When Is A Griffin Not A Griffin?

Griffins.

Griffins are mythological creatures which protect the gold.

They are used in the coat of arms of the City of London,
& thus upon the helmets of the City of London police.

Griffins are also used upon the crest of the Civil Nuclear
Constabulary, which is why many anti nukiller activists  refer to
them as Griffins.

A Mix and Match Police Force.

One of the most interesting trends in policing over the last few
years has been the way in which police forces help each other out.

For example:
After the riots in Haringey last year,
it became very common to see the streets of Turnpike Lane and
Wood Green patrolled by none metropolitan police offices.
e.g.
From the Strathclyde force,
etc, etc.

Earlier this year I was on the protest at the Hinkley and Sizewell
nukiller power plant protests.

At Hinkley the local Somerset police were on duty outside of the
plant.

At Sizewell the local Suffolk police were on duty outside of the
plant.

While the security just inside these EDF owned nukiller plants
was being provided by a private security company.

The Shape of the Future Nukiller Police.

Now comes the news that the Cumbrian police are being asked to
provide security at the Sellafield
( Windscale ) plant.

This is so that in future:
‘the nuclear constabulary will deal solely with anti-terrorism issues’.

Boots, Truncheons, & Iodine Tablets.

Apart from the cost aspect of local police forces undertaking to
‘protect’ nukiller plants,
there is another question which comes to my mind.

Given the move towards that mix & match form of policing.
then will all those police officers who are deployed at nukiller
plants be given extra training and equipment to deal with any
future radiation leaks?

Will they now all be provided with iodine tablets,
or guider counters as part of their standard equipment ?

or

Is this yet another ill thought out set of ideas?

It would be interesting to learn just what rank and file police
officers think about these issues.

More A Force Than A Police Force

The Civil Nuclear Constabulary are planning to build a new
£1.6m firing range at Dounreay.

Dounreay was used for fast Breader Nukiller Reactor research and development.
The site is now run by Dounreay Site Restoration Limited (DSRL).

Coming together with other information about the
CNC,  it would seem that they are now aiming to become more of
an armed force: – rather than an old fashioned constabulary.

New Year – New Fashions

When I used to work in C & W May ( theatrical Costumiers ),
there was a guy who worked in the place who would explain
that the look of the costumes which people wear is not always
just a question of what is in fashion at the time.

As he put the point, it was never a question of:
‘Right lads! It’s 1930! All change in to these new costumes!’

Just look at come of the photos of Laurence Housman which
were taken during that decade, and you will see him wearing a
wing collar: Something that was very fashionable within an
earlier era.

As with clothing – The same with politics.

Some of us are still banging on about issues which were highly
fashionable to campaign upon a few decades back.

Though unlike clothing fashions – some political fashions do
not date in terms of what is are immediate problems which need
to be addressed.

I was reminded of all this the other day as I noted a job being
advertised for a new Director of Corporate Services at the
UK.
Civil Nuclear Police Authority.

i.e. The Nukiller Police.

Continue reading New Year – New Fashions