Tim I make the same point you ask what threat the boys posed ? Well the operator on the phone can only take into account what she is told on the phone , correct ? It wasnt known that they were boys until the correct response to the REPORTED incident had arrived , but like I say if you have ESP then join the police you could save us all a lot of time . Unfortunately all those involved in public sector work will know that the public exaggerate hugely when they call the police . Two men fighting isnt reported as such its reported as ten men fighting with knives or suchlike , and so four kids in a field with an air rifle becomes "4 men with shotguns have threatened me " I come across this every day but you have to respond in the safest manner for the public . If a crewmen comes into the crewroom and states " the heli is on fire " do you send one man to look or do you call the fire service and deal with it appropriatley . This is my point Please dont have a go at the police who are dealing with everything with no resources in the safest way they can , we are all tied down by beaurocracy ,you pilots will know exactly what I mean , we have all dealt with the CAA ,now multiply that by ten you will have some idea of the legal moral and ethical crap we have to deal with on a daily basis
Rant over take this in the manner its meant , it is not a go at professionals just trying to get some people to understand what is involved in these sorts of operations .