A policeman in the supermarket ,would you do this?

Oop🤣

My “thick” grandad used to say to me “Behave ya’sen or ‘bobbies will get thi” when I was a kid and we ever saw the bobbies police.

Former officer here. I heard that several times when I was in uniform. I would gently take the parent to one side, explain why it's a bad idea, then get down on my haunches to have a chat with the little one's. They loved that. Sometimes had a few random Police stickers that I'd attached to a bag or pram, just to reinforce it.

Lesson delivered effectively with compassion to the adult, and making a child laugh was always good.

I've intervened a few times since I retired too. It's totally unnecessary and counter productive. Not had a bad reaction to a polite word either.

I hate this because we want to teach children police protect and catch
the baddies not out them in prison for being naughty such a stupid piece of parenting

He’s judging her by his own standards.

I was an Early Years teacher for 30 years and have adult grandchildren. I have always made a point of not lying to children.

Did the dad see you watching? Maybe it was performance parenting from an ineffective parent.

Yeah right. Given recent events in the Met Police I’m more inclined to see the police as an active threat to my personal safety.

@YorkshirePuddingsGreatestFan excellent come back 😂😂

Ami the only one who is annoyed at the idea that the Police can put someone in prison?
Because they dint have those powers. They arrest people but then it’s a judge/jury who decides if the person guilty and sent to prison. Not the Police.

Police generally hate this. They want people to go to them when they need them, not be afraid of them.

Plus who would threaten their young child like this.

I always told my kids if they got lost, look for a policeman/woman or a woman in uniform that works in the shop

I had similar when I worked in a supermarket. A child was being twisty. Nothing serious, just whingy because they were bored. I was stacking shelves and the mother said to the child to pack in whinging otherwise this lady will smack you - and pointed at me 😳

I smiled sweetly at the child and said "and if you're really good, Mummy will buy you lots of sweeties."

She wasn't happy about that but the little boy was 😂

I would have been better off if my parents had painted a more accurate reflection of the police.

But what that dad did is NOT an accurate description of the reality….

I dont fear the police but my experiences of being a victim of crime several times has been appalling. They exhibited misogynistic attitudes towards me and basically told me it was my own fault. I received zero victim support despite being the victim of random violent crime that threatened my life (I was almost shot) I had reason to complain and my complaint was upheld in an independent investigation.

My family is also mixed race and has been subject to multiple incidents of racial profiling so no, I dont trust the police and if you had experienced what I have, I highly doubt you would too.

When my son was little and we saw a police officer out and about, I pointed them out and said, 'that's who you go to if you're lost or need help.'

I grew up with the unwavering belief that the police were there to help and could be trusted implicitly to uphold the letter of the law. My DPs told me that so it must be true.

I'm getting old now, but twice in my adult life I have turned to the police for help and, on both occasions, have been woefully disappointed by them.

I would have been better off if my parents had painted a more accurate reflection of the police.

Does it? They really helped my dad when he asked them to talk to my wayward brother. They were awesome, even when the police lady then asked me if I stole anything. I admitted to stealing biscuits when mum wasn't looking and she told me off!

call the police?

A child shouldn’t fear being arrested if they don’t eat their vegs or have a tantrum.

However, you can be sure that once you’ve frightened a child enough, Theres no way they’ll ever see them as friendly or even neutral.
Way to go when it’s about the Poluce…..

Yeah, I don't get why people do that. Same with the threat of telling the dad what they've been doing. I swore from day 1 that I'd never use anyone else as an outside deterrent/someone else as a threat. I grew up hearing from friends mums 'wait until your dad's back!' or 'keep going and I'm ringing your dad!' I hated it, sounded so weak willed. Same with 'be good or that (random man just idly shopping) man will take you away!' or using shop workers as someone who will be bad towards them if they play up...

So no, I agree with you. I wouldn't say to be good or you'll go to prison, nor would I say, 'oh, there's a good guy!' They're just people in the background of life, imo.

If you are a black man, you can end up dead.
https://inquest.org.uk/news-and-comment/press-releases/mzee-mohammed-daley-close/
I've seen the footage, they stood around while he died. Three days later I (and my teenage DD) actually intervened because a young black lad was being targeted by security staff, after being racially abused. If you look up the barring cases, there's a lot of unnecessary restraining of teen girls.

YANBU. In my job (not police!) occasionally a parent will say “you’d better behave or the lady will shout.” I’m always quick to say “no I won’t.” It’s lazy parenting and a good way to make kids scared of various professionals.

It used to be a common parenting tactic until we realised that scared children into compliance only works for a little while. Much better to develop a decent attachment with your child and coach their behaviour but that’s work that some people don’t want to put it.

I don’t necessarily think it’s that deep or shit parenting. My dad used to tell us he would perform a citizens arrest on us if we didn’t eat our vegetables/ didn’t do our chores / whatever and we knew he was messing.

Totally ridiculous. Teaching your children to fear the police could be a huge issue in the event that they got lost. I am sure there are a some poor police officers but in my experience they are a dedicated and caring bunch (with a crude sense of humour and bad ability to stick to marrital vows) who do a pretty horrific job. They deal with awful people, terrible crimes, bodily fluids, being attacked and spat on and standing around for hours on end in freezing temperatures whilst needing a wee. I, like many law abiding folks, am glad that the police do what they do so I can live in a more safe and law abiding society.