You might remember the story last November about police being issued with a 90-page elf ‘n’ safety manual on riding a bike. It was rubbish, as the Association of Chief Police Offers was quick to point out:
This work was neither requested nor drawn up by ACPO and we do not endorse it.
It was put forward by a group of well meaning police officers with an interest in this area. ACPO will not be taking it forward.
Some enthusiastic cycling policemen proposed a cycling guide for the force and it was rejected. Just another non-story (albeit one that snuck into the Independent). Except that, er, it’s now popped up in the government White Paper on police reform:
Whole shopping trolleys’ worth of guidance is loaded onto the police during the course of a year. Whether this is guidance for officers on how to dress or 92 pages on how to ride a bike – this has to be reduced.
It’s not the first time a Tory’s used tabloid rubbish to make a point, but you’d think a government document laying out policy proposals might have better standards of evidence…
(I’m sure I read a blog taking the bike story apart around the time, but I’ve not at all been able to find it. If it was you, send me the link and I’ll credit you!)
I think it is meant as more of a throw-away/jokey comment, than anything…
Government White papers aren’t a place for jokes though. Unless you include terror detention laws and Digital Economy acts…
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