Blue lights and sirens

Have you ever been a passenger in a Patrol Car dashing to some emergency?

I was today. Exhilarating. I felt like Moses as the traffic parted before us.

But then when we got to our destination I can only describe my feelings as sadness.

Sadness for what some people do to each other.

Pride too; that, for all its faults, for all its clumsiness, we have a society that attempts to protect some of the broken people, the vulnerable people. I watched a young copper patiently deal with those who are vulnerable and give them what help he could. He did it with compassion.

On the way back to 'The Nick' we stopped at a pedestrian crossing and watched as two carers ushered half a dozen of their wards over the road. Once these people would have been called Loonies, Mongols and the like. Most appeared to have Downs Syndrome. Society has moved on.

The last one waved in thanks as we waited. We waved back.

He cared.

We did too.