Police, are they any use?????

[beast5680]

present company not included in the above title

My sons friend had his push bike nicked the other day from in their garden causing much heartbreak for the young lad, 4 days later it turns up in the window of a secondhand shop run by a bloke of dodgy reputation probably less that 500yards from where it was nicked so boys mum phones the local fuzz who remark they are just going off shift but will look into it, they dont turn up that evening so mum rings again stating that the bike was stolen earlier in the week and she has found it in this shop, fuzz this time says he will be round sometime this morning (saturday) to look. in the meantime bloke sells it for £35 to a passer by fuzz turns up say they cant do anything as no proof and leave.
what a waste of time they are its almost as if they cant be bothered to catch criminals even when you find them redhanded!
luckily one of the neighbours kids took a photo of the bike in the shop window and since complaining about service by the police it looks like now something will be done about the bloke in the shop

[ne jones]

Where I work we have a decent relationship with the Police and they're generaly very helpful.

A couple of years ago though we had some real violence kicking off in the shop the security guard was being attacked as things escalated quickly. I called 999 and ended up on an answering machine. This was about 2.30 on a Sat afternoon. The Police never turned up. Thry did phone the next morning though to find out what was wrong :doh:

[Yoshi]

We had a similar thing with the police not wanting to investigate anything.  They just dont seem interested in small crime anymore.  I know the usual excuse about numbers and no time to investigate, but after watching half a dozen of them congregating at a butty van in town for a coffee.

Now i know they are due breaks etc.... but its a bit disconcerting if they are all in the same place at the same time.

In the end with my thing i had to quote law to the sergeant and threatened to go to the ipcc and in the end he investigated the matter.

Same thing a couple of years ago, someone through paint stripper over bettyblue22's car, she phoned the police and they came out a couple of days later to look at it.  The funny thing was, the person who did it sent a picture msg of them throwing the paint stripper over the car and the police refused to even look at it!!  In the end the person got off scott free cos the investigating officer didnt do owt.  This was £750 worth of criminal damage!

[wvanman]

well best way      is     tell em there some one with a gun               they like gun totting        lol

[barmiebrumie]

well best way      is     tell em there some one with a gun               they like gun totting        lol

Not allways !!!

few years ago some smackhead drove into my TD5 outside the house, I caught him & 'restained' him while my wife was speaking to someone on 999 his mate pointed a gun out of a car window at me  :shock:

took nearly 3 hrs for the local bobby to come round & say oh well theve gone now  :twisted:

[Ridgeback]

You don't expect them to chase real crooks that don't have any money to pay fines etc when they can chase motorists that pay up without any fuss.

I once had someone that kept parking a car on my drive (it was at the back of the house so I never sore them doing it) I called the police and they would not help but said if I moved it, they could do ME for criminal damage!

I don't think its just the plods on the street at fault, the idiots they have managing the forces need to change.

[Bob696]

Last weekend a house alarm went off a few doors away at the same time as I heard a crash and a bang.

Phoned the police. Pointed out that this alarm NEVER goes off by accident and that I had hard a crash and bang.

The response was "we never come out to house alarms". Not even "we will send someone round if they are in the area".

Just a polite "get stuffed and stop bothering us by reporting crimes".

Oh and somebody had tried to get in the house. Jeez wouldn't that have been an inconvenience for the police. They might have caught someone.

[bogie]

The old fuzz only want it handed to them on a plate so score easy points. They are basically a waste of space!

[Drift]

I know Ill get flamed, but if he is local and you can find out where he drinks or frequents, as often these characters do, just sit next to him and give him a loving whisper  Im sure he will relinquish his profits.


Im not legally minded but surely the local plod must be aware of his activities and as such I think you should push them to act, after all you pay them.   

[Saffy]

Im not legally minded but surely the local plod must be aware of his activities and as such I think you should push them to act, after all you pay them.   

he might pay them more  ;)

[denviks]

Last weekend a house alarm went off a few doors away at the same time as I heard a crash and a bang.

Phoned the police. Pointed out that this alarm NEVER goes off by accident and that I had hard a crash and bang.

