Is That Wise...?

Stress balls, lip balm and sunglasses worth thousands of pounds have been bought by cash-strapped police chiefs, despite claims of a crisis in funding for frontline services.

Stress balls, eh? Bit dangerous! But as it turns out, the headline's a bit misleading:

Branded merchandise such as selfie frames, furry policemen and even Tardis-style police box models are among £250,000 worth of goods purchased by Police and Crime Commissioners to boost awareness of their roles – despite frequent demands by PCCs for more government funding.

So, not 'police chiefs' at all. Just the much-vaunted extra layer of bureaucrats that were supposed to bring the actual police to heel. That worked well, eh?

PCCs say their merchandise helps to build community relations. Mrs Mountstevens’s office said: ‘Using items branded with our contact details or information about what we do and how the public can have a say is an effective way of engaging people.’

What's the point, when you ignore them just as much as the police themselves?