Guernsey Police ‘Hot Fuzz’ video is ridiculed

Guernsey Police ‘Hot Fuzz’ video is ridiculed

The recruitment advert, posted earlier this week, consists of a minute-long video showing firearms officers clearing rooms, explosions being set off on beaches and a high-speed pursuit – all part of a new campaign encouraging people to ‘redefine your usual’ and join the force.

The video – which has now been taken down – suggests that this high-octane policing is the norm for Sarnian officers – even though the island has a low crime rate most jurisdictions would want to shout about.

Click to watch video here.

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As an article in The Times newspaper reported this week, Guernsey is better known for ‘plump tomatoes and tranquil beaches’, rather than for being a hot-bed of crime.

Since being posted, the advert has received many comments on social media, questioning whether the ‘usual’ police tasks shown in the video reflect a typical week for Guernsey’s officers and highlighting the island’s low crime rate.

And the video has been compared to Simon Pegg comedy Hot Fuzz, in which a highly trained police officer is transferred from London to a peaceful and seemingly crime-free village and spends time responding to calls to bring a runaway swan under control.

One of the social media comments read: ‘Didn’t realise the crime was that bad’ while another commented: ‘This video is an absolute joke. How is this a reflection of actual police work and how on earth do you justify spending taxpayers’ money on a recruitment video that glorifies the use of tasers and guns on our incredibly peaceful island?’

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Another commented with a picture of Simon Pegg’s ‘Hot Fuzz’ character on a police bike.

The response to the video even received national coverage, with The Times commenting in an article yesterday: ‘The more likely reality is glimpsed in the middle of the clip, when a smiling community officer appears to give directions to a member of the public.’

The Daily Mail also posted the video, with the headline: ‘Social media users mock Guernsey Police’s high-octane new recruitment video filled with guns, explosions and car chases – despite the island’s low crime rates.’

In 2012, the Guernsey force received criticism after spending £183,000 on an armoured Land Rover with protection from bullets and missile devices.

The JEP tried to contact a media spokesperson from Guernsey Police, but was repeatedly told that he had ‘just gone out’.

However, the video has now been taken down with Ruari Hardi, the States of Guernsey’s head of law enforcement, saying that although the footage was representative of activities carried out by his officers, the way it was presented was ‘dramatic’.

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