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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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SgtBilko · 12/08/2023 19:40

No I don’t. I have had a couple of experiences in the past couple of years where they failed in their duty of care to me.

AgentProvocateur · 12/08/2023 19:40

No, but also, I have no faith in them to tackle crime anymore having read about their responses to break ins, bike thefts, shoplifting, etc.

YouJustDoYou · 12/08/2023 19:42

Absolutely not. I have watched so, so many videos on youtube of them standing back and allowing peaceful women to be screamed at, called vile slurs, dragged from places they're sat, threatened with death, aggressively harrassed, and the watching police only several steps away have said NOT ONE WORD to the vile aggressors. However, dare say to the police that the aggressive abusive man screaming in my face with the wig and hot pink top/mini skirt on is frightening me and the woman gets cautioned/arrested. You simply cannot trust them ESPECIALLY if you're a female.

LunaNorth · 12/08/2023 19:42

I think the concept of policing with consent has been broadly forgotten.

MasterOfOne · 12/08/2023 19:43

Not in the slightest!

Mistymountain · 12/08/2023 19:44

I've never trusted the police. It seems naive to think they're on your side - they're agents of the State after all and one should be wary.

Badbadbunny · 12/08/2023 19:49

No, I was a special constable in the late 80s/early 90s and wouldn't trust them back then either. The rot was definitely setting in. Older officers coming up to retirement were mostly trustworthy, but the younger ones/recruits etc didn't seem to have a moral compass - they'll now be the senior officers! Lack of trust/respect for the "regulars" was the main reason I gave up being a Special and why I didn't pursue becoming a police officer myself (which was the aim at the time).

"Without fear nor favour" - my arse! It was ALL about fear and so many "groups" of people were basically untouchable and ALL about favour for looking the other way when people they liked, or were beholden to, were under suspicion.

There was also the lazy aspect of them only being interested in incidents already reported so they could just tick boxes. They weren't remotely interested in being proactive, even if they saw a crime being committed (minor that it), they'd ignore it, and then sometimes have to go back later to "investigate" if someone rang it in and an incident number was raised. I remember once in the middle of the night, we heard breaking glass, I turned with the intention of trying to find the location and maybe catch the culprit, but the regular I was with told to me ignore it - it's not as if we were doing anything else, we were just on random foot patrol and would be for another few hours. Like I say, lazy!

AngryGreasedSantaCatcus · 12/08/2023 19:49

As an institution? No.

As individuals, especially if I needed their help? Cross my fingers and pray for the best.

Georgyporky · 12/08/2023 19:49

Absolutely not. From their handling of a rape complaint (Thames Valley), to a burglary (Herts ).

Fucking bastards, & I'm from a long line of plod - Grandfather, Uncles, Cousins

SoShallINever · 12/08/2023 19:52

coreas · 12/08/2023 19:16

I have recently been pulled over on the motorway in the early hours and again very professional and had no issues with getting in his car to carry out checks.

That would absolutely terrify me.

See, I was followed by a plain back car along a deserted countryside "A" road a few years back. It had blue lights but was otherwise unmarked.
I was terrified and just kept driving and it backed right off.
Later that evening the Police came to my house and said it was a genuine police car and my car was a close match to a driver they wanted. They did say that they understood why I hadn't stopped.
It's so scary though.

Lolliesareonme · 12/08/2023 19:55

Absolutely not.

The Leeds case has triggered me to want to bring our local police force to account in regards to how my autistic DS (myself and DH were treated).

But none of us have the mental strength to go through with it at the moment, for 3 totally different reasons.

Sdpbody · 12/08/2023 19:56

Police bashing...

The police are completely understaffed. They get 6 months paid leave for "sick", which a lot of people take full advantage of which means that they don't have the money to fund more officers.

ArcticBells · 12/08/2023 19:57

I'm very sad to say that I no longer trust/ would feel safe with the police.

A few years ago I would have been horrified by the thought of the police not being trustworthy

Survey99 · 12/08/2023 19:57

Overall yes. Like any occupation it will have its fair share of bad apples, or even badly run teams but I would not hesitate or fear to call them and have never had a bad experience with them.

