Police to think twice about rescuing drowning

[ben ashton]

^clicky

Compare with recent old blue's 'dive into harbour' efforts in Australia..

[J.R.]

I'm afraid it's the 'Jobsworth' society, now being ruled by the H & S Commissars !

[sejintenej]

They may THINK about it but they cannot legally allow any non-specifically trained officer or other employee to try a rescue because that puts the officer himself / herself at risk which is an offence under Health & Safety rules.
Having trained an officer, should that officer not be sucfcessful in a rescue attempt then the Police Force and officer personally can be sued. If an officer should die or be injured as a result of a rescue / attempt then the Force is liable for the breach of H & S rules.

Working on the tracks, should one of us have failed to keep a driver alive and uninjured then it was us personally who would be sued by the driver or successors. The county council actually declared that the use of safety marshals on motor racing tracks was in breach of H & S rules and threatened to close Brands Hatch down. The fact that we were self employed and unpaid was considered a contemptuous excuse.

I suspect that there are even laws or rules stopping police officers from telling you the time but on the other hand they can break into your house at any time for any spurious reason and then Taser you - which could be fatal.

[J.R.]

Nice one, David !