Late 2005 the bosses decided not to renew the catering contracts for the canteens (there were only 3 in our division any way and not one in my nick) not because they wanted to save money, oh no it was so we could 'eat in the community'.
Now a memo has come round saying we are not to buy food in uniform. We a can't even pop into tesco's express or the local Mc/kebab/curry outlets whilst rushing between calls on our 12 hour shifts.
This is in response to local busy bodies writing into the local paper complaining about seeing officers eating! This is after we were told to eat in the communities!!
It wasn't like they were having a three course meal in restaurant they were eating pasties from Greggs on route to another call!
Do they think we are robots or something?!
We still have to eat we ARE still human beings!!!
6 comments:
I take it then, that it is unacceptable for you go to the toilet anywhere that you might be seen whilst in uniform.
I used to run our HQ canteen and have since heard that it is sadly missed.
So, you can't have a hot meal at the station.
And you can't have a hot meal outside the station.
That'll be cheese sarnies and a soggy pork pie all round then.
Obviously, your Supernintendo and the Chief Inspectors are standing shoulder to shoulder with you and also not having properly cooked hot meals? No, probably not.
What's the problem with us having meal breaks where other people can see us (apart from us getting interrupted so that somebody can report some load of old rubbish whilst we're halfway through breakfast).
My team go for a squad breakfast at the local hospital on earlies and it's one of the few times we get to sit down together and just chat.
I hate the public when I read things like this. Makes me want to scream, "well go and deal with the dross yourself then! See how you like our job".
I need to relax a bit.
Its all well and good eating out, and yes I positively encourage it with my lot, but then we tend to group together, and you end up with an entire cafe being swamped with old bill! I don't think the staff have enough phlegm for all of us!
There's nothing more annoying than when, in the two minutes between calls you manage to stop at a food outlet, only for a member of the Great British Public to say "OH, BUSY DAY THEN LADS?"....!
There are two stock responses, usually prompted by the question: "DO YOU HAVE A JOB, SIR?":
1) "YES"
"DO YOU GET A GUARANTEED INTERRUPTED LUNCH HOUR?"
"YES"
"Well, you're a very lucky man indeed sir"
2) "NO".
"Well then, you can never hope to understand. I really must dash, or I'll be late to deal with your neighbour complaining about getting a nasty text message"
There's actually some ancient regulation against buying food in uniform dating back to the 1830s, I think, and they probably thought it was a load of old bollocks even then.
As a "member of the public" I would much rather officers were eating "in the community" (what an awful phrase) because you are not only visible but also likely to be nearer to the "action" if you are required. I'd rather you sat in the chip shop than carried your Ginsters back to the station.
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