James Shoots Down The Snobbery About Police Getting Degrees
15 December 2016, 12:33 | Updated: 15 December 2016, 12:41
James O'Brien lays into the the anti-education thinking behind criticism of plans to make sure every new copper has a degree.
"We are now living in an age where thinking is becoming profoundly unpopular," says James.
"The more you think about stuff the more you realise stuff is complicated, the less likely you are to be seduced by somebody standing up pretending everything is simple and easily-solved.
"Therefore the less attractive thinking actually is."
But James then had a thought exercise for all those who think that police getting degrees is a silly idea that will stop them doing their jobs properly.
"So if you don't like thinking and you don't like education and you don't like knowledge and you don't like facts...then this is a rubbish idea. This is outrageous and patronising and police officers don't need degrees.
"Right, stop. Rewind. Start again."
"How do you feel about the idea of police officers having as much training as possible about the changing nature of the world in which they live? Let's contemplate cyber crime or human trafficking.
"How do you feel about the idea of police being given every possible opportunity to increase their understanding of everything from how computers work to how the law works?
"Police officers really knowing lots of stuff.
"Let's not call it a degree. Let's call it knowlege. How do you feel about police officers having knowledge?"
