Look out, its the Rozzers!

[British Red]

Bad manners are never excusable in any walk of life. No difference for an officer of the law.

Never yet met a copper who was anything other than great, just one very lazy one who turned up 8 months late to criminal damage so his boss would let him move jobs.

Agreed Richard - I have only met this one over many years, and I am not ashamed to say that I made it my business to ensure his superiors were aware of the fact (as I have when met with particularly good service from an officer)

It is important to always remember this country operates on a principle of "policing by consent" and the goodwill and respect of the public is vital to that undertaking.

I think the police do a very important and difficult job - and just as we should remember that they may have had a bad day, so might the member of the public they exist to serve. Courtesy and respect is a mutual requirement.

 

[John Fenna]

I have yet to meet an "outright rude" police officer - but then I have not talked to that many when they were on duty

 

[Biker]

Donkeys years ago I was out on my Yamaha 250cc with my brother on the back of it. Nothing special you might think, well at the time the legal CC limit to ride with Learner plates was 125, but there was a loophole in the law that was exploited to the full that said you had a sidecar on the bike you could ride legally. I had my L plates proudly on show.

So my brother and I rode into Canterbury to go to the cinema when I noticed a policeman driving behind us on the ring road, naturally he followed us and waited until I'd parked and said "You are in soooo much trouble sonny." Long story short, he wasn't convinced by my polite explanation but didn't do anything further than say he'd get back to me. We went to the cinema and rode home afterwards and thought nothing more of it.
2 weeks later I'm working on my bike on the driveway when this same policeman pulled up, got out and sauntered down the drive then apologised for stopping me. To say I was shocked was an understatement I was just some snot-nosed kid and yet this policeman took the time to find me and apologise if he appeared to come on heavy that day (he didn't, but he did act smug that he'd nailed me). Anyway I spent a very happy 20min chatting with him showing him how the leaning system on this sidecar worked (it allowed you to lean the bike into corners like it wasn't even there) he was impressed and we both agreed it was a stupid law, because potentially a 17 year old learner could strap one to an XS1100 Yammy and wrap himself around a phone pole in no time.

Having witnessed that my attitude to the Police changed. Being civil with them initially helps enormously, because I imagine they have a pretty rough day dealing with the oiks.

See a picture below that I found on line of a Sidewinder sidecar. It was really handy for me having that sidecar to carry my carpentry tools in a box to and from work.

 

[Deleted member 36581]

Removed.Removed.

 

[jackcbr]

To the police officers out there I ask a question.

is it correct to say that the police are not legal experts (this is not an insult, I mean to say not trained in chapter and verse of every law) and police the law to their interpretation. This is to say what one police officer would see as good grounds to carry a knife may cause another to arrest you. Isn't this why we have the court system?

I was brought up with an attitude to respect the police and have spent a lot of adult life with friends who are police officers. They are only human, they are affected by the same responses as the rest of us to traumatic and violent scenes, yet are expected to remain professional. You don't know what a police officer has just had to deal with. He may have had to attend the scene of a death, he may have been with in grasping distance of nicking some scrote but they got away, or even just driven at high speed under blues and twos with adrenaline pumping to a hoax call.

If you have nothing to hide, why not answer their questions. If they seem rude or abrupt, why not treat them the way you would like to be treated. This may just bring them round and treat you a little better.

We very rarely get police round my way and when we do, they are doing a drive by and it never seems to be the same ones. But I make eye contact with them, give them a smile and maybe a small wave of acknowledgement. You never know when I might come across them again, you never know they might remember me. But it's cost me nothing.

 

[Doc]

A lot of people in other countries think the British police are the best in the world. Quite possibly they are.

I used to get stopped all the time when doing on call work, especially early on a Sunday morning. Understandable when I was driving slowly in a residential area, looking for the right house number, but sometimes I got stopped on the main road too. I guess 3am on Sunday is when a lot of drink drivers are around.

 

[Faz]

To the police officers out there I ask a question.

is it correct to say that the police are not legal experts (this is not an insult, I mean to say not trained in chapter and verse of every law) and police the law to their interpretation. This is to say what one police officer would see as good grounds to carry a knife may cause another to arrest you. Isn't this why we have the court system?

No one I know, knows all laws inside out, that's going from pcso up to a qc or anyone else. However, I do know all that I need to know for response work such as assaults, thefts, offensive weapons, bladed articles, traffic etc....anything else that might escape me then I will read up (if time) or I have access to quick reminders that I have produced myself. This would maybe be for the finer point of a law or for something that we did not come across a lot and required more specialist advice.

