Will The Mainstream Media’s Attempts To Empathise With Emergency Workers Who Have Been Assaulted Go Down Well? – Opinion

As far as I am aware, Emergency Services News is the only news outlet that writes (regularly) about the outrageous and despicable attacks on our brave and selfless emergency workers. 

In fact, we have a whole section on our website dedicated to recording the violence directed at the brave men and women who serve on the frontline and we even have a section on our Youtube Channel just for sharing body-worn camera footage. We want to highlight the bravery of the courageous men and women who risk their lives to save the lives of others. 

Emergency Services News has noticed that over the last 24 months, attacks on emergency workers are not only becoming more frequent, but they are also getting more serious. 

Indeed, just in the last few weeks, there have been several incidents around the country that have resulted in suspects being arrested for the attempted murder of police officers. 

So whilst it is refreshing to see elements of the mainstream media starting to highlight this epidemic of violence directed towards emergency workers, we must also consider how some aspects of the mainstream media have also poured fuel onto the fire. 

Whether by sharing partial video clips of police officers detaining violent suspects or the constant downplaying of stop and search without any real idea concerning how police officers utilise and deploy stop and search, the mainstream media have had their part to play in downplaying the life-saving job of the emergency services and in particular, the police.

Personally, whenever I stumble over an anti-police piece that a journalist in the mainstream media has written, I always ask myself the following:

Has the author ever served on the front line of the emergency services? 

Or, have they ever had to tackle a knife-wielding or gun-totting suspect who does not care about doing time in prison?

Has the journalist who has written the piece ever had to deliver a death message? Have they ever rescued a child from their evil abuser? Have they ever been the first on the scene to an RTC with multiple casualties and have had to decide who gets life-saving treatment? 

I have had experience of all of the above, so I feel that I am somewhat qualified to write about what is happening on the frontline of the emergency services. 

And I guess that is my point; The next time you read an anti-police article that has been written by someone who has zero experience of serving on the frontline (watching repeats of ‘Police Interceptors’ does not count), then just ask yourself what, if any, experience the author has to comment on such matters.  

The problem is that baiting the public to resent the police is easy. 

Especially if you have an axe to grind on the police because they have disrupted you in the past from carrying out your criminal or illegal activities. 

I say that it is easy because police officers are not allowed to defend themselves officially. They have to remain silent. They have to sit back and take the written battering that some elements of the mainstream media like to subject them to. 

But for those of us who have served on the front line of the emergency services, we know the truth. 

We know that 99% of the anti-police brigade would never have the qualities needed to make life-or-death decisions in fast-moving situations. 

So yes, it is nice to see some elements of the mainstream media starting to take note of the severe assaults inflicted upon emergency workers. 

But until they stop their ongoing ‘anti’ narrative, their efforts are meaningless. 

Regardless of what the mainstream media think or do, there will always be brave men and women in the emergency services who are willing to risk their own life in order to save yours.

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