A police recruitment ad has been pulled – and subsequently lampooned – for looking too much like an action movie and nothing at all like the day-to-day duties of the average police officer.
The recruitment video for Guernsey Police has been taken down after being mocked on social media for the way it portrayed a “typical” week in the force
Guernsey is a sleepy little tourist island off England’s south-coast, best known for its unspoilt beaches, plump tomatoes and very low crime rate.
However, the recruitment ad features explosions, firearms officers and a high-speed car chase under the slogan “redefine your usual”.
The ad went up early last week but was quickly pulled by police chiefs only a few days later. Check out the action-packed spot below:
One of the UK’s biggest selling newspapers, The Times, was first to tear the ad apart: “The sleepy holiday island, best known for plump tomatoes and tranquil beaches, is depicted as a hotbed of crime and high-octane excitement in a one-minute video clip for the force’s latest recruitment campaign,” it wrote in an editorial.
And social media was soon having their usual fun at the ad’s expense.
“In reality they live for the days they catch someone going 40 in a 35,” penned one.
Another added: “The only bombs they’ll be defusing will be the LUSH ones they drop in their baths.”
“Beats arresting seagulls for stealing a tourist’s pasty,” added another.
However, others linked the ad to alleged police violence.
“This is why cops are so quick to beat people up. They crave some kind of excitement,” said one person. While another added: “That’s why we have so many problems with police harrassment, they’ve got nothing to do.”
Guernsey police chief officer Ruari Hardy said in a statement: “I am aware of the community response to the images shown within the recruitment video. I can fully understand the representations made from people within our community and also in a broader context.
“The organisation had no intention to undermine public confidence in the island’s police service or the police service as a whole and I wish to reassure the public that the good traditions and service offered to the community by this organisation will continue,” officer Hardy said.
