Police hypocrisy

You could give them the benefit of the doubt annie

Was the honour not accorded to him because he was part of the Specific Westminster Protection Force Annie whose sole job is to protect the MPs etc , not just because he was a police officer fallen in duty?

I suspect if it had been a firefighter in the same squad ( if there is one) he too would have been accorded the same honour.

So I totally disagree with your statement , it's nothing to do with the 'police are wonderful' .

Annie It's a valid point that other emergency services should be honoured equaly for the same sacrifice. I believe the queen gave permission for this service because he is deemed to have 'saved her parliament' .
I suppose some will also be asking the question 'how can they spare these hundreds of officers when they say there is a shortage of personnel'. I'm not getting into that one.

So police who guard the Palace of Westminster are braver than police who protect the public ? I disagree

I would like to think all those who die in the line of duty are honoured. In this case I think it is because, as NanaandGrampy say he served as part of the Westminster Protection Force. I also think he is a symbol of all those who place themselves in harms way trying to protect us from terrorists. Can we not just honour this man for the sacrifice he made.

I sense some media manipulation behind this though not necessarily from the Police. The Daily Fail & Express will no doubt have a jingoistic field day as will Britain First and UKIP.

However I am a cynic.

Behind what?

Is it not, perhaps, to be seen as a nod to all police officers?

What's the point of such an "honour" anyway? The poor guy is dead and will never know.

There are thousands of people who have been killed in the line of duty.

"gillybob* Whenever anyone dies they don't know how their remains are dealt with, so are you suggesting when your loved ones die you can just flush their ashes down the loo - after all they won't know.

I don't know about you but to me a funeral service (whether religious or not) is a way of showing respect and honouring the life of the person who has died. In this case it is also honouring all those who die in the line of duty.

The point of the honour as I see it gilly is to remind us all that there is a price to be paid for the freedoms which I'm afraid many of us take for granted but which I am sure when we think about it, we are very grateful.
A very heavy price for Keith Palmer and his family.
I loathe the exploitation of such events by the right-wing press, but ironically their freedom to do this is part of the freedom we cherish.
I don't see any police hypocrisy Annie.

No Annie no braver . BUT he was part of that 'parishes' workforce. And as Minimouse said its a symbol for all who serve I would have thought. I believe it also allows others to pay their respects which might not have been possible in a smaller church.

Its not for the 'poor guy' Gillybob its for his family, his friends, his colleagues , and even the general public. Its a symbol of respect for the ultimate sacrifice - Protect and Serve.

Yes I agree sunseeker, I think also it's a way of helping people grieve and showing support to people who help protect us. Sometimes a public display is a way of showing we won't be cowed by such attacks.

The soldier who was hacked to death outside his barracks ?

The met are arranging the funeral and I am speaking of hundreds of police officers from around to country lining the pavements

Well, I have mixed feelings about this too ab as both you and I have police family connections it makes us doubly unsure about the tone of all to do with the Police and this poor man who died.As a matter of fact, the police didn't come out of this very well, for all the police on duty around Westminster, it was only chance that the armed police bodyguards around a Minister as he went into Westminster to vote, were there at all!
The two officers, including the one that died who confronted the man with a knife were unable to stop him, one being stabbed and the other one running off to get help.
All the police on duty should have been armed ( MP's voted that option down some time ago) but will presumably re think it now. All the pomp and ceremony now directed at the officer who died may make his family feel better, but is plastering over the cracks of how poor, up to now that Parliament has actually been protected.

Yes, I agree roses it certainly does bring home the glaring gaps in the way Parliament is protected. Mrs May being hurried first to one car then another was almost unbelievable! A gunman who might well have been previously concealed on a rooftop could easily have killed her. Right old shambles and that's putting it mildly!! As for the funeral, I'm I'm in two minds, I can absolutely see your point of view annie but I suppose this poor chap died defending the H of C, and perhaps that makes a difference I don't really know.

I am very sorry about this poor policeman - but also about everyone else who was killed or hurt in this terrible attack. I tend to agree that no-one should be singled out for special mention. I suppose that this is meant to be some sort of morale booster for the population as a whole and is intended to convey a sense of solidarity.

People in all sorts of less high profile jobs put their lives at risk - nurses and social workers come to mind - and their deaths often receive little recognition.

are you suggesting when your loved ones die you can just flush their ashes down the loo - after all they won't know

That's just plain silly sunseeker. I think you knew that is not what I meant which is the reason for me putting the "honour" in inverted commas. What I meant was "honours" given by the queen and her hangers on (either during life or after death) mean nothing to me and really don't impress me (personally) at all. I would hate my loved ones funeral to be hijacked by politicians and the media.

As I said earlier there are a lot of people who over the years have been killed in the line of duty. (Police, fire, soldiers etc.) Does this mean that the others are less deserving of being "honoured" because they weren't working in London?

should be the same funerals for all the victims ,the policeman at least was trained for these attacks ,the public weren't.I have police connections too,but I firmly believe they shouldn't be treated differently .The police service is a job they chose ,they know the risks , I dont like all the public grief ,its false and unnecessary,let the family grieve ,they are the people who will live with the loss,not all the thousands jumping on the grief parade that seems to happen more often these days

How can the death and funeral of a comparatively young man, with a young family, cause such division?

For heavens sake, let him rest in peace and may his family find some comfort, somehow.

I agree, Anya.

It is all about symbolism. Some I think is over the top, especially the parliament stuff.
But a lot of people, including tourists, seem to love it.

As above, let him Rest in Peace.
There are questions about the security of the politicians though - maybe for another thread.
ie I read elsewhere that the PM dashed out of the House when the alarm was given, and ran in a panic around the car park looking for her lift. Until she found the right car.

Everyones life is equally important and I agree with the original post I don't understand why this wonderful policeman should be treated any differently to any other person killed on that awful day or any day A nurse is knocked to the ground by a Saturday night drunk and is killed what is the difference her funeral would pass unnoticed
I don't think anyone's funeral should be for tourists or for show or symbolic to boost the government or police