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“Everyone hates the Police” she stated. I laughed and said that’s plainly not true, it’s just something people say, but she insisted. “When we arrest criminals they’re angry and abusive of course and we only deal with the public to give them bad news so they’re often angry and disappointed in us”. The silent majority are supportive I insisted but she couldn’t be shifted so I mentioned it on social media and the response was absolutely extraordinary... What about Hillsborough?...Police just pushing a Government agenda...Nothing better to do then stupid speeding tickets.

GETTY I listened and what I found was a force at a dangerously low ebb, says Nick Knowles

Surprised, I pointed out the tough job they undertake.

We only deal with the public to give them bad news so they’re often angry and disappointed in us Police officer

The responses were half mocking abuse, being called a “grass” and were generally dismissive. Really? Have we seriously lost all respect for the force? So I looked into it. I spoke to the Police Dependents’ Trust. I joined police anonymous blogspots and Twitter feeds and spoke to Officers at the Police Bravery Awards. I listened and what I found was a force at a dangerously low ebb – beaten down, under financial and manpower pressures, unsupported by Government, abused, attacked in the press and without any sign of public support.

GETTY Ask yourself another question. Why would an armed response officer do the job today?

At a time when they are needed most, the people who man the line between good and bad, literally keep us safe and run toward what we run away from, feel disrespected and unloved. What’s more they are suffering physical and mental health issues that threaten to start a mass exodus from the force. So let’s seriously consider some of the accusations, the first-being that they are guilty of historical errors and cover ups. “All officers carry a responsibility to ensure that a Hillsborough event and cover up never happens again”. Not my words but the words of a serving detective I know. They know it was wrong and so do we but are we seriously saying that the hundreds of thousands of calls dealt with every day, the majority successfully, are to be overshadowed by the rare high-profile errors or cover ups? Yes they were terrible and took too long to expose but they are not what happens every day. Ask yourself another question. Why would an armed response officer do the job today? They go to work knowing they may have to make a split second decision to save lives that will then be examined over a period of years by lawyers, judges, politicians and press column writers from the safety of their office chairs.

GETTY The police are your brother, sister, mum or dad, son or daughter.

Some will be deciding if they should face charges for the decision they made. Should we not thank God someone is doing their job because it would be a field day for armed robbers, drug gangs and terrorists if they weren’t there. “Armed officers don’t make a difference” is a message I’ve seen on Twitter. Tell that to the people in Nice and Berlin. “This isn’t America” is another objection to armed cope. No it isn’t. There are a limited number of armed officers in key public areas and I’m glad they’re there. I’m glad people will take that responsibility despite knowing that they’ll be hung out to dry when, God forbid, they have to do their jobs. Of course we should hold them to account but let’s start from a place of respect. Both the BBC and Guardian recently ran an article complaining that two armed officers were photographed smiling. I would thank them for engaging with the public, trying to show that they are human beings holding those weapons, not thoughtless robots. When they take off their armour and uniforms they go home to your street to live next door. Who do you think the Police are? Aliens beamed from another planet? They are your brother, sister, mum or dad, son or daughter.

Tonight a mother will kiss her children goodnight and go out on patrol and walk through open doors on industrial estates and come face to face with what? A gun? A knife? Four angry young drunks? A motorist trying to drag a lone female officer into motorway traffic because he’s angry about being stopped? Talk to the female Officer recipient of a Police Bravery Award from the West Country who alone fought a man for twenty minutes on the M5 as people happily drove by and left her to it. Yes, he tried to throw her under passing cars, broke her arm until she finally cuffed him. Fancy the job? When a traffic selfie on social media one newspaper chirped: “Still found time to take a selfie.” I’d say thank you for putting a face to the job you’re doing, informing people. How did we get to be so negative about those prepared to take on the abusive, physically aggressive, spitting, drug or alcohol enraged people we wouldn’t want to deal with? A spit hood is used once on someone with learning difficulties; a mistake certainly but to then suggest that hoods should not be used is ridiculous. Would you want to be spat at directly into your face when you went to work? Then why should they? But why should you care about police safety? Our politicians don’t.

GETTY Trauma in officers is on the increase, says Nick Knowles

When it was discussed in the House of Commons there were hardly any MPs to be seen. They will argue of course, that those engaged with the bill being discussed were present but that screen grab of the empty Commons did the rounds of the Police and they believe that every MP that wasn’t there was saying to officers in their area “I don’t care”. Rest assured if the debate had been on MP’s safety there would have been standing room only. S o without the usual glib jokes about the police, think what our society would be without them or if the service broke down. Think fast because according to the Police Federation 11 per cent of police officers have had enough and are leaving voluntarily. Years ago we managed to separate in our minds the conflict from the soldier. If you don’t like where our military are sent then take it up with the politicians but when those young men and women return having given so much, we should look after them. It’s time we did the same with the police. The police are the reason we can go to work and come home safely most of the time. They tackle City cyber crime and online bullying, burglary, assault, child abuse, drunken fights, murder, dangerous driving and a myriad of other complex offences whilst picking up the confused, vulnerable and discarded. But, make no mistake; it’s taking its toll.

GETTY When they take off their armour and uniforms they go home to your street to live next door

Police terrorist training exercise Tue, May 10, 2016 Emergency forces and shoppers take place in a simulated terror attack at the Trafford Centre, Manchester Play slideshow Getty Images 1 of 31 Shoppers take place in a simulated terror attack at the Trafford Centre, Manchester