Police chief: ‘We should focus on the good things’
COMMISSIONER SPEAKS OUT AT PRIDE AWARDS
THE UK’s most senior police officer has stressed the importance of focusing on the good things and not just on the horror of recent events.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick said she has been touched by the extraordinary acts of courage and kindness that she has seen in the wake of tragedy.
She spoke as she arrived at the Pride of Britain Awards, where PC Keith Palmer, who was killed in the Westminster terror attack, will be among those honoured.
Ms Dick told the Press Association : “Much of what is being acknowledged tonight comes out of tragedy and we would all wish that we could turn the clocks back and that none of those tragedies happened.
“Since then we have seen some extraordinary acts of courage, compassion and professionalism by members of the emergency services and of course also extraordinary acts from members of the public.
“I think it’s very important to acknowledge all that courage and that kindness and the fact that communities have come together to support their emergency services and to support each other.
“The Pride of Britain is a great opportunity to showcase what people have done, it means a lot.”
At the ceremony PC Palmer will be posthumously honoured for outstanding bravery alongside PC Wayne Marques and PC Charlie Guenigault, the officers who took on the London Bridge attackers.
The Duke of Cambridge and Ed Sheeran will present an award to the Manchester medics who dealt with the aftermath of the arena bombing, while the firefighters who fought the blaze at Grenfell Tower and those affected by the tragedy will be recognised with awards for bravery and community spirit.
Ms Dick said: “I think it has been a hard year, I can’t suggest otherwise.
“We have had several terrorist attacks in which people lost their lives, we had Grenfell Tower and all against the backdrop of international uncertainty of one sort of another, so it has been quite a hard year for people.
“But there has also been some stunningly good things that have happened and we shouldn’t just focus on the horror, we should focus on the good things that have happened as well.”
“I’m surrounded by brilliant people and I’m sure that for everyone who is being recognised tonight, most of them will say ‘any of my colleagues would have done the same’.
“They have done some extraordinary things but what they are saying is the emergency services and the people who support them are fantastic people.”
Asked how she carries on when things get tough, she said: “I’ve been doing this for 35 years and you need to be resilient and one of the things I love about London and the UK is we are very, very resilient.
“You just wish these things wouldn’t happen but if they do happen you want to be there to help and I say that on behalf of 40,000 people in the Met. I had to keep them away from work, not encourage them to come in.”
The Pride of Britain Awards will be on ITV at 8pm on November 7.