Americans go to the polls this week to elect their President and coverage of the campaign has featured heavily on the television news and in the press for what seems a lifetime here in the UK. I'm not sure how the Americans at home are putting up with it and I'm certain the majority of them will be really pleased when the election is over and life returns to normal.
Here in the UK, we will also be going to the polls this month to elect people to the new positions of Police and Crime Commissioner in various areas throughout the country. These new positions will replace police authorities and are a change to the existing establishment. There have been many changes in the UK since the formation of the coalition government following the last General Election and not all of them have been for the better. At the time of writing Barak Obama and Mitt Romney are running neck and neck in the opinion polls, Obama with a slogan of "Forward" and Romney asking for a "Vote For Change". All I would say to the Americans is "Be careful what you wish for". You may not like what you already have but is the change any better?
A local derby between rival football clubs Derby County and Nottingham Forest meant a substantial police presence in Ilkeston today. With supporters of both clubs living in the town which is midway between the two clubs there was always the possibility that there could be trouble between the fans.
I've always followed Forest but like all the local clubs to be successful so cannot be too disappointed living in Derbyshire that the Rams took the spoils today with a 1-0 victory. On current form it should have been an easy win for the Reds but form goes out of the window in matches like this and the other results mean the Forest remain second in the table and the three points for the Rams help them climb away from the relegation zone.
There didn't appear to be any trouble this morning to bother the police and while some may have thought that so many officers walking around town was overkill it would have been a different story if trouble had flared and there were no police on hand to deal with it. Whatever the result of the match it was a no win situation for the boys in blue. Except perhaps for the one I spoke to - he supports Notts County and they won their home fixture against Barnet 2-0 keeping them in a play-off spot in League 2. And to round it all off, Ilkeston won their home match too against Droylsden 1-0!
I spent some time behind bars in a custody cell at Ilkeston Police Station this weekend - but they let me out again! I wasn't charged with anything although as I was wearing a purple shirt and a yellow sweater, it was suggested I had committed a Crime of Fashion (that's 'fashion' not 'passion').
It was an open day where residents had a chance to learn more about the Derbyshire Constabulary and to find out more about their local police team. With much to keep visitors to the event busy including operating the various warning sirens on a parked police car and controlling CCTV cameras, 'prisoners' could also have their mug shots and fingerprints taken whilst being given a guided tour of the building. Having spent a little time behind bars though, it is not something I want to make a habit of.
The only real prison is fear, and the only real freedom is freedom from fear. - Aung San Suu Kyi (1945 - )
