From political factions trying to use the police as an opportunity to score points over opponents, to highly pressurised public order situations leaving officers the target of criticism from all sides, it may have felt that in 2023, officers have been in a no-win situation.
Some years Christmas seems to start in September, with the shops awash with cards, full of family boxes of chocolates and draped in decorations well before the clocks go back.
Other years it feels like Christmas has just crept up on you; one minute you’re looking ahead from bonfire night to a catch up with friends for the festive season, and the next you’ve missed the last posting day, no-one has any present ideas left and everyone else seems to be setting up their out of office.
This year it definitely feels like the second version is well underway. Less than a week to go, and there’s still so much to be done.
Of course, sometimes it’s events way outside our own control that affect our thinking towards Christmas. A couple of years ago the threat of another lockdown seemed to focus people’s minds – either to avoid the crowds as much as possible, or to get out and about as often as they could before everything closed.
This year, there’s been plenty of distractions to the Christmas spirit again; political turmoil, finances tight for many in a cost-of-living crisis, and the horrific events and images in the Middle East have occupied many people’s minds.
The fallout from those events have impacted on policing too, both in the media focus and commentary on how policing responds, and the operational demands on officers themselves.
From political factions trying to use the police as an opportunity to score points over opponents, to often highly pressurised public order situations leaving officers the target of criticism from all sides, it may have felt that on occasion in 2023, police have been in a no-win situation.
Add to that the discussions around lack of trust and confidence – not just in policing, but institutions more widely – and the lack of recognition for the difficult day-to-day job of tackling everyone from drunks and drug dealers to sexual predators and organised crime, and the phrase ‘thankless task’ doesn’t even come close.
Enjoy it your way
To all of you who have worked tirelessly to protect the public over the past year, and will be doing so again over the festive period, from all of us here at Policing Insight, thank you for everything you do.
So perhaps this year, more than ever, it’s important that officers and staff get the chance to enjoy the festive period in their own way – whether that’s celebrating with family, enjoying the company of friends and colleagues, or just finding some quiet space and time to relax and recharge.
Of course, that can be difficult for the emergency services generally and police in particular, many of whom will be working long shifts coping with the additional Christmas workload, and trying to make sure that everyone else gets to enjoy their festivities safely and free from harm.
So to all of you who have worked tirelessly to protect the public over the past year, and will be doing so again over the festive period, from all of us here at Policing Insight, thank you for everything you do.
We hope you get the opportunity at some point over the next couple of weeks to enjoy Christmas your way.
Taking chances
One final thought. I was talking to a friend who recently lost his wife unexpectedly to a heart attack in her early 50s. It was one of those conversations we have at this time of year, asking people how they’re getting on, what they’re doing for Christmas, and inviting them round over the Christmas period (he’s already had several better offers!).
If nothing else, we know the future is unpredictable; with that in mind, we hope all our readers take those chances when they get them, and have a safe and Happy Christmas.
I asked him whether he was coping and how he was feeling about Christmas. He explained that he lived his life at the moment following a fairly simple proverb: ‘Enjoy today, for tomorrow isn’t promised’.
For him, that doesn’t mean don’t plan, don’t look to the future or have hopes and ambitions; it simply means if the chance comes along to do something that gives you enjoyment – whether with friends and family, or alone – then make every effort to take that chance. It may not come around again for a while, if at all.
If nothing else, we know the future is unpredictable; with that in mind, we hope all our readers take those chances when they get them. Have a safe and Happy Christmas, and a prosperous and healthy New Year.
Picture © Ground Picture / Shutterstock
