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No sanity in police language lessons
Tuesday 5th May 2009, 5:19AM BST.
LETTER: Regarding the report in the Star on Wednesday “Officers’ lessons on Polish phrases”, now I know that there is no sanity in this country.
I do not want to believe that in today’s climate, cutbacks everywhere, never a policeman to be seen, if you need one be prepared to wait hours, whatever the circumstances, that that headline can be true. If it is then I know that the lunatics have finally taken control of the asylum.
We are always being told that the burden of paperwork is keeping the police at their desks instead of on the streets doing what they should be doing, helping the public and preventing crime.
But that cannot be true, because now it seems they have so much spare time they are going to take Polish language lessons.
The Polish workers should be learning English. The fact is that they can in all probability speak perfectly acceptable English, and understand it as well.
But if they become involved with the police it is easier to get out of trouble by pretending that they do not know the language (I know because in 1979 I was a naughty young man enjoying himself in a foreign land).
In 1979 I went to work in Germany. I did not speak a word of German when I arrived, but I did not notice any of the German police rushing off to school to learn my language.
Did that upset me? Did I feel badly treated by our continental cousins? No, none of these things.
Nicholas Alwyn Cox
Oswestry
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Thank you for making Shropshire look like a beacon of xenophobia. Hopefully this enlightened approach to welcoming out neighbours will keep the talented and motivated polish out of this fine county so that it can be left to the badger baiting, fox hunting, dole bluging Salopians as God Almighty intended.
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Well said!
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english people are too stupid to learn anything.
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The police on the Costa del Sol have a 24-hour English speaking emergency contact number.
When reporting a crime to the Spanish police, you can make it in Spanish AND English.
According to the website of the Greek Ministry of Tourism, the Tourist Police is ’staffed with specially trained, foreign-language speaking personnel’.
Italy also has English-speaking police.
No doubt Nicholas Alwyn Cox, the letter-writer from Oswestry, will think there is ‘no sanity’ in Spain, Greece and Italy.
I hope the vast majority of thinking people see the above simply as common sense.
Far from wasting police time, this will speed up and facilitate the police’s dealings with Polish people.
The police have made a sensible decision, which is going to make their work much easier.
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Tom,
A little harsh I think, but I know the sort of narrow-mindedness you’re getting at.
I think it would be a good idea if our police were taught a few words of many languages. In dealing with officialdom in a number of European countries I’ve found the willingness and ability of police, customs officers etc. to speak English puts our own miserable efforts to shame.
I think Mr Cox would do better in putting his time towards wondering why we are so embarrasingly poor as a rule at learning foreign languages.
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Ah yes Huw has made an excellent point. All the Johnny Foreigner police forces are learning ENGLISH, not POLISH!!
I am deeply offended by Tom’s tarring of us Salopians as “badger baiting, fox hunting, dole bluging Salopians”.
I am on Incapacity Benefit, not the dole!
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I do not believe the uk should take any other language in to consideration the police have enough to do any way . I also disagree with all the money spent on council bumff explaing all in about 12 different languages if the people wish to claim or know anything etc they will soon learn to read english .
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I think it’s downright disgraceful! When in Rome, do as the Romans do…if you can’t or won’t speak our language, what the hell are you doing in our country?
If we relocate to another country, we would be expected to learn their native tongue, why is it that England seems to bend over backwards to suit every other flipping nationality BUT us Brits?
Time for change…
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A successful response to your letter, Mr Cox (8 replies so far) – coming up close to your petition signatory number – Now that WAS news!
http://www.shropshirestar.com/2009/04/24/cabbie-wants-fines-for-political-liars/
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Lucy, So why are you offended then if ur not claiming the dole??
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So say ten members of staff attend a ten week course requiring another ten employees too cover the shift whilst these learn Polish. Of course this will then become part of a post profile requiring ongoing training to new staff when others retire, change role or just move on. At what cost financially and operationally to us Joe Public rate payer.
Why stop at teaching Polish? We have a multi cultual society established in Shropshire comprising of Welsh, Indian, Pakastani,Greek, Turkish, Phillipino, Asian, Chinese etc.
It could almost appear that the police are being racist by ignoring the needs of these people?
If as pointed out that there is a growing population of Polish people within the town then availability of a translator would not seem a problem to scource from within the community. In short I am not racist, anti anybody except this seems such a financial waste!
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What worries me is why the police think they need to talk polish above all the other languages – are they implying that the polish community suffer disproportionately more from crime, or commit disproportionately more crimes? or perhaps there are not enough bilingual polish police officers that they should be looking to recruit?
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tc: quite right, my dentist is Polish and is the best dentist I’ve ever had even though all he has ever said to me is “Hello”, “open-wide”, “swallow”, “spit” and “goodbye”.
Why can’t the police just had a ‘credit card’ they carry all the time with the polish for “your nicked” and “move along”?
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I wish the police knew the polish for:
So your in an uninsured, untaxed stolen car that has just crashed. before running off let me bundle you into the back of this police van!
I agree with just having the most common phrases on a ‘credit card’.
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…and how do they know to spontaneously break into Polish anyhow?
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As a child visiting a foreign country I was taught a few phrases of that language. I also took with me a phrase book as I did not expect the people to change their lifestyle and language to accomodate me a visitor to their country. Later in life I learnt further phrases in different languages to enable me to get by and at least be able to order a beer in numerous languages. I would suggest a well placed phrase/ translation book be place in the front counter area of police stations at a greater saving than this costly venture.
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