Your comments on Sir David ring true. I was on an exercise with SO13 and the military wing of the Conservative Party when Mr Venness (as he was then) arrived for a morale boosting visit. He made the mistake of asking me how it was going. I replied that the actions being passed to SB were laughable, and showed how much SO13 didn't know about the way we worked.
The following Monday I received a call from my Chief Super. "The AC wants to see you now. WTF have you done?"
After half an hour with Mr Venness, explaining the way I thought the exercise could be improved by some genuine SB input, I was given the task of writing the SB side of the next exercise (and several other afterwards as well) much to the annoyance of SO13.
Whenever our paths crossed after that, I was impressed that he always remembered my name. Not many managers that senior were capable of that.
I soon realised that Chief Inspector was my ceiling, having tried T/Supt I got fed up with endless, pointless meetings. My attitude was that my job as a CI, after I transferred to North East Scotland, was to make the life of the boys and girls on the front line as easy as possible. Make sure that had the kit they needed, filter out most of the crap that was flowing down from on high and show solidarity with them by doing late turns and 'hooli-patrols' on a Friday and Saturday night. If you treat the troops right they make you look good.
A great article Dom. The meaning of leadership combined with management came to me in the 70's when I was a probationer: Sunday Late turn and I had the first 4 hours as 'guard' outside the Turkish Consulate in Devonshire Street off Portland Place W1......It was raining cats and dogs and I was invited into the Consulate by the concierge for a cup of tea and to dry out.. I took off my Mac - soaked - my jacket - soaked - and hung them in his kitchen to dry off...... An hour before my stint was finished I got a call from the section Sergeant - Charlie Smith - a bear of a man and very scary to the likes of me......asking me over the radio for my location......'I'm at the Turkish sarge....' 'So am i....where are you...' WTF...!!! I poked my head out of the front door and there he was, with my replacement.....very, very early.
'Get dressed and come outside....'
I did as told and on stepping out into the rain he began walking off into Portland Place......I followed. Not a word was said. My mind is full of the potential 'complications' that may arise from my aberration......not least as a Probationer I was caught out and the opportunity to have a leg to stand on was somewhat limited.........still nothing said.
We got as far as the BBC in Portland Place when Charlie leant over and said 'Never ..... take your jacket off.....'
That was it.
Nothing else said - or needed to be said......he gave me what I later realised was the best lesson I ever got in policing, leadership and management.....direct action is not always needed and lessons can be learnt without the need for 'procedures to be followed ' and the letter of the law followed.
What was it we were taught at Hendon back then - something about discretion.........and use of common sense....... ?
I remember when the concept of direct entry supers was floated, most of us just shrugged our shoulders with resignation. They were all basically incompetent anyway what difference would it make having someone from outside the police make?
As to lead, follow or get out of the way, the 2011 riots showed that, in the Met at least, the senior managers either disappeared or went to ground. We heard nothing from them for the first 72 hours and stopped the riots in place. Excepting Croydon of course and that resulted in retreat and the burning down of an entire block.
I’m still convinced that the police have too heavy a top end rank structure but what would I know.
Like you my experience was a triangle, great many sgts as i was always constable, so wide at base, fewer inspectors and so on until reached dizzy heights of people id usually hide in the loo from, AC and above so next to none mostly.. Conversely my negative experience was inverse triangle, over whelming majority of skippers fine and dandy, so very few dicks. Pointy bit facing down. Slowly as rank climbs, my exposure shrinks but negativity expands. So fewer AC and above in number but higher ratio of horrors or complete ming mongs.
Way back in the 90's I was a D/S with about 20 years service. My DCI called me in for a chat. He asked me what I thought about promotion. I told him that I thought I'd done enough for him and that he was on his own now.
Great read, Dom, as ever. As a PS, DS, PS, DS for 25/30 years, I recognise everything you mention. I like to think I got it right most of the time, and always got good feedback.
