Clive Chamberlain, chair of Dorset Police Federation, takes a different look at life
Have you noticed recently the increased use of the word ‘Plod’ by politicians, journalists and at least one TV political interviewer when referring to police officers and the service in general? It’s not used affectionately but in a rather contemptuous and insulting way inferring that we ‘coppers’ are all a bit slow witted or dull; perhaps not much further progressed than a Neanderthal.
This sneering condescension is aimed at all ranks and deliberately fails to acknowledge that many who choose a police career will join with university degrees and a whole host of other qualifications, but perhaps not the right old school ties for some of these elitist snobs.
Of course, for those of us who have read Enid Blyton’s ‘Noddy’ books, PC Plod was the local Bobby in Toyland who either plodded or cycled around his beat as depicted in the illustrations of Peter Wienk.
Blyton spent a lot of time here in Dorset and it is widely believed that she based her Plod character on the then Studland Rural Beat Officer, PC Christopher Rhone. I can’t claim to have known Chris, but did meet him one Christmas as after retiring from the constabulary he worked for many years at the local court. So PC Plod was a Dorset officer!
Talking of the festive season, Mrs C has just started her annual pre-Christmas health drive that is imposed on us all, replacing everything I love such as crisps, chocolate and ice-cream with unleaded fat-free substitutes and fruit.
The other evening she also randomly announced: “I’m off to Pilates,” and skipped out of the door clutching a sports holdall and several containers of water. For a moment I thought that she was leaving me for an exotically named thirsty younger man, but was relieved once it had been explained that ‘Pilates’ is a form of body toning exercise and that she was attending a local club with some friends.
I seized the opportunity presented by her absence usefully by polishing off a litre tub of Häagan Dazs that I had smuggled in earlier, and that had been calling me from the freezer…
Clive Chamberlain
