Together they have braved the cold for the last seven years to sell poppies in the build-up to Remembrance Sunday.Who could possibly object? Your 'friendly neighbourhood policeman', that's who:
But it seems not everyone appreciates the efforts of Jan Hinton and teenager Charlotte Warren-Sinclaire in raising hundreds of pounds for the Royal British Legion.
Mrs Hinton, 51, whose father served in World War II and was a prisoner of war, said she and her neighbour, 16, were shocked when two officers approached them. The charity helpers showed their official documents but were still ordered to leave because a member of the public had complained.Good for her!
The officers then allegedly threatened to 'pull the plug' to stop the Legion from selling poppies in the evening if the pair did not cooperate. Mrs Hinton was so upset she has gone to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
'Their attitude was just unbelievable. They said we couldn't collect after dark and not to collect this week because it was Hallowe'en.Good question. They obviously think they are the masters, and we are the servants. But then, it's probably easier to bully and threaten a couple of female charity workers than to get your hands dirty arresting drunken youths. Their mothers must be very proud of them...
'They then said if we carried on, they would pull the plug on the RBL doing house-to-house collections.
'I thought I was hearing it wrong. Who do they think they are claiming-they have the authority to make that decision?
And to claim that the RBL shouldn't collect for Remembrance Sunday because of the crass import of a US holiday beggars belief!
No doubt there's been a swift retraction, grovelling apology, and a couple of cops demoted, disciplined, etc..?
Nope:
A Dorset Police spokesman insisted the officers had said ' nothing untoward'. He added: 'Many people, particularly the elderly, are worried about bogus callers.In other words, these two are lying, nothing happened, it's all a storm in a teacup.
'We do not have any problem with legitimate collecting of this kind.'
So, tell me - does it sound so very unlikely that this is exactly the sort of treatment these two ladies got from our diverse and politically correct police 'service'..?
Twenty years ago, I'd have said 'Yes'. Now? I'm not so sure...
3 comments:
There's something which doesn't add up about this.
In what way? It could be the 'Mail' embellishing the story a little, but they don't seem the type to make a fuss over nothing.
Something struck them as out of kilter about the way they were treated. Whether a geniune misunderstanding, or deliberate attempt to impose themselves over the public and 'be seen to do somehing'.
The problem is, 15-20 years ago, I'd bet the former. Now, even law-abiding middle class people immediately go to the latter. That's a big change, and not for the btter...
They said ... not to collect this week because it was Hallowe'en.
??
It's usually Halloween at some point in the run-up to Remembrance Day... perhaps someone should look at a calendar?
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