First Police Scalp after Thatchers Death

[moggy]

Policemen are forbidden from making or showing any political biased... they are trained on this and its in their contracts, they must never appear to be on one side of the politics or the other. So it was right to sack him (even though he resigned) for making a political related statement.

Mate of mine is a policeman and he was advised to close his facebook account when he started.

[hyperD]

But you're not saying it to your friends. If you tell your mate "my boss is a dick" they laugh. If you put an advert in the newspaper "my boss is a dick" you get fired. If you claim someone stole your work to your mummy, nothing happens. If you do so publicly, you get taken to court.

If you have a wank at home, it's fine. If you do it in public, you get in trouble.

What is so hard to understand that saying/doing something publicly where it can affect other people - typically the person you're talking about though not in this case of course - is different than saying it in private?

Wd000000000000000000000000000000000000hgS.

If you've publicly declared yourself in social media, it can be used against you.

There's no way I'd slag off clients through social media if I had a publicly identifiable social media account. He is, like a lot of these ignoramuses, a berk and is subject to the usual UK statute laws (whether you agree with them or not).

[vetran]

I must disagree, its extremely dangerous for the whole society when policemen start to have political agendas... think about it !!

I did think about it.

He was rude about a controversial ex politician just as many major political figures were. It was crass and insensitive but socially its the equivalent of supporting Arsenal.
He didn't try and recruit for the BNP or even Labour. It may be the thin edge or the wedge , I personally think lack of integrity shown by other policemen is more serious.

[proggy]

I don't see what he has done wrong, this is the typical overreaction, you can't even have an opinion now. What's next thought police? He is only saying what 99% of the population think.

[d000hg]

I don't see what he has done wrong

Because you're ignorant.

this is the typical overreaction, you can't even have an opinion now.

Of course you can have an opinion, you just can't publicly express it to the world when you hold a job like policeman.

What's next thought police?

Lots of jobs would sack you for causing a scene in your private life which reflects badly on them[/quote]

He is only saying what 99% of the population think.

No, because 99% of the country don't wish an old lady a painful death... you're assuming everyone else is like you again when (luckily) that's not the case.

[proggy]

Because you're ignorant.Of course you can have an opinion, you just can't publicly express it to the world when you hold a job like policeman. Lots of jobs would sack you for causing a scene in your private life which reflects badly on them No, because 99% of the country don't wish an old lady a painful death... you're assuming everyone else is like you again when (luckily) that's not the case.

If you can't express your opinion to world for fear of your employer then you are being repressed. This is the whole problem, police are told to hide their real opinions and they will be OK, so you end up with racists etc in the ranks.

Old lady?, so being old clears all your past wrongs and horrible actions on innocent people? What is the age cut off you become immune to criticism? If Hitler lived to 70 would you protect that "Old Man"?

[DodgyAgent]

If you can't express your opinion to world for fear of your employer then you are being repressed. This is the whole problem, police are told to hide their real opinions and they will be OK, so you end up with racists etc in the ranks.

Old lady?, so being old clears all your past wrongs and horrible actions on innocent people? What is the age cut off you become immune to criticism? If Hitler lived to 70 would you protect that "Old Man"?

Another gem from a hypocretin

Thatcher was no Hitler despite what you misogynist lefties like to think. She did you nothing but good. I could express a much stronger opinion about you but I would get banned from this site (irrespective of what my politics behind it were) In the case of the police proclaiming strong and aggressive political views suggests that they will not behave with impartiality when doing their jobs.
They may indeed have their own political opinions but if they dont have the discipline to set them aside on facebook how on earth can they be expected to act with any impartiality on the streets?

[hyperD]

If you can't express your opinion to world for fear of your employer then you are being repressed.

You are missing the point, once again.

This is someone expressing a grievance against someone via social media with the pretence that he thinks he can say it anonymously, when quite clearly he's not, without expecting any comeback to the usual applied statute and working guidelines.

There's no way he would think that he would get away with saying the same thing in a public or commercial arena and so he has made an error of technical misjudgement.

There's nothing wrong with opinions, it's in the context that the opinion is stated.

There are plenty of ways to legally air your grievances, here's one:

Whistleblowing

Telling your mate down the pub that X is a Y is one thing, identifying you and your employer and saying the same to the world is slightly different.

[SandyD]

The policemen same as royalty are not to take political sides so openly, and Maggie was still a political figure until she died.
e.g. the queen decided to attend the funeral, but the Charles declined, that in its own speaks volumes... they did not necessarily make statement and publicly declare respect agreement or disagreement with her.

If policemen were so open about their political opinion the public would fear for their safety and fear being presecuted just because their opinion differs from the policeman, in addition a loud policeman may expose the force to a lot of letigation

[proggy]

Another gem from a hypocretin

Thatcher was no Hitler despite what you misogynist lefties like to think. She did you nothing but good. I could express a much stronger opinion about you but I would get banned from this site (irrespective of what my politics behind it were) In the case of the police proclaiming strong and aggressive political views suggests that they will not behave with impartiality when doing their jobs.
They may indeed have their own political opinions but if they dont have the discipline to set them aside on facebook how on earth can they be expected to act with any impartiality on the streets?

How is his view on Thatcher going to effect his day to day job? Yet there are probably hundreds of closet racists in the police who will be treating blacks/asians differently, but since they didn't tweet their opinion that is OK!