The response was "we never come out to house alarms". Not even "we will send someone round if they are in the area".

Just a polite "get stuffed and stop bothering us by reporting crimes".

Oh and somebody had tried to get in the house. Jeez wouldn't that have been an inconvenience for the police. They might have caught someone.

exactly the same thing happened here about 6 months ago. we came home early house ( about 4am ) and could hear neighbours alarm going off and was told the same by police. neighbours were away at the time.

seems the house was broken into but nothing was ever done

[Saffy]

Any places in the UK heading down the USA route of residential private police force and gated communities yet ? I can imagine soon the more wealthy areas will have their unadopted streets gated off with patrol and gate security paid for by residents.

[Disco Matt]

To be fair though, the gated communities are usually in places where they'd be safe without the Stalag Luft 3 design. To use a naval analogy, we didn't try to build ships with armour that could stop torpedoes. We invented better tools to hunt U-Boats so they couldn't fire a torpedo in the first place. Do we want to hide in fortresses as society collapses around us or do we want to say "No more"?

The problem is that there are areas where for various reasons some of the inhabitants turn to crime rather than doing something difficult like working and saving for what they want. If you really want to make the country safer then these are the areas in need of attention. A good start would be recognising that the majority are probably fed up with the local undesirables but with a complete lack of community and tabloids peddling scare stories they don't feel that they can do anything about it. Nobody should feel that they will be alone in confronting anti-social behaviour.

[discomummy]

Hi,

i have to say that when my sat nav got liberated from my car earlier this year - the police came around later the following day, and as the next door neighbour had caught the offenders on his cctv, they also dropped around later in the week to show us the piccies and let us know that they knew the vehicle as it had been previously reported as acting suspiciously! however i do live in a village, which is relatively crime free - the biggest thing that happened recently was when a party of blokes on a stag nite got drunk and caused some damage!  the police were called and they were hauled off!

so for me - no complaints, and i don't think it is those at the bottom that are the problem - it is the do gooders in the middle who cause the problems as they make the procedures that your average bobby has to follow, and most of the time going out and trying to catch crimimals is not high on the do gooders list! 

after our incident - the sergeant in charge had to phone me to see if i was satisfied with the way my incident was treated - if he has to do this on every incident (and he does cos i asked him) - how much time does that waste that could be dealing with other incidents instead!

i accept that there are some rubbish police, but isn't that what we as 4wdrivers complain about - the few give the rest a bad name.  i support them as i think that the most of them do a good job with 1 hand tied behind their back and a blindfold wrapped around their head by their middle management!

regards

ela

[Mud-muncher1]

In my opinion the police are a complete waste of time as for me and my partner we are still waiting for some sort of result about our disco that was stolen easter time, parts have been seen on a auction site, there was very good info that the truck itself had been seen and we have relayed all the info needed for a positive case, but for all the phone calls and time wasted on our part nothing to date has been done, I think the power of the mob should stand in certain times,


Jav.

[stretchy]

I would have walked into the shop and taken my bike back. the guy probly would not do anything and even if he did I would just wait there for the police to explain. no way would i stand thefre and watch my bike be sold just becase the police wont do anything. he would probly get done also for handling stolen goods if there was a scene.

[TDi90]

somewhere LSP and Boggert's ears are ringing.

I think the comments are a little unfair. but hey, i have voiced my opinion before on here and i have found people generally get either offended or strongly disagree with me so im going to be quiet.

im thinking LSP is probably having a Leffe and keeping a back seat!

R

[Saffy]

somewhere LSP and Boggert's ears are ringing.

I think the comments are a little unfair. but hey, i have voiced my opinion before on here and i have found people generally get either offended or strongly disagree with me so im going to be quiet. (

im thinking LSP is probably having a Leffe and keeping a back seat!

