Scott becomes a fashionista!
Ever wondered who the enigmatic, vivasious person is that provides insight to the London School of Fashion on their designs....look no further!
The Camera Never Lies
Metropolitan Police officers met students from the London College of Fashion to see their designs for a new uniform. Final designs will be presented in September 2008.
This is the caption that was displayed on the BBC website on the 25th of January 2008 and on the face of it seems like a nice little public interest story, and I suppose it is harmless enough, a piece of trivia if you will.
Just thought I would add my view on the picture and what really happened…………
I was section Sergeant in the City Of Westminster covering the Central division. I was patrolling with the other male officer in the picture (the one with the hat) when we were directed to the east end to the London College of Fashion, as was another car containing two female officers.
On arrival we were met by DAC Steve Roberts who is head of training, a chap from the clothing branch, members of the Mets press branch, several members of the BBC and stills and video camera crews.
DAC Roberts explained that he had organised for two other officers to attend but at the last minute they were unavailable so my acting Supt had directed us to attend, I did enquire why we had been sent through the city when local Shoreditch officers would have been quicker and on their ground but, hayho, no harm done.
It was explained to us that they wanted a male and female officer for the photo opportunity; we were then instructed to wait in a corridor outside the classroom, whilst the camera crew went in and filmed a few pieces to camera. Two of us, one male one female, were then sent in to pose with some of the designers and shortly after we were all sent in to stand behind a designer for some more posed photos.
Now, I realise that for a story you need photos and have no problem with that. I just feel that the spin placed on this staged piece makes it appear that we were involved in some way which is far from the case. We were stood behind a designer who had one piece of A4 paper on the table with two pictures on it, I asked some questions about the design but it could hardly be seen as being presented with the designs or in anyway a ‘consultation’.
So the bottom line is that not everything you read or see is as it seems, as if you didn’t know that!
Yes I did meet a designer, yes I did see a sketch, but no I have not ever been involved in this before, and once I actually got a chance to ask the designer about the ‘brief’ they received on what was required I was quickly ushered out of the room and told to go back to work, although I did manage to catch that they had been told the shirt and tie was to remain.
To come to the designs, well it would be unfair to comment as I only saw one sketch and whilst I can say it used huge imagination to come up with the idea, I don’t think it will be anything like what we end up with. To put it into context it was a bit like seeing a concept car at the Geneva motor show, all gull wings, steer by joy stick, glass roof and multi-positional seats which once practicalities and budgets become involved ends up looking like a Robin Reliant!
So take from this what you will but it does demonstrate the workings of the Police in a very obvious way, showing a version of involvement and consultation that we in the staff associations have long become used to, a ‘tick in the box’ at the bottom of a report.
One last request, please do not hold me or the other three in anyway to blame for what comes out of this publicity exercise!
Category: General
Posted: Feb 15, 2008
