Police officer killed

I too have had that knock at the door, 43 years ago, my husband was 30, he was in CID, one night he was on a covert
drugs operation, alone. On a country road in the early hours
of the morning his car was hit , he lay dead on the road until
8.00am that morning, the drug dealers got away.

My husband was a good, honest man, got angry when police
corruption hit the headlines, when a young probation officer
his Sgt told him to ‘get up town and sort the double parking ‘
He did. Was called into the chief inspectors office and a demand was made that he cleared his notebook of a charge of double parking against Lord X, my husband refused.
He had three commendations for bravery in the line of duty.

I have always refuse invites to the service to commemorate
officers killed in line of duty because there will be corrupt officers there.

I will continue to speak out again police corruption, he would have done the same.

I know what Mrs Harper felt when she opened the door.

It's the circumstances of this tragedy that leaves me cold and sick to my stomach.
It brings back memories of the police officer from my area, PCPhilips who was killed 4 years ago who also left a young wife and two little girls. I cried as I think many did at the time.

PC Philips was on duty when he was deliberately rammed using a stolen car.

Like everyone on here I am totally horrified at the death of this young man. The pain that his family are going through is unimaginable . The position of the other police officer involved is just shocking for him and his family who are now going to hell and back until he is exonerated ! Dear oh dear! What you do about this trend of mindless violence I just can't say. All I do know is that my 19 year old granddaughter is starting university this autumn with the hope of eventually joining the Police Force! Should I be proud of her (yes I am) or just permanently worried for her safety and well being? (inevitably yes!) Annie

cross posted dizzyblonde I agree with everything you have said.

I'm dismayed that there are those who feel a thread in commiseration after the murder of a policeman, married just 4 weeks previously, to be the correct place to air grievances about historic police corruption. A separate thread would surely be far more appropriate.

Thank you to all those posters who have responded with kindness.
I am very glad I was bought up to believe that there is a time and a place for everything and that everybody is someone’s child, husband,wife, grandchild. If anyone of you on here posted that you’d lost a colleague ,who happened to be a public servant, in tragic circumstances and you wished to pay tribute to them, I would like to think I would not pile in with a diatribe against corruption in public office. It would be totally inappropriate and my Mother would turn in her grave!
By all means start a thread about police corruption, it is not something that should be ignored but not all officers are corrupt anymore than all accountants are crooked!

The murder of this young policeman is absolutely heartbreaking, only four weeks married, leaving his young bride a widow. What she and his parents are feeling now is unimaginable for most of us. The people who murdered him are simply evil, and I sincerely hope they will go down with a very long sentence.
I don’t believe in the death penalty, even though it may well be deserved. However, I do believe in life sentences, and frankly I don’t really care if some people argue that life sentences are inhumane. Murders take a life, and that’s inhumane too, and so the penalty should be that they pay their penance by losing their liberty forever. They have broken one of the most holy laws, thou shalt not kill.

Ellan they were not 55 when they fixed their reports

Police corruption is not ignored, as I’m sure you are well aware. The police service these days has one of the strictest codes of conduct going and every move is scrutinised. The poor sod who mowed down his own colleague, through no fault of his own, will now have been referred to the Police Conduct authorities and have to go through reliving it over and over again.

My condolences, dizzyblonde. I’m sorry that some posters on here seem to enjoy putting the boot in where it is obviously inappropriate.

I’m incredulous that fine young people like Andrew still sign up for this. God bless him.

They are now Annie ! This is exactly how it works. Hang fire.

Far more support is badly needed for police officers---from all directions. Their job is one that none of us would ever want to do and it's one which has the greatest risk in this violent and murderous climate.

Children should be taught respect for the law both at home and above all in school. Police haven't even got time to visit schools as they once did, to give talks on certain aspects of crime.

Humiliation used to work well among schoolchildren who'd stolen from the local tuck-shop. I remember it well in the 50's.

Not always Ellan, were all the police at Hillsborough who ‘fixed’ their reports all age over 55 ?

Annie, I think it's ignored for the simple reason that " the powers that be " are aware that the system is broken and therefore make allowances when things such as this go wrong.

There is no place for corruption within the force and 9 times out of 10 it comes from those above rather than the ordinary bobby on the beat. Any corruption lands, or should do, on the shoulders of the higher-ups but when a lot of them are coming up to retirement ( usually at 55 or thereabouts ) they tend to turn a blind eye, instead, all they're concerned about is their pension as after they've retired there isn't a lot that anyone can do.

GrannyGravy , you don’t expect it but there is a niggle in the mind

Please please start your own thread on police corruption. I am well aware it exists but do not feel that my thread mourning an individual who was not corrupt is the right place for it.

My D works on border control between NI and the UK and does searches on most of the caravaners coming here from NI. Again, there is a dreadful staff shortage so she and a couple of staff haven't got the time to search every single vehicle that alights off the ferry but she can tell who are the "rogues " and there's nothing she can do about it. She certainly wouldn't argue with them that's for sure.

There are police working with her but my heart is in my mouth many a time as she's wide open to abuse should a situation turn nasty, even though she is capable of holding her own.

My thoughts and prayers go to his wife, family, friends and work colleagues.

You do not expect that when you say goodbye as your husband goes to work that it will be the last time you see them alive, absolutely heartbreaking ???????

Ellan I agree the justice system lets public and police down ,
but why is police corruption ignored ?

Think of the horrific death of P.C. Blakelock, the death of
Cynthia Jarrett

I looked at the beautiful young bride radiating happiness in her wedding dress and my heart broke. What a dreadful thing to happen to her. No punishment will ever make her life right again.

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Annie the bottom line in criminality is that it's the justice system that lets everyone down, including letting the police themselves who do their best at catching/arresting criminals but once turned over to the courts this is when police must wring their hands at some of the meagre sentences handed out and it's soul destroying to those who've done their best in tracking down crime who must feel like giving up at times.

There has to be changes made in this justice system for things to work. Judges need to be in touch with society the way it is, the jury should also have a modicum of intelligence and an understanding of the crime in progress, without bias from either judges/QC's. Above all---no media !

Much compassion has been expressed on this thread

dizzyblonde You are, of course, absolutely right. This was the tragic death of a young man doing a job many of us wouldn't want.

Please, this thread was started to mourn the death of a man that I have personally worked with, he was a good, kind man who cared about the people he served. I'm ashamed to say I didn't know his name, my interaction was limited to 'could you hold this mate' and 'grab me that red bag mate' but I always knew he had my back and I could concentrate on my job without fear because he was standing by me. He will be sadly missed by his 'green' family as well as the thin blue line which became that bit thinner with his loss.
I know I have no right to tell people what they can or cannot post nor would I want to but please have some compassion and do not let this tribute descend into bickering over police corruption etc. It only adds to the pain.

So sad to read about this young man's death and the senseless murder of the man trying to break up a fight in Newcastle. Not to mention the young boys hunted down by gang members and left dying from stab wounds in the street. Such a waste of lives.