The Real World

Following a 30 year career serving the public as a police officer, I have often been dismayed at the way officers are portrayed in the media and in other arenas, despite devoting their lives dealing with other people’s problems and issues, whatever those issues are.

Officers are regularly and often unfairly criticized for the outcomes of incidents, despite acting in accordance with legislation and procedure, especially where those reporting are unaware of the full facts.

I have sought to address some of these perceptions by highlighting how and why people behave in certain circumstances in order for others to understand the processes necessary in policing and the decisions officers have made, and why.

My book, from the introductory chapter to the final sentence explores human behaviour and political issues, as well as a host of other factors which impact on the day to day ability of officers to be able to keep our citizens safe from harm and danger.

Often humorous, sometimes sad, I seek to explore the life of an operational police officer and to give an insight into some of the many incidents they deal with, how they deal with them, the impact people’s behaviour has on others as well as the plethora of human factors that officers face. Police officers daily compromising their own physical and emotional safety for the well-being and security of us all.

‘The Real World’ takes the reader on a journey to explore the complexities of policing as well as the physical and emotional hazards that officers face daily in performing their role, to a place of work where people run away from, but where police officers always run towards, to secure the safety of us all.

I hope to promote a dialogue where we try to understand but don’t pre-judge the outcome of the very difficult role that officers perform daily, before being aware of the full facts which have led to those decisions being made.