Dear Paul of The Thespian Kind,
I read recently in an old edition of the ROYAL GIBRALTAR POLICE magazine BOBBY, that once upon a time you appeared on stage, in a play with the CIVIL GARRISON title. I daresay you won’t need reminding that the play tells the story of an evacuation, and a family caught up in the struggles presented to them by tyranny, and the story told of a battle for civil rights against a backdrop of global conflict during world war II.
We are now in World War III, doubt it not, and when you reluctantly arrested and issued me with a Fixed Penalty Notice, for not wearing a mask, I recall you asking me several times about my personal reasons for making such a stance. So, without further ado, and with your request kept firmly in mind, here’s my written response, as posted on The Defending Gibraltar Forum for your edification.
To be, or not to be a hero, that is the question.
“To be a hero, you need to arrest these two people in the above photo, for crimes against humanity.”
“To be a proper police officer, rather than the pretend one from BOBBY, you need to adhere to the nine Peelian Principles”
These nine principles are as follows:
1 – The basic mission for which the police exist is to prevent crime and disorder
2 – The ability of the police to perform their duties is dependent upon public approval of police actions
3 – Police must secure the willing co-operation of the public in voluntary observance of the law to be able to secure and maintain the respect of the public
4 – The degree of co-operation of the public that can be secured diminishes proportionately to the necessity of the use of physical force
5 – Police seek and preserve public favour not by pandering to public opinion but by constantly demonstrating absolute impartial service to the law
6 – Police use physical force to the extent necessary to secure observance of the law or to restore order only when the exercise of persuasion, advice and warning is found to be insufficient
7 – Police, at all times, should maintain a relationship with the public that gives reality to the historic tradition that the police are the public and the public are the police; the police being only members of the public who are paid to give full-time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen in the interests of community welfare and existence
8 – Police should always direct their action strictly towards their functions and never appear to usurp the powers of the judiciary
9 – The test of police efficiency is the absence of crime and disorder not the visible evidence of police action in dealing with it
You and the rest of your colleagues at THE ROYAL GIBRALTAR POLICE, need to understand that The LAW means God’s Law, not all the evil anti-God legislation being introduced by Fabian Picardo to enslave by deception the people of Gibraltar on The Rock of His Defence.
Tony Farrell
Former Principal Intelligence Analyst of a current pretend police force in England that went by the insipid mantra ‘JUSTICE WITH COURAGE’.
P.S. Perhaps we are destined to see each other soon, in a Gibraltar Courtroom, and in one respect, I do hope so. Somehow, some way, the war-time lyrics of a well-known song from the late Vera Lynn seem apt to share.
Well, in fairness, I did try to warn you that your arrest of me would be one police decision, you’d never forget.
We’ll Meet Again
Don’t know where, don’t know when
But I know We’ll Meet Again
Some sunny day
Keep smiling through
Just like you always do
‘Till the blue skies drive the dark clouds far away
So will you please say hello
To the folks that I know
Tell them I won’t be long
They’ll be happy to know
That as you saw me go
I was singing this song
We’ll Meet Again
Don’t know where, don’t know when
But I know we’ll meet again
Some sunny day
We’ll Meet Again
Don’t know where, don’t know when
But I know we’ll meet again
Some sunny day
Keep smiling through
Just like you always do
‘Till the blue skies drive the dark clouds far away
So will you please say hello
To the folks that I know
Tell them I won’t be long
They’ll be happy to know
That as you saw me go
I was singing this song
We’ll Meet Again
Don’t know where, don’t know when
But I know We’ll Meet Again
Some sunny day
This post is an adaption of Tony Farrell’s post on Defending-Gibraltar (8 January 2021).