Our family have unfortunately had police involvement for ongoing issues a couple of times and the officers involved were brilliant, professional, responsive and supportive every step of the way even when things were difficult or we didnt always get the results we wanted.

We have had officers attending family deaths (one a suicide the other when my dad died at home alone) and they were respectful, efficient and helpful keeping us up to date and letting is know what we needed to do.

Ds(19) is out and about a lot and has had contact with officers when driving, out clubbing, at his PT work as bar staff or at football matches where they have been needed for crowd control incidents and he has absolutely nothing negative to say about them.

LoveThisUsername · 12/08/2023 19:58

Never have, never will.

EnthENd · 12/08/2023 20:01

No. But more from the direction that if I am a victim of crime, I anticipate the police won't give a damn. I feel the country no longer has a functional police force. Or functional ambulance service.

West Mids Police is my local force, but I see the rot as nationwide.

Silkierabbit · 12/08/2023 20:05

Used to but not anymore since they handcuffed my mute autistic child when I was doing chemotherapy for 2 hours to take him to see a psychiatrist as he was worried about me, trying to get to his school but they had said can't meet needs a month after he learned of my cancer diagnosis and he was frightened. Now he will never leave the house and is terrified of everyone but us. I hate them so much.

Anotherillnes · 12/08/2023 20:10

I haven’t had contact with the police.
Would I call them if I witnessed a crime or was a victim- yes. That is the organisation with power to investigate.

I wouldn’t maybe feel safer if I was walking as a woman and had a police officer following me compared to another man. Just as vulnerable to either.

Clymene · 12/08/2023 20:15

Silkierabbit · 12/08/2023 20:05

Used to but not anymore since they handcuffed my mute autistic child when I was doing chemotherapy for 2 hours to take him to see a psychiatrist as he was worried about me, trying to get to his school but they had said can't meet needs a month after he learned of my cancer diagnosis and he was frightened. Now he will never leave the house and is terrified of everyone but us. I hate them so much.

Jesus. I'm so sorry, how awful

Poorlilthing · 12/08/2023 20:16

Silkierabbit · 12/08/2023 20:05

Used to but not anymore since they handcuffed my mute autistic child when I was doing chemotherapy for 2 hours to take him to see a psychiatrist as he was worried about me, trying to get to his school but they had said can't meet needs a month after he learned of my cancer diagnosis and he was frightened. Now he will never leave the house and is terrified of everyone but us. I hate them so much.

I’m very confused by this. Why did they handcuff him? How old was he?

stealtheatingtunnocks · 12/08/2023 20:16

No. I’d not stop for a police car, I’d drive to the nearest police station and refuse to get out of the car until a lawyer arrived.

this is not in my nature but after too many stories about misogyny of the most egregious kind, abusing the bodies of dead girls for instance, then, no. Not at all.

I wouldn’t report a rape either

Redglitter · 12/08/2023 20:22

See, I was followed by a plain back car along a deserted countryside "A" road a few years back. It had blue lights but was otherwise unmarked.
I was terrified and just kept driving and it backed right off

In a situation like that you're perfectly right not to stop. If you either drive to something like a petrol station where there are other people around you wouldn't be at all criticised. You can also call 999 when they're behind you and have the control room confirm it is a genuine patrol car & why they want to stop you. You can then either stop or let the controller know you're not prepared to stop just now but you'll pull in at X location further on

MoserRothOrangeandAlmond · 12/08/2023 20:26

Yea, in my job as a nurse and my dad being a retired police officer I have met mostly lovely officers.

You get the odd one who is a bit cocky etc but overall when I've needed them they have been there for me.

This is northumbria police btw, not keen on Cleveland police!

Also my dad says, he's never trusted a Met police officer!

Silkierabbit · 12/08/2023 20:26

Thanks Clymene He was 15. It was utterly horrific and far worse for our family than my cancer.

Sarahconnor1 · 12/08/2023 20:26

No.

As organisation at best they are incompetent at worst corrupt to the core.

I know a few police officers some are decent some use their status to bully people outside of work and care only about progression and pensions.