Are our police human or just robots keeping the law?

This article makes us aware just how human the police can be:

"Trying to restrain a shop owner who is attempting to run into a burning building to attempt to salvage his stock, and indeed his livelihood. Taking off my helmet so I can hear him better, he sobs as he explains to me about his life, and how he has built up his trade and now does not know what to do. I simply do not know what to say to him.

"I do something I find myself doing a lot over the next few hours, telling him I'm sorry and then giving him a manly hug with a pat on the back. Helmet back on and we're off somewhere else."

Cameron's criticism of police inaction comes across as that of a typical underhand politician scoring cheap points with the benefit of hindsight.

"The police weren't ready on Monday night". 

No neither was anyone else. Crystal balls have not, so far, been issued as part of standard police equipment.

When you reflect that several of the Ulverston Police force will almost certainly have seen duty in Manchester or even London during the past week. 

What a baptism of fire:

"As we drove we became a target. A group of people wearing hoods and with their faces covered started throwing missiles at the car," De-Haynes told the Guardian. "We stopped because that is what we are supposed to do. But the windscreen smashed and I was covered in glass, it lodged in my eye and I was spitting it out to stop myself swallowing it. It's a shock in any circumstance but when you can hear the thud of other missiles being thrown at the car, hitting the doors and windows, no matter how experienced you are, it is frightening."

The article goes on:

"Once officers were on the street, they were surprised by the support they received. "A lot of people we came across – people in an inner city area who would normally not have anything to do with the police – were on our side. We had support from everyone in an area. It was good to hear that people did want us to protect them."

I wonder how many people agreed with Cameron.

I certainly didn't and am full of respect for the job that the police did.