Your comments on Sir David ring true. I was on an exercise with SO13 and the military wing of the Conservative Party when Mr Venness (as he was then) arrived for a morale boosting visit. He made the mistake of asking me how it was going. I replied that the actions being passed to SB were laughable, and showed how much SO13 didn't know about the way we worked.
The following Monday I received a call from my Chief Super. "The AC wants to see you now. WTF have you done?"
After half an hour with Mr Venness, explaining the way I thought the exercise could be improved by some genuine SB input, I was given the task of writing the SB side of the next exercise (and several other afterwards as well) much to the annoyance of SO13.
Whenever our paths crossed after that, I was impressed that he always remembered my name. Not many managers that senior were capable of that.
I soon realised that Chief Inspector was my ceiling, having tried T/Supt I got fed up with endless, pointless meetings. My attitude was that my job as a CI, after I transferred to North East Scotland, was to make the life of the boys and girls on the front line as easy as possible. Make sure that had the kit they needed, filter out most of the crap that was flowing down from on high and show solidarity with them by doing late turns and 'hooli-patrols' on a Friday and Saturday night. If you treat the troops right they make you look good.
I can’t comment any further. As a PC/DC for 18yrs then a DS for 10yrs before spending the last 2yrs as a custody Sgt this post is 100% correct
A great article Dom. The meaning of leadership combined with management came to me in the 70's when I was a probationer: Sunday Late turn and I had the first 4 hours as 'guard' outside the Turkish Consulate in Devonshire Street off Portland Place W1......It was raining cats and dogs and I was invited into the Consulate by the concierge for a cup of tea and to dry out.. I took off my Mac - soaked - my jacket - soaked - and hung them in his kitchen to dry off...... An hour before my stint was finished I got a call from the section Sergeant - Charlie Smith - a bear of a man and very scary to the likes of me......asking me over the radio for my location......'I'm at the Turkish sarge....' 'So am i....where are you...' WTF...!!! I poked my head out of the front door and there he was, with my replacement.....very, very early.
'Get dressed and come outside....'
I did as told and on stepping out into the rain he began walking off into Portland Place......I followed. Not a word was said. My mind is full of the potential 'complications' that may arise from my aberration......not least as a Probationer I was caught out and the opportunity to have a leg to stand on was somewhat limited.........still nothing said.
We got as far as the BBC in Portland Place when Charlie leant over and said 'Never ..... take your jacket off.....'
That was it.
Nothing else said - or needed to be said......he gave me what I later realised was the best lesson I ever got in policing, leadership and management.....direct action is not always needed and lessons can be learnt without the need for 'procedures to be followed ' and the letter of the law followed.
What was it we were taught at Hendon back then - something about discretion.........and use of common sense....... ?
Dave Veness and Mick Messenger were my favourite Met Bosses.. unfortunately vastly outnumbered by the incompetent and the bullies.. great read Dom.
I remember when the concept of direct entry supers was floated, most of us just shrugged our shoulders with resignation. They were all basically incompetent anyway what difference would it make having someone from outside the police make?
As to lead, follow or get out of the way, the 2011 riots showed that, in the Met at least, the senior managers either disappeared or went to ground. We heard nothing from them for the first 72 hours and stopped the riots in place. Excepting Croydon of course and that resulted in retreat and the burning down of an entire block.
I’m still convinced that the police have too heavy a top end rank structure but what would I know.
Like you my experience was a triangle, great many sgts as i was always constable, so wide at base, fewer inspectors and so on until reached dizzy heights of people id usually hide in the loo from, AC and above so next to none mostly.. Conversely my negative experience was inverse triangle, over whelming majority of skippers fine and dandy, so very few dicks. Pointy bit facing down. Slowly as rank climbs, my exposure shrinks but negativity expands. So fewer AC and above in number but higher ratio of horrors or complete ming mongs.
Way back in the 90's I was a D/S with about 20 years service. My DCI called me in for a chat. He asked me what I thought about promotion. I told him that I thought I'd done enough for him and that he was on his own now.
Great read, Dom, as ever. As a PS, DS, PS, DS for 25/30 years, I recognise everything you mention. I like to think I got it right most of the time, and always got good feedback.