Fire & Uninterested Police

[crazydave]

plenty of money in the pot for coppers and panda cars its the police themselves moving the money into fancy areas like cctv, fancy cars, computers and armed response units which are no good when taken outside of their chosen scenarios as shown in the moat case.

its the police who have done as much as the politicians into manipulating the crime figures to exclude stuff like this which makes them look more like they are doing a good job.

 

[Harley]

All this fuss over a broken branch?

 

[Kepis]

All this fuss over a broken branch?

Not quite, an area of woodland trashed and burnt and a wood yard burnt to the ground, not quite a broken branch is it?

 

[Harley]

Not quite, an area of woodland trashed and burnt and a wood yard burnt to the ground, not quite a broken branch is it?

I don't know Kepis, but is any of this actually productive? Let it go my friend.

 

[Robbi]

Ah, well ya see Harley, if everyone lets it go, it just gets worse. Someone has to take a stand somewhere, someone has to stand up and be counted. As a wise man once said, all it takes for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing ( i think that's about right )

i whole heartedly agree with Kepis and give him my full support ( definately not for the reasons you think ) i would ( and have done ) pursue this to the end.

 

[Kepis]

Ah, well ya see Harley, if everyone lets it go, it just gets worse. Someone has to take a stand somewhere, someone has to stand up and be counted. As a wise man once said, all it takes for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing ( i think that's about right )

i whole heartedly agree with Kepis and give him my full support ( definately not for the reasons you think ) i would ( and have done ) pursue this to the end.

Exactly, couldn't have put it better myself - cheers Robbi

 

[TFan]

On the subject of police response, I have downloaded an app to my phone called Tune In Radio. Amongst the thousands of radio stations it gives you access to are, in some US cities, police and emergency services scanners. It makes quite interesting listening. Last night I was listening and an officer was despatched as they had received a complaint from a person that a vehicle was parked across their driveway. Imagine ringing the police here with such a complaint. You'd be laughed at.

I don't know if it's budgets, political interference, or something else, but there is something wrong with policing in this country when we can't even get officers out to crimes IN PROGRESS but in the US they can send an officer out to something so trivial.

 

[Toddy]

It's called budgeting.....and a generally stable, considerate, society.

We are the least policed nation in the western world.
We don't usually need much more.

I'm not saying that we don't have problems, or wish that there were more done, but on the whole, things tick over peacefully.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Suffolksteve]

We are the least policed nation in the western world.

We may have one of the weakest police farces but we do come in the top 5 (think 3rd but could be wrong) of the most monitored state in the world.

 

[mountainm]

We may have one of the weakest police farces but we do come in the top 5 (think 3rd but could be wrong) of the most monitored state in the world.

I think if I recall that the statistics on CCTV cameras were calculated incorrectly, based on an extrapolation from a major city.
http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/society/factcheck+how+many+cctv+cameras/2291167.html

Anyhow having spoken to people who live in South Africa, Israel, Zimbabwe etc. I think we should consider ourselves lucky.

 

[Suffolksteve]

I
Anyhow having spoken to people who live in South Africa, Israel, Zimbabwe etc. I think we should consider ourselves lucky.

completely agree with you there, in a lot of ways we do have a lot of freedoms and liberties than other nationalities are literally fighting and dying for, for that I am and will be eternally grateful. However we are still a heavily monitored state regarding internet traffic, emails, communications, cctv. I would encourage anyone to watch Erasing David to how scary it can be.

Also I would suggest reading Inspector Gadgets blog regarding policing, shows what a tough job they have (and complete lack of suitable equipment and training) and the stupidity of the senior management within the forces.

Sorry for diverting the thread and I don't want to get into a back and forward online.

 

[British Red]

It's called budgeting.....and a generally stable, considerate, society.

We are the least policed nation in the western world.
We don't usually need much more.

I'm not saying that we don't have problems, or wish that there were more done, but on the whole, things tick over peacefully.

cheers,
Toddy

Actually Denmark, Holland, Canada, Switzerland and Finland all have less police per capita than the UK

 

[Toddy]

I don't see how one can relate low force numbers, but generally contented population, with 'weak' ?

