Blue light response officers are not running to Greggs but responding to life saving situations.

When you see a police vehicle on blue lights-you do not know what danger lies ahead for those officers or even if it is the last call they respond to- they are not running to Greggs to buy a sausage roll.

This week we are highlighting the incredible work response officers do in our community. Ultimately, these officers save lives regularly.

These are officers who will respond to stabbings, perform life saving first aid, be the last person many people see sadly before passing, step in to remove violent weapons from suspects wielding machetes or zombie knives, run towards danger when most of us run from danger and put their life on the line for us.

They also support people who are suffering mental health issues. So many officers have been there to support a person at their wits end, not wanting to be here any longer. They step in when so many of us run the other way, including helping to evacuate people from burning buildings. Their work is vital in our community.

Most response officers work incredibly long hours with very little breaks. They have no canteen to go to and have only a few minutes respite away from the madness that faces the streets of London today. For most of us having our lunch break, we rush up to a canteen to buy food, or for many working from home, go and make ourselves a sandwich. These officers do not have that luxury. They do not get breaks as often as they should and most of the time eat their food in their vehicle where they face a whole load of abuse from people who under the belief that police officers are robots who should not eat during the day.

When you see a police vehicle on blue lights-you do not know what danger lies ahead for those officers or even if it is the last call they respond to. They are not running to Greggs to buy a sausage roll, or are a fake taxi, or taking a tour around Romford or London, or heading off to a BP garage, or sitting in a police station with their feet up.

There are only 36 police stations left in London compared to 15 years ago where there were 160, so officers would struggle to find a police station to put their feet up in.

These officers work very long hours and face the worst situations we could possibly imagine.

Would you rush in to disarm a violent man wielding a machete? If the answer is no- then think again before sitting comfortably in your chair and leaving comments on our police officers.

Thank you to the officers today who were standing next to a cordon an hour after their shift finished, having worked a long night shift and still being there this morning after another violent incident.

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