coming. On a different note, I do wish the media would stop referring to the victims as heroes. They wern't hero's, they were just bloody unlucky.

Vicar and all police officers reading
I hope the legacy that is left from this atrocity will be a government re think and a fast one . You are respected and valued by the decent folk of this country believe me ..........I know from my family in the force the crap that has been forced on your workload and working conditions . I will make my voice heard .
Stay safe as you can ....sometimes impossible as we have seen this week .
But never ever feel undervalued by us the public who rely on you for so much from crimesolving to supporting us through the other awful stuff like death informed and rape etc . I dont think many people have that strength of character and empathy to deal with such a wide scope of work .
I hope that the other thread in AIBU did not distress you . I was appalled.
Thinking of you as well as the families of the officers .

Manicmaria - could you give me an idea of what your definition of a hero would be?

vigglewiggle

Actually, thats a very fair question. Rather than show myself up. I decided to refer to my trusted dictionary. 'Heroine', a woman admired for her brave deeds. Now, perhaps you could now explain to me what is brave about responding to a random burglary call. Afterall, they clearly didn't expect to be faced by someone with a gun, because if they did, then armed police would have responded instead.

I haven't seen much 'hero' talk at all. Fairly balanced admiration and recognition of tragedy.

Bassett, thank you for your post. The other thread did not distress me. Nice to know decent people value the police.

I did hear Theresa May use the term today - at least I think that was what she said, but I was busy throwing things at the television so I could be mistaken .

Manicmaria - I take your point about the job in question, but to put yourself in a position where you never really know what you are being sent to, or what you may come across, but sign up to do the job anyway is fairly heroic in my view.

I am biased, it is a job I have done for 17 years.I have walked into an armed robbery, had a knife pulled on me by a woman with schizophrenia, stood on a very thin blue-line between two groups of football hooligans etc etc. I put myself in that position because I accept it is part of the job I signed up for and I would never describe myself as heroic. I have to admit though, if the worst happened to me i would hope that the general public I had served would think I had been pretty brave to choose the job that I did.

I think police officers are heroic for being prepared to put themselves at risk for the service of the public. Putting service to the public above concerns for personal safety is heroic.

RIP to these two brave police officers. We all feel so much for their families and loved ones. The despicable coward who did it is beneath contempt.

Hear hear viggle

It's not something you consciously think about day in, day out but the fact is you just never know what you are walking into. The mere fact that you turn up for duty in your uniform and walk out there amongst people who have no respect for law and order and can't help the people who need it most is heroism. Those who haven't done it can have no idea of how it affects you,

I have had to step away from the other thread, and thread about a thread tonight.

Scurry - I get what you are saying on general terms on the others thread but truly Ian Hanson is a good guy who walked in that press conference straight from 3 hours of comforting grieving colleagues. Too emotional maybe, but not dissing those officers.

It gives a little bit of comfort about the public feeling, even though graffiti has to be cleared off the estate in support of Cregan.

He has been charged tonight witha number of offences. Let's see if he is man enogh to admit it incourt

Sharon, I've no doubt intentions are good. Such a desperately sad situation and quite triggering. The police family support their colleagues and I am proud to be part of that family. RIP brave officers x

Have you seen on twitter #covergmp and the offers of support pouring on from all over the country to cover the funerals. Overwhelming.
I too am proud to be part of the police family.