I don't think they are weak, I think they suit the society that funds them.
Having seen Glasgow's mounted polis in action, there's nothing weak there :yikes:

As for CCTV, it's impossible for anyone to actually watch it all, but to know that it's there if necessary is apparantly a great security for many.
However, I live in a village, and I don't think that there are any here Not even the local supermarkets are big enough to need them. Maybe some of the factory yards ? maybe ?
I think most folk kind of look on them like street lighting.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[santaman2000]

On the subject of police response, I have downloaded an app to my phone called Tune In Radio. Amongst the thousands of radio stations it gives you access to are, in some US cities, police and emergency services scanners. It makes quite interesting listening. Last night I was listening and an officer was despatched as they had received a complaint from a person that a vehicle was parked across their driveway. Imagine ringing the police here with such a complaint. You'd be laughed at.

I don't know if it's budgets, political interference, or something else, but there is something wrong with policing in this country when we can't even get officers out to crimes IN PROGRESS but in the US they can send an officer out to something so trivial.

Not sure a blocked driveway is trivial. If you cain't get your car out you're pretty much trapped. No way to get to your Dr.'s appointment, the grocery store, no way to take the kids to school (and then the truant officers start to get involved), etc. In effect blocking a driveway amounts (in some states) to 2 possible criminal acts:

1) Depriving one of property (the use of my car which is blocked in)
2) False arrest (trapping me in because I cain't drive out. This one would be especially applicable if the victem is wheelchair bound)

 

[TFan]

Not sure a blocked driveway is trivial. If you cain't get your car out you're pretty much trapped. No way to get to your Dr.'s appointment, the grocery store, no way to take the kids to school (and then the truant officers start to get involved), etc. In effect blocking a driveway amounts (in some states) to 2 possible criminal acts:

1) Depriving one of property (the use of my car which is blocked in)
2) False arrest (trapping me in because I cain't drive out. This one would be especially applicable if the victem is wheelchair bound)

Fair point as I no nothing about US laws. I was trying to contrast that with some of the tales in previous posts and others related to me that it can be very difficult, if no impossible sometimes, to get the UK police to respond to a crime even whilst it is being committed. I know of a person who's house was burgled, the burglary was reported by a neighbour whilst the criminal was still on the premises. The police response was to send a SOCO (Scenes Of Crime Officer) around a couple of days later to check for fingerprints etc.

Sadly, for "light-touch" policing read "no" policing. And I'm not blaming the officers. I blame politicians and senior officers and politically correct mantra they're all expected to follow.

 

[Faz]

Fair point as I no nothing about US laws. I was trying to contrast that with some of the tales in previous posts and others related to me that it can be very difficult, if no impossible sometimes, to get the UK police to respond to a crime even whilst it is being committed. I know of a person who's house was burgled, the burglary was reported by a neighbour whilst the criminal was still on the premises. The police response was to send a SOCO (Scenes Of Crime Officer) around a couple of days later to check for fingerprints etc.

Sadly, for "light-touch" policing read "no" policing. And I'm not blaming the officers. I blame politicians and senior officers and politically correct mantra they're all expected to follow.

+1.... I agree. Officers want to catch people, its why they join the job. The problem is that there are simply not enough of them to go around.

From experience, if you call the cops because someone is blocking your drive, if there is a cop available, they will come.

 

[British Red]

Always remember, when its really serious, when seconds count, the police are just minutes away.

 

[Suffolksteve]

Always remember, when its really serious, when seconds count, the police are just minutes away.

So true, we moan, (me included) about how bad they are are and how there is over monitoring by the authorities but the people on the ground doing the work generally do care, put effort into things and react when there is a real priority. As sad as it is hearing about them not responding to burglaries in progress etc I know when there is a serious accident or life threatening situation they will attend and put their all in.

 

[British Red]

Read it again Steve.....

When seconds count....they are minutes away

In a way it is polite - I honour our police for the tough job they do. But, people shouldn't have to be afraid to tackle criminals themselves. Most people aren't afraid of the criminals as much as the silly bleeding heart courts who protect criminals from their victims!

Red

 

[caliban]

Always remember, when its really serious, when seconds count, the police are just minutes away

Yup! If there's a fine to be levied, a racist incident, or overtime to be made policing a demo, with the added possibility of getting away with murdering the odd newspaper seller, the Police will be there every time. If it's any type of behaviour that might affect the quality of life of a law abiding taxpayer, forget it!

The best thing to do is to film the crime and record the response, circulate it on the net and send a copy to your local MP and local media to shame the local authorities into doing their jobs.