Contrary to the explanation put forth by a bureaucrat, Dalrymple explains the real reason that only 15 percent of eligible voters turned out in the recent elections for local police commissioners:
The reason for the low turn-out during this election was that the British people can still recognise a pseudo- or para-reform when they see one. What the British people want from their criminal justice system, of which the police form a part, is safe streets and protection from crime: the one thing against which they know that the political and intellectual class has set its face. Popular indifference is caused by an awareness that our political class will move mountains to produce trifles, and produce trifles to move mountains.
‘What the British people want…is safe streets and protection from crime: the one thing against which they know that the political and intellectual class has set its face.’ This is Dalrymple at his incisive best.
Spot on! It seems that these days when an institution is not functioning, instead of trying to fix it they merely invent yet another layer of management, on generous publicly-funded salaries. The only thing that sets this one apart is that they had the gall to ask us to vote for the appointees as well!
Ellen, I apologize for the delay in aproving your comment.
You are correct, of course. Reforming large bureaucracies seems to be one of the most difficult tasks on Earth.
He hee, oh yes that’s what they want… and some… and some… and some… and some…
If you are unhasppy with the Police and Crime Commissioners, there’s a petition you can sign at:
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/41806