Police bosses have been slammed for spending £100,000 on ‘storytelling sessions’ for 200 top cops – as hundreds of beat bobbies face the axe.
Greater Manchester Police was branded the ‘Ministry for Silly Ideas’ after news of the primary school-style bonding events emerged.
Detectives were encouraged to share tales of successful investigations in an event branded ‘Operation Jackanory’ by officers who took part.
The sessions were supposed to improve policing, with the lessons learned pasted on a cartoon storyboard to form a ‘business strategy’. But one source said officers who participated believed it was a waste of time.
News of the courses comes after GMP proposed to shed 300 police posts and a further 150 civilian jobs to cut costs.
It follows the M.E.N. exclusively revealing that officers will be made to wear name badges to improve ‘customer service’ at a cost of £21,000.
Consultants Storytellers Ltd were hired by Chief Constable Peter Fahy to host the sessions at the Piccadilly Hotel in the city centre last May.
The firm promise to ‘help business leaders connect their people to strategy, vision, values and change through the art of storytelling’.
Police Federation spokesman Ian Hanson said: “GMP is becoming the Ministry for Silly Ideas. I find it incredible that the chief constable is trying to slash hundreds of police posts in an attempt to reduce costs but seems to find the money for these kinds of activities.
“They need to ask the people of Greater Manchester whether they want officers on the beat or in a hotel telling stories.”
GMP human resources officer Julia Rodgers defended the sessions. She said: “GMP is committed to providing the best possible service for local people. It is essential that all staff are aware of the priorities and what is required from them to ensure we can be effective.
“The activity is the latest phase of work to tackle the issues that affect local people and ensure we can make a difference to the quality of life in Greater Manchester.”

Showing comments 26 to 48 and replies | View All
Ace Riley, outsidethebox (08/02/2010 at 17:32)
The Lone Ranger (08/02/2010 at 17:51)
It would be about an adopted mixed race lad, with 2 dads, one of which is a trans sexual, the childs sister will be in care, following the imprisonment of one of her lesbian mothers, the remaining one being in re hab for drug abuse. The childs elder brother would be a PCSO on the mean streets of Manchester, doing the job of 4 PC's as Mr Fahy has squandered all of the budget, on diversity and the other nonsense involving Grandma's, eggs and sucking!
Silverback Gorilla (08/02/2010 at 18:11)
Mark,Radcliffe. (08/02/2010 at 18:18)
colbee, Manchester (08/02/2010 at 21:22)
all appointed police officers, of whatever rank, hold the office of Constable.
A Constable has authority (i.e. responsibility) under the Crown for -
the protection of life and property;
the prevention and detection of crime; and
the prosecution of offenders against the Peace (i.e. the normal tranquil state of living).
None of the above is optional; it is mandatory, obligatory, compulsory or whatever other word might be necessary to convey the message that this is what Constables must do.
Any such officer who intentionally acts other than in accordance with this straight-forward definition is negligent and/or incompetent.
The general law-abiding members of the public are not your customers; they are your employers by Crown proxy.
Your customers are those who offend against the Peace to the detriment of the Peace. In other words those who break the law to the detriment of society; not those who fail to conform to some edict invented by council officials or some other self-appointed guardian of morals.
Read this. Inwardly digest this. Understand this. This is your job description.
Get real - get respect.
Colbee
Esso Blue. Carlitos is officially a GOD , Blues Town (09/02/2010 at 00:16)
Its seems that the police on the course were the all seeing all knowing ones; their fact based tales go on the story board which is added to the rest of the phase this is then passed down to the lower ranks to give them a better understanding of something they haven't previously learned, or they have already learnt it but it can be easily forgotten so this story board is pinned in areas where it can be in view all the time to remind them of their duties. Might be a good idea if Manchester Evening New could elaborate more,
I mean you just thrown £100000 into 12 small paragraphs.
Bemused of Tameside., Dukinfield (09/02/2010 at 03:05)
He has been running ALL of GMP for decades.
Get a grip.
The Higher Openshaw Exile, MANCHESTER (09/02/2010 at 09:18)
smudger :o), Salford (09/02/2010 at 11:57)
Colin the pie, WIGAN (09/02/2010 at 13:20)
colbee, Manchester (09/02/2010 at 15:06)
Moorlok, London (09/02/2010 at 15:24)
Our police FORCES are now laughing stocks, rather than feared by the criminal fraternity.
HH Judge Mental, Chavdale. (09/02/2010 at 16:37)
jeffb, buxton (09/02/2010 at 19:40)
Toby Tring (09/02/2010 at 20:18)
Give the law abiding, tax paying public a break and remember it's our money you're wasting.
Rochdale born., Witheld (09/02/2010 at 21:10)
The Chief Rat catcher got scarred all those years ago when a story was told about institutional racism, which made the chief wrap himself up in a veil of secrecy. He hid all his catchers in vans and cars giving jobs to community support bunnies who were all pink and fluffy. As the years went by the Rat catcher got more scarred of the rats and was taken over by a wind called institutional political correctness and story telling to the elderly who feared the Rats most of all but who were the least likely to be eaten.
This left the poor town folk feeling bereft of any hope, t’was the day the law finally kidnapped justice and handed the broken town over to the rats. The town is doomed, community safety is a word dreamed up on the back of a big white van containing two community support bunnies charged with driving the white van around at a time when the poor old folk can see them. The workers, the good and the strong were seen crossing a concrete river hiding a thread of gold to seek out leafy meadows where the sun shone bright in happy town. The story was brought to you by Rochdale Born, a man clinging onto a distant memory rekindled by towns like Bury
TheRealWorld (10/02/2010 at 19:02)
They had to then deliver the lesson to every officer in their departments. Apparently it was embarassing for all involved!
D.Ashworth, Rochdale (10/02/2010 at 20:04)
This is giving the public sector a really bad reputation. There are so many public bodies delivering services to the people of the UK that outside consultants should not be required to do this sort of thing.
If they want the Police to share experiences then open up a tab in the bar after their shift and get them to meet up and socialise. I'm sure this is what the Police rank and file do anyway.
Homer Simpson must be in charge.
Moorlok, London (11/02/2010 at 18:27)
....utterly pathetic (and embarrassing)!
Groucho F (11/02/2010 at 18:46)
If you can't do that, go find another job and let someone else have a go.
Rochdale born., Witheld (13/02/2010 at 09:19)
Leon Weastie, Stuck in a Bockle Over the Mode (15/02/2010 at 07:18)
The once proud constabulary had been reduced to making photographic images of fast moving carriages in the hope that when vehicular traffic is brought to a standstill those once heroic men in blue would pounce, storming in and out of gridlocked cars,buses,tramcars and perambulators and impose enough fixed penalties upon the operators that they could no longer move around the land.
The big eared street monsters were unperturbed,as they were able to carry on their mindless societal rape and plunder at will.
And They All Lived Unhappily Ever After. THE END
Local Sleuth, Rochdale (17/02/2010 at 10:31)
Hopefully all the stories told were politically correct and not Enid Blyton.