Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.THE BOYS in Blue have not done great. When it comes to sports prowess, the Metropolitan Police's representative teams are rubbing shoulders with the great strugglers of the day: Doncaster Rovers, the Welsh rugby team and the British Winter Olympics team.
It is a sorry picture: the Met's rugby, cricket and football teams are all pale shadows of their former selves - despite a range of luxurious sports facilities.
The rugby team, bottom of their division of the national league, looks doomed to relegation after just one win this season; the footballers used to be in Division 1 of the Ryman-Isthmian league but are now languishing in Division 2; and to cap it all, the Yard's cricketers were last year relegated from Division One of the Surrey championship league.
The poor performance has led to boardroom discussions at the Yard where the Blues' boss, Sir Paul "the Commissioner" Condon, heard of falling standards.
Sir Paul is, predictably, said to be as sick as a parrot and has sent out "advice" to his top players to raise their game forthwith. The policy board of top officers put out a police notice on the sorry state of affairs, reminding officers of the value of sport.
Secretary of the Metropolitan Police Athletics Association, Tony Brooking - brother of ex-England footballer Trevor Brooking - is delighted with the boardroom backing. "Over recent years the emphasis has been on putting officers on the streets, and that's made it increasingly difficult for sportsmen and women to get time off to play," he said.
The new police notice is likely to reaffirm an earlier statement made five years ago which said: "The Metropolitan Police Service recognises that there are positive benefits for the service to be gained from staff taking part in sport and recreation. These include the development of leadership qualities, the promotion of teamwork, a contribution to team building skills, the improvement of physical and mental fitness and a contribution to positive community contacts."
Other managers, of course, may have expressed it differently - and more colourfully.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments