The Saturday 'night shift' shows we are a danger to ourselves

Editorial Department • Published 18 Mar 2010 09:51 Comments 1 Comment

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Society is changing, there is no doubt about that. It's a more uncertain, at times worrying and frightening world -- even in places like Fermanagh.

Last week-end, our reporter Rodney Edwards spent a "night shift" with local PSNI officers. It was a real eye-opener seeing some of the things that happen in our county town when most of us are tucked up comfortably in bed.

If you read Rodney's reports on pages four and five of this issue, you may well be surprised to see many of the things that our emergency services face each and every week-end.

Often, the PSNI and hospital services come under fierce criticism. And often rightly so if decisions taken at the highest level leave ordinary people vulnerable or without services to which they are entitled.

But what is clear is that those at the "coal face" such as police officers, doctors and nurses are providing a magnificent service under very challenging -- even dangerous -- circumstances.

A lot of the problems would appear to come from the misuse of drink and even drugs. It is still, it would seem, an acceptable part of culture to become so intoxicated that people become abusive and even a danger to themselves.

Yet the police officers, doctors and nurses who are in the front line and pick up the pieces of a broken society often get little thanks; never mind even a understanding of the vital role they play.

What sort of a society have we become in which such dysfunctional behaviour has become so commonplace. Not quite the norm, perhaps, but almost an acceptable part of our behaviour?

This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 18 Mar 10

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Chris McGonigle
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Mar 19, 18:11
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Two points to make after reading the article. First of all I am fed up with the tabloid-esque sensationalism that the paper now seems to employ over these last few weeks. You make it seem like Enniskillen is a war zone when it nowhere near as bad as made out....although i suppose that doesn't sell papers.

On a second more serious note, do you not think it is idiotic to publish that the Ulsterbus fleet is unlocked at night????? I for one, and I am sure the majority of the county were not aware of this, but now, thanks to yourselves, this is now common knowledge. Do you now think that this will now exacerbate the problem seeing you've published this for all to see????

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