“Stop Blaming the Police: The Real Failure Behind the Train Knife Attack”

The horrific knife crime spree on board a train in Huntingdon has appalled the nation.

It was, of course, just a matter of time before the finger was pointed at the police. For a short period, officers were rightly praised for their quick, life-saving actions — but as many serving and retired officers predicted, the police bashing soon began. After all, regardless of what happens, it is generally seen as the police’s fault.

The Havering Daily spoke to former Metropolitan Police officer Graham Wettone about this awful incident.

“You can have police officers on many streets doing their best and you are still going to find a person carrying a knife. We have mental health failings here — it seems that only after they have been arrested do they actually get the support they need and in occasions such as this, it’s clearly too late.”

The criticism has fallen on Cambridgeshire Police — but unjustly so.

“They are a very small force. I think the public would be horrified to know just how few cops we have, especially on a Friday night. It’s possible that they might have even run out of units. People also make the ludicrous assumption that officers didn’t fancy going to that call. Nonsense. Look at the lack of resource for frontline response, it’s possible that they may only parade in single numbers there. Smaller forces such as this are the bottom of the funding pile.”

Cuts to police funding have left their mark.

“We have all seen the impact cuts have made and smaller forces such as this are impacted.”

Endless criticism has also been made about how the two earlier incidents had not been linked.

“It’s right for Cambridgeshire to review their response. It needs to see how the incidents were called in and what information call handlers had.”

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but for officers on the ground, things are not so straightforward.

“How can the Docklands Light Railway incident have ever been linked to the barber shop incident in Peterborough? You tell me why police responding to a call in East London of a black male, wearing dark clothing with a knife, would then suddenly be sent to Cambridgeshire Police? Why not Hertfordshire Police then? Or other forces? Officers had no indication that there was a link. He would have been reported with very little information except a description, no name, no address — how on earth can this link be made?”

Graham also highlights the problems such assumptions can create.

“If police then go on the description provided and start searching for a black male wearing dark clothes, they then get called out for racially profiling people.”

It is an easy go-to point to blame the police, when in reality there are many factors that could have led to this tragic incident.

“Mental health facilities and lack of mental health support is a clear failing here.”

It is very easy to always blame the police — but the reality is different. A full review needs to take place, focusing not just on policing, but on the wider system that continues to fail so many.

“A whole review needs to take place here, predominantly looking at why this person was failed by the mental health teams.”, finished Graham.

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