Here's a flowery story which has divided opinion.
UK police forces including West Mercia and the Met have adopted a new policy of sending bouquets of flowers to 'soiften the blow' for victims of crimes, such as burglary, which the police are unlikely to solve.
Our first thought was that this was a considerate, touching gesture which helps to show the humanity of the police force.
However, one victim said she felt 'fobbed off' by the gesture, and that sending flowers instead of solving crimes was a waste of police time.
However the police commissioner defended the giving of flowers. And he pointed out that the money for the flwoers does NOT come out of the public purse. He said:
“The money for the flowers comes from the police community fund, a charity which officers pay a small fee to out of their pay check.
“I don’t think it’s a bad idea but the point is where do you stop – you can’t give out flowers to victims of every crime.
“I used to do it when I was in the police. I would send letters to the family if there was a particularly tragic accident or something like that.”