R

LSP a copper then ? don't think he ever mentioned it in his every postings :twisted:    :dance:

In reality I have no complaints about police when ever I have needed them or reported crime, and have only had trouble when I really deserved it (troublesome teenage years), I even have respect for officers which a lot of people seem not to have anymore (expect for the *something to prove* police women so whoa betide me when that encounter happens if it ever does[-X). I have an associate whom is a police officer so know these guys are human, I have also personally known criminal officers whom thankfully didn't last long (one nasty pice of work robbed a shop while in uniform/on duty and another slime ball got dismissed after child abuse allegations). If I wasn't happy about a police response I guess I wouldl try to chase the system by complaining up the command chain or to local MP's office. Maybe LSP could reflect the reality of the frustrations involved, because I guess most officers do not join the police thinking it's an easy jolly and ha-ha we can't be bothered to deal with certain crime.

[Bishops Finger]

IMHO..the police are bound by rules and regulations.....stupid ones thats letting crims get away

Personally Ive given up ....The countrys gone to crud

[Mud-muncher1]

IMHO..the police are bound by rules and regulations.....stupid ones thats letting crims get away

Personally Ive given up ....The countrys gone to crud

Well said that man  :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

[discowoman]

well as someone who still remembers when police roamed around on foot quite regularly, and the mere thought of being taken home by said coppers was a fate worse than death! all I can say is Its the 'do gooders' that have ruined the country..protecting the innocent I agree with, but for the local chavvy scum that pass them selves off as whiter than white for the 20 seconds needed to secure freedom , I still think they should be given the birch/ national service, or a .303 bullet between the eyes (delete as appropriate).
Even the 'threat' of being locked up isnt a deterrent..TV, satellite, games consoles, hot and cold running social workers 24/7, is not a deterrent.. give em a shovel and send them on mine clearing duties in Iraq or even the falklands (believe theres still hundreds out there).. if they get blown up - theres plenty more to take their place..
I still reckon the saudis have the right idea.. do it once lose a hand - 2nd time 'Good night Vienna'!!!!!

[V8MoneyPit]

well as someone who still remembers when police roamed around on foot quite regularly, and the mere thought of being taken home by said coppers was a fate worse than death! all I can say is Its the 'do gooders' that have ruined the country..protecting the innocent I agree with, but for the local chavvy scum that pass them selves off as whiter than white for the 20 seconds needed to secure freedom , I still think they should be given the birch/ national service, or a .303 bullet between the eyes (delete as appropriate).
Even the 'threat' of being locked up isnt a deterrent..TV, satellite, games consoles, hot and cold running social workers 24/7, is not a deterrent.. give em a shovel and send them on mine clearing duties in Iraq or even the falklands (believe theres still hundreds out there).. if they get blown up - theres plenty more to take their place..
I still reckon the saudis have the right idea.. do it once lose a hand - 2nd time 'Good night Vienna'!!!!!

Maybe a little extreme, but I totally agree with the sentiment. Just once in my 'yoof', I had 'dealings' with the Police over a very minor incident and it was enough to put me off that course in life. (OK, so I'm not whiter than white, even though I'm an angel  :lol:) These days, there is far too much protection for the criminal and far too little for the victim. I'm all for human rights, but it has gone too far in some cases.

[muddyoffroader]

i think it all depends on the actual person (copper), 2 brothers (smack rats) broke into my car about 9 yrs ago now and helped them self to my stereo, speakers, cd's and £30 change in the ashtray. anyhow cut a long story short i was in court being charged with afray that was dropped to a public order (hmm lack of evidence as i had no previous ie the police didnt want me charged) they came to my house smashed my window and glass over my little ens head so i tryed my luck with a sword in my garden.


any how i got £200 fine

they got

6 months remand while the court proceeding were happening and a sentence 18months.

not all police are idiots but i think some are just twa*s

[V8MoneyPit]

You will find a few people in any walk of life who don't do their jobs well. But I still have faith in the human race being basically good and the vast majority will do their jobs well. What happens, though, is that the few that fail get the publicity, like in this case. Let's face it, if the OP had had a good experience with the Police, this thread wouldn't exist. Few people offer praise when someone is just doing their job, which is perfectly reasonable.

[Llanigraham]

What a bunch of hypocryts we are!!

The thread below this praises the Police:
http://www.mud-club.com/forum/index.php/topic,74175.0.html

[Bush Tucker Man]

IMHO..the police are bound by rules and regulations.....stupid ones thats letting crims get away

The overwhelming majority of Police Officers in this country will agree with you on that.

