Another busy week - back to back meetings yesterday - I had my regular catch up with my Chief Executive and then met with the Kent Police Federation about the implementation of the new Kent Policing Model from their perspective. Finally I saw the Chief Constable who was on leave last week, so lots to catch up on.
Today sees me chairing the official side of the Police Negotiating Board in London. The issue on the table today is a first in-depth look at Windsor Part 2 Report. There are 121 recommended actions in the report, so getting clarity around that number is a massive workload. On Wednesday, the Authority is having its first look at the Windsor recommendations, so the timing of that is perfect.
After that session I'm meeting with Chief Inspector Lee Russell, to talk about a new online 'Stay Safe and Tell Us' project. This is a partnership flagship programme, with the Force and Kent Peoples Trust, Achieve Digital Ltd, and Amelix Ltd. The idea is to create a number of events for under 16's and an online alternative to Facebook. This is really quite exciting and I'm hoping to be involved in the launch in May.
Last week in my blog I highlighted some of the comments made at a Transition Conference hosted by the Association of Police Authorities. It seems the theme of police and crime commissioner candidate mail outs resonated with John Prescott. He wrote a piece in the Guardian last Friday: 'If we truly believe in the democratic process and want to elect the best voice of the people for each police force area, we must ensure that every voice is heard and every voter told. You shouldn't have to buy democracy.' Was quite an eye opening article - check out the full version here
On a personal note, my book club met last week. We talked about 'The Book of Negroes' - there were mixed reviews from us. The book is an important historical document which records names and descriptions of 3,000 African-American slaves who escaped to the British lines during the American Revolution. The club has also started to read poems and this one caught my eye and I wanted to share it all with you. It's a parody of 'If' by Rudyard Kipling and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did:
If you can keep your money when governments about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust your neighbour when they trust not you
And they be very nosy too;
If you can await the warm delights of summer
Then summer comes and goes with sun not seen,
And pay so much for drinking water
Knowing that the water is unclean.
If you seek peace in times of war creation,
And you can see that oil merchants are to blame,
If you can meet a pimp or politician,
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you cannot bear dis-united nations
And you think this new world order is a trick,
If you've ever tried to build good race relations,
And watch bad policing mess your work up quick.
If you can make one heap of all your savings
And risk buying a small house and plot,
Then sit back and watch the economy inflating
Then have to deal with the negative equity you've got;
If you can force your mind and body to continue
When all the social services have gone,
If you struggle on when there is nothing in you,
Except the knowledge that justice can be wrong.
If you can speak the truth to common people
Or walk with Kings and Queens and live no lie,
If you can see how power can be evil
And know that every censor is a spy;
If you can fill an unforgiving lifetime
With years of working hard to make ends meet,
You may not be wealthy but I am sure you will find
That you can hold your head high as you walk the streets.
Have a nice week in the sun - long may it last!