Greater Manchester Police’s new chief constable has said he ‘absolutely would not’ take the knee.
Chief Constable Stephen Watson says the public would ‘rather we just locked up burglars’ than focus on ‘woke’ political narratives.
Mr Watson believes the level of ‘woke’ policing has passed a ‘high water mark’ of tolerance from the public.
He said the public is ‘fed up’ with ‘virtue-signalling police officers’ and believes that the impartiality of officers could be undermined by responses to campaign groups including actions such as taking the knee or wearing their pins, badges or rainbow shoelaces.
When asked whether he would take the knee in uniform, Mr Watson told The Daily Telegraph : “No, I absolutely would not.
“I would probably kneel before the Queen, God, and Mrs Watson, that’s it.”
Mr Watson, who was sworn in to his new role last month, has vowed to turn around GMP.
The force is still officially in special measures after a damning government watchdog report, which estimated it had failed to properly record 80,000 crimes.
During his first week in charge, Mr Watson vowed that ‘every crime reported to GMP will be properly investigated’, setting the goal he said he would quit if the force is not in a ‘demonstrably better place’ within two years.
Mr Watson told the Telegraph: “Impartiality is in danger of being upset in our urge and desire to demonstrate that we would like to make common cause from time to time with people whose agenda is very difficult to disagree with.
“I do not think that things like taking the knee, demonstrating that you have a commonality of view with the protesters that you’re policing is compatible with the standards of service that people require of their police.
“Officers could put themselves in a difficult place because if you demonstrate you’re not impartial, and you then have to make an arrest, how on earth do you assist the courts to come to just judgement as to you having executed your powers of arrest in an appropriately impartial professional manner?”
Mr Watson added: “I think we’re past the high watermark.
“The public are getting a little bit fed up of virtue-signalling police officers when they’d really rather we just locked up burglars.”
Editor-in-Chief | Carl D. Pearson has been involved in British politics and media from an early age, with the key knowledge of what it takes to run a news organisation for the 21st century. Mr Pearson, as Editor-in-chief, is responsible for supervising the daily tasks of publishing media and content to UNN’s website and various platforms.
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