MP Johnny Mercer has mounted a spirited defence of policing after the latest viral video and resulting media criticism put the service in a bad light.
The Plymouth MP and Veterans’ Minister was asked by Good Morning Britain to comment on a dashcam recording which appeared to show of a PCSO in Sussex refusing to intervene in an alleged assault.
Mr Mercer acknowledged: “It has become slightly unfashionable for people to stand up for these people who get out of bed every morning and try to do right by their communities and try to uphold the law. It has become more fashionable to highlight the minority and the tiny percentage of cases that go horribly wrong.
“I think these people are incredible, I think they do an exceptional service to the British public. I think we have to bear this stuff in context - nothing is black or white - and we should be incredibly proud of the British police.”
Mr Mercer continued: “I am an extremely strong supporter of the police. You hear of these incidents but you have to bear it in the context of the hundreds of thousands of amazing police officers who every day go out and work in their communities, who prevent crime, who run towards danger, who put themselves in personal danger - often unarmed - in order to save lives and protect the public.”
Staffordshire Police Federation Chair Lee Robinson added: “We are grateful to Johnny Mercer for praising the thousands of police officers who do outstanding work in difficult circumstances. Like any public service we won’t get everything right every time, but on the whole police officers do a sterling job. Locally we continue to do our best every day for the people of Staffordshire.”