If an officer stops you with a knife that is on the wrong side of the law then the officers job is to put you before the court for them to decide. After interview it may be cps that decide before it even gets to court. If the officer decides that you are camping or bush crafting then they will use their discretion to not take it further. Remember, the default position should always be for the officer to do as the law says, however, we all have discretion or common sense (well, most of us) and this means that most of us would not be arrested or summonsed to court.

 

[boatman]

Reasonable excuse seems to have become drastically narrowed. "I am going to show it to my friend", for example, if true is a perfectly reasonable "excuse". "The damascene reflects weirdly in the moonlight and I enjoy looking at it", might be another. Enjoyment of one's property is enshrined in Common Law. The gentleman who was fined for the knife he kept to peel his apples should have been funded to take an appeal as far as necessary, Liberty do not seem to take much interest in such cases sadly.

 

[Sleepy Weasel]

I'm a firm believer in the attitude test. If you behave like a t0&&er and give them a hard time from the get go, particularly if you include the saying "Why aren't you out catching real criminals?" Then I think you will have a hard time.

Be polite, courteous and reasonable, as a good friend once said to me "You catch more flies with molasses than you do with vinegar"

 

[Sideburnt]

You know what, honestly? I couldn't give a monkeys. This might sound brazen but I'm quite prepared to be stopped and questioned and no doubt the fact I carry a folder larger than 3" that locks would raise some alarm bells.

But, and this is how I feel strongly about this I'm not a criminal, and I won't be planning on being one any time soon. The law might fall down on the wrong side for me but to a certain extent I'm prepared to take that hit if and when it happens because the law is in place to stop the other 99% that DO intend harm to others, I just happen to fall into the same bracket in nothing more than circumstance. I have a moral compass that I trust to keep me out of bother, and not cause any either. I just happen to live in the UK where the law doesn't quite fit exactly to the life I live. It doesn't bother me one bit. I mean honestly, who is above scrutiny really? anyone? nope.

People break the law every day, they might not realise it but they probably do. It's a funny old world and we have to all get along somehow. Law's don't always make peace, sometimes they're in place to cause the opposite and challenge something that isn't generally accepted as a norm. becuase it's misunderstood, I don't want to compound that issue any further by diminishing the single opportunity I have on living on this plant and being as happy as possible.

 

[Bushwhacker]

They're only human and they've got a job to do. That's the way I look at it.
Don't hate the player, hate the game.

 

[Steve27752]

Now this is a different question. I would, and have, taken offence at being acosted by a constable in such a fashion. I dealt with said constable in a calm and professional manner, took his details (collar number in this instance) and reported his behaviour to his superior. Getting into an argument at the time about due process and his behaviour may have ended up in a rather embarrasing situation

There are more senior but none superior.

 

[Gray]

Never had a problem with Bobbies myself, I believe in pro social modelling. By which I mean the way you speak to somebody promotes a reaction. I employ this technique all the time when working, it certainly makes my life a bit easier when dealing with irate and irrational people who are just looking for someone to vent there anger or frustrations at.

 

[presterjohn]

I work with a retired Copper. His method of dealing with people with knives was to ask himself "is he a toe rag" if so nick him. "Is he stood on concrete" (ie in town) if so nick him unless he gives a bloody good reason. "is he stood on the grass or half way up a tree " let him get on with it.It was said in a jokey fashion but it sounds about right for him.

 

[Goatboy]

Not talking to a police officer: I was of the understanding (in Scotland anyway) that an officer could detain you without reason or time limit (within reason) until he had verified your identity. So not talking to him could get you detained. Also there is the great term of "Breach" ie any action that can cause alarm or offence. Basically if you tee him off or a member of the public and it's not a specific offence they can lift you for breach. Often used to lift toerags who are chancing their arm. If you and the officer can be polite then theres no need to take things further unless you've been a bad un surely?

 

[bambodoggy]

You don't even have to speak with the officer.

Bit blooming rude though.....I'll talk to anyone lol

 

[boatman]

The other day on the BBCRadio 4 Today programme there was a perfect example of misinformatiin by the police going unchallenged by the interviewer. Subject was cautions being given for even serious repeat offences. Example given by police spokesman on the acceptable use f cautions something like "If two lads are on their way back from fishing in the country and they are found with a knife then it is reasonable to give them a caution instead of charging them." I have complained to the BBC on them not challenging this statements as on the face of it they had a perfectly lawful reason to be in possession of a knife, for cutting line, gutting fish etc. Certainly to be given a criminal record in those circumstance would seem wholly wrong. But id senior police officers are disseminating such opinions to lower ranks what hope have we got?