Return To The Past !

The first attempt to create a police force took place in London in 1742 and the Constables walking the beat were called  " Bow Street Runners ".  It proved ineffective and was cancelled, until Sir Robert Peel revived the idea in 1829 and created what became known as London's famous  "Bobbies "!

One interesting aspect of early policing was the display of an individual badge bearing a number on each police uniform.  It was deemed important that Constables carry some form of individual recognition and this became common across the world's police forces, until the need for better relations between police and the public saw the numbers replaced by name badges.

Here in New South Wales permission has been granted for officers to replace name badges with numbers because of an alarming rise in threats being made to them and their families by both the criminal and the jihadist elements of our society.   It is common for serving police officers to be harassed by phone calls and emails threatening death and other forms of harm because of the jobs they are doing.

Changes in technology makes it easier for an affronted criminal to gain the name and home address of individual police.  It is common for police to be depicted on television news footage and face recognition technology is freely available - and cheap.  Couple that with Google, Facebook and Twitter and an amazing amount of data is forthcoming.   A cop wearing a name badge is giving the criminals a head start.

It seems likely that this identity replacement is just the first in many changes about to take place in the policing culture.   News footage of overseas raids on terrorists commonly show police wearing balaclavas to mask their faces.  In the interests of security, the news media is prevented from showing the faces of our armed forces who serve in elite squads.  There seems to be a growing tendency to direct harm personally against those who serve both the military and civilian branches of the services that protect this country.

This is illustrated by warnings to servicemen to avoid wearing their uniforms in public.  Even school cadet corps are advised not to travel in uniform and it is noticeable that many police change into civilian clothes at the end of their shift.  We seem to be entering a new age and where once the sight of a police uniform was comforting to the public, now it places the wearer at risk from attack by elements seeking to do this nation harm.

This raises another issue that is a logical outcome.  All New South Wales police officers in uniform carry a firearm.  If there is a risk of attack because of the job they do, then the right to carry a firearm when off duty would be entirely reasonable.  The precise ruling that presently applies is unclear - but many suspect that such precautions already apply.

Policing has always been a dangerous job.  Some form of physical combat is usually a regular part of duty and the widespread use of Ice is turning normally rational people into totally unpredictable animals capable of inflicting mayhem.  The threat of reprisals against individual police and their families is an emerging menace that needs counter measures.

Unfortunately, the probable outcome will be deteriorating relations between the police and the public.  If the police fear attack by the public, it is highly likely that their stance will result in the public having a fear of the police.   The replacement of name tags with numbers - seems to be a return to "Square One " !