# Policing in the UK (Scottish/Northern Ireland videos) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 27, 2016, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/policing-in-the-uk-scottish-northern-ireland-videos/769887 "2016-10-27T22:28:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/policing-in-the-uk-scottish-northern-ireland-videos/769887/1 "2016-10-27T22:28:35Z")
I came across these videos from the Scottish Police Federation and thought they were quite well done, and I thought people here (as this is a US board) might find them interesting as well as a different perspective on policing. At the risk of sounding like one of those click-bait ads the ‘Maggie Gibson’ video is particularly striking. [http://www.itswhatwedo.org.uk/](http://www.itswhatwedo.org.uk/) The Police Federation of Northern Ireland followed their lead: https://www.youtube.com/embed/HCB4v0N835A?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&list=PLLFm4Z8jhKnFlGsBrhJZgj62OfitypArz No ulterior motives or political commentary intended, I just thought they were pretty thought-provoking and I was wondering what people here might think of them. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/policing-in-the-uk-scottish-northern-ireland-videos/769887/2 "2016-10-28T00:07:44Z")
for context, if you sort this by date, police deaths average just over one per year in the UK. Most involve vehicles; less than 10 have been shot/stabbed to death in the past 20 years: > **[List of British police officers killed in the line of duty](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_British_police_officers_killed_in_the_line_of_duty)** > > Thousands of police officers in Britain are alleged to have died during the course of their duties, but this article includes only those who were killed as a direct result of a crime or while attempting to respond, prevent, stop or solve a specific criminal act. The list is currently incomplete and misses many of those who died in more regular circumstances such as traffic collisions, as well as the many killed by air raids during the Second World War. The list also omits the more than 300 o ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/policing-in-the-uk-scottish-northern-ireland-videos/769887/3 "2016-10-28T05:55:41Z")
> [@up\_the\_junction](#): > > for context, if you sort this by date, police deaths average just over one per year in the UK. Most involve vehicles; less than 10 have been shot/stabbed to death in the past 20 years: > > [List of British police officers killed in the line of duty - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_British_police_officers_killed_in_the_line_of_duty) Yes, that doesn’t include the PSNI though, sixteen of whom have died on duty since 2001, including two by terrorist attack and four in one incident _(I can’t think of any casualties in the past two years but I’ve just woke up…)_ > **[16 PSNI officers have died in the line of duty since force was formed](https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/16-psni-officers-have-died-in-the-line-of-duty-since-force-was-formed/30622956.html)** > > Sixteen police officers have died in the line of duty since the formation of the PSNI in 2001. And there have been a _lot_ of terrorist attacks, its sheer luck more haven’t been killed than that. But the OP was more about the nature of the job than the threat they face. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2016, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/policing-in-the-uk-scottish-northern-ireland-videos/769887/4 "2016-11-14T21:03:18Z")
I remember coming across a diversion due to an accident at the border between Tyrone (Northern Ireland) and Monaghan (Republic of Ireland) about 10 or so years ago. The cops on the northern side of the border were armed to the teeth and on high alert for a possible ambush. When we got, via the detour to the south, the cops on the other side were two lads in their patrol car quaffing coffee, they could not have been more relaxed looking. The contrast was stark. ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2016, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/policing-in-the-uk-scottish-northern-ireland-videos/769887/5 "2016-11-14T23:36:45Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > I remember coming across a diversion due to an accident at the border between Tyrone (Northern Ireland) and Monaghan (Republic of Ireland) about 10 or so years ago. The cops on the northern side of the border were armed to the teeth and on high alert for a possible ambush. When we got, via the detour to the south, the cops on the other side were two lads in their patrol car quaffing coffee, they could not have been more relaxed looking. The contrast was stark. Thanks for the reply! Yes, I’m from Northern Ireland, only last year I was on a business trip to the Republic, driving though a small town I noticed that the Garda station was an ordinary building opening straight onto the street outside. I couldn’t believe it, it made me realise that my idea of what is normal has been kind of skewed… I believe An Garda Síochána is going through something of a crisis at the moment, the budget cuts have had a major effect here as well, when 97% of officers state they have low morale you know there’s a problem. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2016, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/policing-in-the-uk-scottish-northern-ireland-videos/769887/6 "2016-11-16T01:45:19Z")
> [@Atomic\_Alex](#): > > I believe An Garda Síochána is going through something of a crisis at the moment, the budget cuts have had a major effect here as well, when 97% of officers state they have low morale you know there’s a problem. Newer entrants have been sold down the river pay wise and recent ructions are trying to address that and other issues. I hope they resolve it soon and to the maximum benefit.