'Hot Fuzz without the comedy!': Social media users mock Guernsey Police's high-octane new recruitment video filled with guns, explosions and car chases – despite the island’s low crime rates
Guernsey Police has been mocked for a high octane, gun-toting recruitment video that has been compared to spoof police movie Hot Fuzz.
The advert shows explosions detonating, footage of armed raids and high-speed car chases.
The police force claims that the video represents a typical week - despite the relative lack of crime on the holiday island. Last year, there were zero murders, only one robbery and less than 2,300 total reported crimes.
The video has been ridiculed on social media, with some comparing it to Hot Fuzz. One person wrote: 'I'm literally going to die from second hand embarrassment. Somebody call the police.'
Another said: 'Does this reflect day to day policing in Guernsey? I think not. Otherwise your annual report and Justice Survey are way off the mark.'
While a third said: 'Hot Fuzz' without the comedy? Near the beginning someone should used the line 'the little hand says it's time to rock and roll.' The recruitment video tells its audience to 'redefine your usual'.
It shows gun-toting officers entering a building, detonating explosives and embarking on a car chase while using stingers.
The video is played to a backing track of aggressive rock music.
Social media users poked fun at the video, pointing out how different it was from the reality of crime on the island.
According to the force's annual report, police discharged Tasers on two occasions last year and a firearm was discharged just once in 12 months.
The police force claims that the video represents a typical week - despite the relative lack of crime on the holiday island
Last year, there were zero murders, only one robbery and less than 2,300 total reported crimes
Social media users poked fun at the video, pointing out how different it was from the reality of crime on the island
There were also five reported offences of firearms possession, 84 burglaries, 130 drug offences, 45 fraud reports and 69 cases of shoplifting.
There were just under 900 reports of violence including assaults, but no murders.
In a statement to the Times, the force said: 'It is common practice in recruitment videos to demonstrate elements of an organisation people are most interested in, and when the video can only be 75 seconds long a choice has to be made about what to leave out.
'There is no telling when one of our specialist teams will need to be deployed but rest assured, they are ready 24 hours a day to keep our community safe and secure.
'This short promotional video is a condensed version of local policing, highlighting the various options available to those who join – from walking the beat, firearms, response driving and bomb disposal.'
The force is seeking nine recruits who will join as frontline shift officers before specialising.
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