Stop destroying our police force-now is the time to support our officers.

Despite Will Smith, a war in the Ukraine, general day to day living prices going through the proverbial roof, it is still the state of our police force, especially the Metropolitan police that is under constant scrutiny.

Everyday, further articles hit the main stream media that proudly vilify the Met in every possible form and trolls take to their keyboards glorifying the fact that every Met police officer is indeed a villain.

Just for the record, when the ‘Defunding the police’mob took to the streets of America and began to gain traction here in London, I asked my readers what their point of view on this was? Results-

I actually had to remove the post as east London residents thought this was indeed a joke. Their response before the post was deleted, was in fact the very contrary that is the current ongoing narrative. People actually wanted more police on our streets and not less and were even more perturbed with the ongoing cuts that have vastly diminished police officers from our community.

This is the response to the current vilification of the Met. The majority of Londoners actually want to see a well funded police force that allows for frontline and safer neighbourhood teams to look after our capital. People clearly do not want to defund the police but the very opposite.

Everyday, thousands of Londoners right across the capital work hand in hand, myself included with police officers. Everyday thousands of members of the community rely on these officers and the essential work they do.

Perhaps now is the time to stand in their boots and see what it is like to be a police officer on our streets. They face constant verbal and physical abuse. They are vilified at every possible moment. They are hated when they arrive to a call. They are filmed and shown on social media more times than actors. They receive endless hate from some. They attend nightmare calls that no one else in society wants to deal with. They spend most of their working hours dealing with traumatic incidents the majority of society will only ever experience a handful of times in their life.

Our police officers are struggling now, this continuous anti police narrative is adding further pressures to heavy work loads.

Met police officers do amazing work every day right across our communities, work that often goes un noticed as it doesn’t fit the current climate. Yet it should. How many police officers have saved a person’s life today? How many have helped a mental health sufferer who had no one else to turn to as there aren’t enough support systems for people with mental health issues? How many have spent time engaging in the community with the lonely and vulnerable and their visit will have made a person’s day? How many have saved a person through their first aid skills? The list is long and endless.

There are thousands of officers across our community that do essential work, that is so desperately needed in our society. Health care facilities are struggling, education systems are struggling, communities are struggling, but the police are always there regardless.

Today, thousands of officers across the capital will strap on their boots and despite their own problems go out there and do something to help others. Ultimately, it is these officers who will be the ones who run into danger or put their life on the line to save others. It is these very officers who the media want us to believe are hated, that will be there for us.

It is actually the very opposite, most people want our police on the street and do indeed have respect for the Met. Next time you go and criticise these officers, ask yourself this question, would you be able to do their job? Chances are the answer is no.

Using the latest phrase, to all the hardwork working and dedicated police officers and chief, I see you Met officers and I stand with you for all the amazing work you do for us every day.

#BackOurBobbies.