A Matter Of Trust

I think one legacy of Tony Blair’s and Gordon Brown’s governments, has got to be the way the nanny state tries to legislate, to remove all risk. This interference has found its way into the Police. Nowadays, we have a policy for virtually every possibility and woe betides anyone who doesn’t follow it. The trouble with all these policies, is that ‘ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL’.
In the past, an organisation would rely on its experienced staff, to spontaneously decide the appropriate course of action, for any given set of circumstances. It was called ‘EXPERIENCE’! Yes, occasionally, mistakes were made. But that is a fact of life. No one is perfect and neither is any policy.
There is a huge difference between risk management and risk avoidance. Life is all about managing risk. For instance, everyone takes a risk when asking their partner ‘out’ for their first date. Will they tell me to get lost or will they say yes? It’s a risk you have to take, because you can never be certain of the answer. However, you manage that risk by finding out a little about the person, prior to asking. You add up the odds of a achieving a positive answer and if they are favourable, you ask the question. Those who have experience of being rejected before, can spot the signs of a potential negative answer, better than those with no experience.
As someone who has been in the Police for two decades, I consider myself to be reasonably experienced. There are not too many sets of circumstances, that I have not encountered before. I am in no way perfect, but if I don’t know the answer, I usually know where to find it. Unfortunately, my experience counts for nothing nowadays. Virtually every action I take, is governed by some policy or other. I am no longer allowed to think for myself and decide the best course of action for the situation. I have to follow policy.
Well, as I said, one size does not fit all. More often than not, the well meaning risk aversion policy, is counter-productive for the parties involved. Unfortunately, people will continue to be murdered by their partners, despite ‘domestic violence policies. Children will continue to have play ground fights, despite ‘anti-bullying’ policies.
So, come on ACPO. Trust your staff to do the job they have been trained to do. Let them make their own informed decisions. Let them use their experience. You never know, it might actually lead to a happy workforce and you know what that leads to. Better productivity. Obviously, if they continue to make the same ‘wrong’ decisions, then deal with them appropriately, but give them a chance.