Try reading any of the Police 'blogs', or borrow the books; 'Wasting Police Time' & 'Perverting The Course Of Justice' from your local Library (both books are totally agreed with by all the Officers I meet in the course of my work)


For example;
http://200weeks.police999.com/

http://areatracenosearch.blogspot.com/

http://inspectorgadget.wordpress.com/ *(highest rank known to be 'blogging', & author of 'Perverting')

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1055480/No-wonder-Plods--A-frustrated-inspector-speaks-madness-modern-policing.html

http://totallyunpc.wordpress.com/2008/05/28/sign-of-the-times/ (unthinking relatives....  gun related)





*For some confirmation that the upper ranks are more concerned with the 'Guardianists' of the country, than the job in hand, read the bit in 'Single Measure Of Public Confidence' about the Dog Handler being bottled

[hairyasswelder]

My thoughts are to insure everything you can, then just ring and report and take the crime number.. every time I have had dealings with the police they dont seem interested, shed robbed, car stolen was told I would get a visit but..... but they were very keen with the speeding fine  :roll: :roll:

Being fair though there are differnet departments policing different things.... suppose my problems come second to someone getting stabbed, raped attacked by their partners, drug dealers outside the school gates etcso in the grand scheme of things a push bike is , well, INSIGNIFICANT to be polite. 


As for guns, I am licenced and keep shotguns in the house, not once has the storage and location been checked, even though there are many regulation and laws  :?

So all in all a mixture of experiences and views

LSP a copper then ? don't think he ever mentioned it in his every postings :twisted:    :dance:

Maybe he TAKES PRIDE IN HIS JOB  ;) ;)

[Bishops Finger]

Its about statistics to make that one eyed dick stay in power...read in some papers today about a guy who alledgedly tried a citizens arrest on a scroat after numerous 999 calls...where is some decent response in the press on this...????

[beast5680]

well as an update the mum of the kid who,s bike got nicked asked another lads mum( who is a police officer) whether this sort of thing is the norm? bearing in mind east sussex deem that about 2 coppers can cover the whole county at a weekend. turns out said mum went to her boss and told him and the original copper who couldnt be bothered is now being reprimanded apparently for not going round when first told about the stolen bike in the shop.

yes a bike may be insignificant in the grand scheme of things but its the thin end of the wedge! kids need to be taught they cant get away nicking stuff from people who have had to work hard and save their cash so they can buy their son a decent bike.
I have no problem with police or policing in general but it annoys me when something could have been done but wasnt, we have very few local patrols or beat coppers but blow me they spent some cash this year on unmarked performance police cars round me, plenty of them just driving about

and yes i am of an age where we had a local bobby too who knew my name and where i lived which was enough to deter me from even thinking about nicking stuff, the thought of him round my house put me right off that idea

[zebidee]

About 10 years ago my mountain bike got nicked from the close otuside my flat in Glasgow - they broke through the security door downstairs to get in for it specifically.

It was a very speciifc bike & data tagged; reported it at the local cop shop (down to the specific type of pedals and components on it) ... couple of weeks later got a call from CID. Apparently some shop had bought it - then saw the data tag and thought "[!Expletive Deleted!] I can't sell that on." So the shop called the police & shopped the guys who'd sold it. Police told me they couldn't do anything about it at that point cause it was part of a bigger investigation and they didn't want to tip the thieves off.

My dad (who used to be a cop) wrote up a letter basically saying "you know where it is, you know it's stolen goods - it's now your responsibility! You lose it now - you're liable." Got me to send it registered post to the Chief Constable ... that's the key thing - if I'd spoken to CID or some desk cop personally they'd probably just have fobbed it off. Sending it to the top meant that although he probably didn't read it the whole force was liable.

CID called me a couple of days later to tell me they'd bought my bike from the shop but would only be able to release it after all the arrests. A week or so later 100+ arrests were made in a drugs haul - basically high quality bikes were stolen & sold for money to fund drug deals. Got the bike back after that.