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Original poster

Do you still trust the police?

380 replies

Soubriquet · 12/08/2023 18:38

When I got with my dh 11 years ago, he would laugh when I said I trusted the police. That they were someone in a position of power, who I felt I could trust. He never tried to sway me, just said, ok..you’ll see.

Now…I don’t. After everything they has happened over the last few years..Rotherham, Wayne Couzens, the girl with autism and other shit like that, I do not trust them at all.

OP posts:
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6
TheLightSideOfTheMoon · 12/08/2023 18:40

Absolutely not.

HappyMe6 · 12/08/2023 18:42

No

Chowtime · 12/08/2023 18:42

No. I'm terrified of them now. I wouldn't even open the door to them without checking first.

Coldheadedathos · 12/08/2023 18:43

No.

Poorlilthing · 12/08/2023 18:43

yes very much so

PuttingDownRoots · 12/08/2023 18:43

Individually or as a collective?
Collectively... no.
Individually... there's still good ones.

Annaishere · 12/08/2023 18:44

No they have a high percentage of control freaks in the police force

Menopausehaver · 12/08/2023 18:44

No, one bad apple spoils the whole barrel.

TheChippendenSpook · 12/08/2023 18:44

We have these threads all the time now. They're nearly as rife as teacher bashing threads but at the moment they're on their six weeks holidays so they're getting a break.

smilesup · 12/08/2023 18:45

Of course not. How can we. I know some lovely individuals who work for the police but as an institution it is corrupt, racist, misogynistic and bends the law to suit itself and the government.

MintJulia · 12/08/2023 18:45

The Met - no, not a chance.

Hampshire Constab. - I have no reason not to - yet. They've always been competent & reasonable in the few dealings I've had with them..

CandyflossKaren · 12/08/2023 18:46

Yes I do

MET included

FreshStart12345 · 12/08/2023 18:46

Yes.

Yes they make mistakes, but they deal with thousands of cases on a daily basis. We only hear about the once-in-a-blue-moon fuck up. If my life was in danger or I was a victim of a crime they would still be the people i immediately turn to. If you don't trust them - who would you call?

exLtEveDallas · 12/08/2023 18:49

No I'm afraid not. Even without all the poor publicity, I have lots of contact with a number of local police officers that have made me feel uncomfortable as they've been quite happy to be extremely judgmental and not willing to take extenuating circumstances into account, and happy to write off a child for the actions of a parent/sibling.

It's becoming harder to respect them, and that's a shame.

coreas · 12/08/2023 18:52

No. I was traumatised after being questioned by them about 25 years ago. It was fucking horrific.

I wasn't a suspect either, they were trying to nail an ex boyfriend for serious offences unrelated to me.

BigMandsTattooPortfolio · 12/08/2023 18:52

Sadly, a lot less than I used to following Wayne Cousins & David Carrick and a raft of ongoing prosecutions for child abuse imagery, rape and DV. I think it’s an increasingly difficult job and I still think there are some good, dedicated officers though. Years of cuts by successive governments haven’t helped to put it mildly.

PowerTulle · 12/08/2023 18:53

No. I had a lovely friend who joined the Met 15 years ago. They were so excited and proud. They lasted a year and their descriptions to me of that experience still makes me feel ill to think about, especially with everything that’s come out about the Met since then.
I think policing has become a known cover for power hungry racists, misogynists and worse. It’s rotten from top to core.

stayathomer · 12/08/2023 18:55

I think there’s good and bad, like everything. I would have once said yes, no matter what, then I met a leery, scary one who was pulling people over to check their tax. He really freaked me out. Mostly yes but if I got pulled over at night I don’t know what I’d do

CloudyMcCloud · 12/08/2023 18:55

I suppose yes, I don’t have much to do with them to say

Couzens was horrific so I might consider that if a similar situation was presented, eg get in a car. How utterly terrifying for Sarah Everard

But if I needed police and they responded well I’d likely be ok

DancingLedgend · 12/08/2023 18:58

No.

Not just the big, appalling failures.

Also, the everyday, minor encounters- DC's bike stolen, meetings about local speed limits, calling them to a clearly drunk driver: from these, my lasting impression is of people who are confrontational, rude, keen on their own power, and of a low level of competence.

doroda · 12/08/2023 19:00

Not anymore, no.

CuteOrangeElephant · 12/08/2023 19:00

I know officers in both West Yorkshire Police and South Yorkshire Police forces and no. Since they have joined the force they've become more judgemental and will always blindly defend their force.

BrindleAbyssinianGuinea · 12/08/2023 19:00

No. They haven't the training to deal with someone who is creating a disturbance not because they a criminal but because they are mentally unwell

MrsTerryPratchett · 12/08/2023 19:02

I haven't for years. I worked with ex-offenders in my teens and seeing how the Police were with young, black men and with young white female me, was an education.

Even the older black men told stories about sewing their pockets shut so nothing could be planted.

Giving a lot of power to men in uniform is something that requires oversight and a lot more than is currently happening.

And I know a lot of lovely police officers. The institution is rotten.

Nottwins78 · 12/08/2023 19:02

My son is a policeman. He has the kindest heart he shows empathy understanding he would never hurt anyone.

But I also believe there are policeman that are right tossers and should not be policeman. My son has heard it and it really upset it. And it made him want to be the gest he can be.

Also the public can also be proper pricks.