'Hot Fuzz' Guernsey Police recruitment video removed after being ridiculed online
Watch the bombastic recruitment ad which gained Guernsey Police a lot of attention
A bombastic Guernsey Police recruitment advert featuring firearms, explosions and high-speed car chases has been pulled from social media after it was criticised for being unrealistic.
The video suggested the adrenaline-fueled, high-octane activities featured in the film represented a typical week in the force, despite the island having a relatively low crime rate.
The video which cost £5,000 to make has now been removed from social media, after being mocked by the public and in the national press, with many likening it to the 2007 action/comedy film, Hot Fuzz.
Guernsey residents react to the recruitment advert
The head of Guernsey Police, Ruari Hardy who authorised the video, asked for it to be removed, just two days after it was published.
He said: "Rather than allow the negativity concerning this video to continue and detract from our recruitment campaign, I have decided to remove the video from circulation so that focus can continue on our recruitment aims - we want to hear from people who want to redefine their usual and make a difference within the community."
Guernsey's Chief Minister, Gavin St Pier, said it did not show the balance of police work on the island.
He said: "Our police force has always been one whose focus has been supporting the community with care and compassion, something they have done incredibly well particularly this year as we’ve faced the COVID pandemic, and my view is that whilst this video reflects some aspects of policing, it does not properly reflect the full range of police activities in a balanced way."
Want to find out more about the stories making the headlines? Don't miss Channelcast - the Channel Islands current affairs podcast brought to you by ITV News: