As a Police Officer, I am issued with CS Spray. There has always been a nagging doubt whether it actually works. I know it does, I have been subjected to it, but that doesn't stop the "What if it doesn't?" scenario from being thought about.
Well I have now witnessed it personally, and I can report back from the front line that it does work. Boy, does IT work.
"Control to any Standardville patrols, there is a fight ongoing in the 'Badger's Arse' public house on the high street, reports of 15 people fighting"
"Control from Zulu X-Ray 15, show us attending, ETA 2 minutes"
We get there in under 2 minutes to find bedlam. A patrol got there before us, waded into the pub to try and split up the warring factions, and when they didn't stop, yep, out came the CS.
Now they all want to complain about over-zelous policing.
What is this bloody country coming to, when people believe that they have the right to commit violent disorder, and then complain when the police (out numbered) dish out CS in order to re-establish control?
Unfortunately, some people think they were innocent, and got a face full of CS for doing nothing.
I don't think so. Fights are ALWAYS two-sided stories. Yes, there is an aggressor, and a target. But, there are also options.
1. Walk away, and if that fails call the police.
2. Start fighting (which happened), then you only have yourself to blame when you get a face full of CS when the Police arrive and can't get you to stop scrapping.
The trouble is that our country, as a whole (a valid point, as public order is a country wide problem EVERY weekend), they don't want to walk away, they want to get involved, and when the dice doesn't fall for them, they then start bitching.
And the trouble is (for Police) they are listened to, the officers involved WILL be complained against, and have to answer to Professional Standards.
The officer's error? Getting stuck in and trying to stop the fighting. If they felt threatened or that someone would have been injured if they didn't act, then I believe they were justified in spraying.
I don't think anyone INNOCENT was sprayed, the group that was sprayed were well into a ruck and wouldn't stop, and therein lies the problem. They wouldn't walk away from the fight, they got involved, and now that someone has (for want of a better phrase) got the better of them, they don't like it.
The fact it was just one person, a female Police Officer, is like a sledgehammer to their (over-inflated) egos. What did you want, or expect, her to do, stand back and watch you all create merry hell?
The good thing for them is the CS spray's effect wears off, the bad thing (for them) is the fact that they (all 15 of the sad gits) were brought to their knees by one woman will last forever.
Go girl, go girl.
Feel the burn, feel the Oestrogen.
Ha ha, ha ha.
Au revoir