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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think the police are damned if they do, damned if they don't?

84 replies

Empusa · 08/08/2011 20:10

Loads of people are complaining that the police aren't doing enough to stop the rioting, but god knows what else people want them to do?

If they do use violence against rioters they'd be accused of police brutality.

If they don't they get accused of not doing enough.

Right now there is violence erupting all around the city, and there is a finite number of police officers etc they can call on.

Tbh, considering how insane this all is I think they aren't coping too badly.

Anyone who blames the police for some idiot scum looting and vandalising needs to try thinking.

OP posts:

figgygal · 08/08/2011 21:42

Not sure what Dave c is supposed to do looks like they need to get more guys in riot gear maybe he can get in there help out

Get the army in and sort this out its absolutely outrageous. I'd be quite happy to see them crack some skulls and get tough quite frankly.

MuddlingMackem · 08/08/2011 21:44

Brilliant idea. That should be standard practice everywhere.

aquashiv · 08/08/2011 21:44

Dave should think about his Big Society as right now its not bloody working.

cookcleanerchaufferetc · 08/08/2011 21:45

Cameron has arranged a COBRA meeting for tomorrow. I think it only meets in emergencies like 9/11, 7/7, fot & mouth outbreak, etc.

peeriebear · 08/08/2011 21:45

My friend sent me this water cannon damage, not nice not saying they should or should not be used, just that they are not harmless.

cookcleanerchaufferetc · 08/08/2011 21:46

I hope all those people breaking windows etc slip and cut their main artery.

CarrieOakey · 08/08/2011 21:46

What a great idea Muddling I like that!!

peeriebear · 08/08/2011 21:46

I agree that indelible ink spray is a good idea.

CarrieOakey · 08/08/2011 21:47

I think the only way to take control is to send in the Armed Forces to assist the police.

wearenotinkansas · 08/08/2011 23:07

Well said OP.

cricketballs · 08/08/2011 23:15

op you said the same as I have been thinking for a long time. Due to the PC nature this country has taken then no longer can anyone do a job in case they offend someone......these people (if you can call them that) are breaking the law however if the police do anything then they are thrown to the dogs but if they don't do anything then they are thrown to the lions.

Original poster

Empusa · 08/08/2011 23:45

I dare anyone who thinks they know better right now, to go out on to the streets and see if they can stop the rioting.

Wish there was more the police were allowed to do.

OP posts:

Pan · 08/08/2011 23:57

I think the police have suffered previously by being actually brutal towards genuine protesters and lying through their arses about issues. BUT, I do agree that in circs like these where they are facing people in very large numbers who are intent on violence they should be given the green light to take all necesary action to clear them off the street.

Pan · 08/08/2011 23:58

creighton · 09/08/2011 07:45

the police treat the community like dirt. they didn't have the common sense or good manners to speak to the family of the dead man. it would have stopped the initial upset. many of them are thick and thuggish, hiding behind their badges.

we need to know what happened with the shooting.

then deal with the criminals who are on the streets. the news reports say that it is 150-200 people in each town or district causing the trouble. most of them will already be known to the police.

i am guessing that lots of them live in social housing. they have seriously breeched their/their parents tenancy agreements and so should be evicted. It would concentrate every thug's mind. put a stop to their soft living and our feeling sorry for them.

freybean · 09/08/2011 08:01

oh ffs the riots in leeds had fuck all to do with that mans death

i agree the police can't do right for doing wrong get the army with the water cannons (get them from northern ireland) and get the little bastards

thesortinghat · 09/08/2011 08:07

Well said OP.

This has nothing to do with that mans death ffs, its just a bunch of kids with no aspirations running riot because this country has let them. Bring in whatever is needed to stop them and give them the message that this is not acceptable behaviour.

lovelyredwine · 09/08/2011 08:07

There are approx 30,000 police officers in London. There are only ever about 2/3 of these officers available due to leave, sickness, courses, maternity leave, rest days etc, so 20,000. There are approx 8,000,000 people living in London. The police are having to deal with the riots AND all the other crime that will still be going on in London at the moment. There were reports yesterday of officers working for 27 hours in a row to deal with the situation. There was a lot of reporting in the press about how slow the police were to react. Well, unfortunately we don't have police stations full of officers sitting about in riot gear with a cup of tea just waiting for a spot of looting so they can trot out and arrest them. We don't have 'riot' officers full stop. We have normal officers who have to go and get their riot gear on after breaking away from normal duties and then actually get to the scene of the rioting. They don't get magically teleported into a situation, so yes, it might take an hour or so for police to turn up sometimes. London is pretty big after all.

I think that under the circumstances they are doing a great job. Imagine how terrifying it must be to be one of about 30 people on one side with a bit of plastic and a baton, facing a baying mob of 100s of people with fires raging around you and stuff being chucked at you. I would love to see some of the people who have said how 'weak and pathetic' the police are deal with that sort of situation. I'm sure their response would be, 'well they knew what they were signing up for when they joined the police'. Yes, they did know that they could be involved with rioting, but it would be nice if the public that they are putting themselves in harms way for actually supported them instead of whining about how rubbish they are. If I was a police officer I would be wondering why I bother with the amount of criticism that is levelled at them.

Rant over.

ScaredOfCows · 09/08/2011 08:07

It said on the news last night that water cannons would have been little use anyway as they are slow and heavy to move, so wouldn't have been able to get to the required areas quickly enough.

What about tear gas though?

cricketballs · 09/08/2011 08:10

"the police treat the community like dirt. they didn't have the common sense or good manners to speak to the family of the dead man. it would have stopped the initial upset. many of them are thick and thuggish, hiding behind their badges.

we need to know what happened with the shooting"

we already know most of what happened; a man whose was a known gang member had a gun in his car.......maybe they hadn't spoken to the family until they had further details......

this is no excuse at all for these animals to treat the areas they live in like this

Fifis25StottieCakes · 09/08/2011 11:15

Thats exactlly what is wrong with this country because we all know that nothing will happen to the rioters and there will be minimum consequence

This country is a joke, open borders, dishing out council houses to people who shouldnt be entitled to them. Do wrong and dont get punished.

I was brought up in what would be classed as poverty, we didnt have a pot to piss in nor were there all the thousands of schemes available to help disadvantages youths. We didnt riot and we had far less than theses youths.

Original poster

Empusa · 09/08/2011 11:55

The news said 6,000 officers were out last night, there should be 16,000 tonight. Hopefully that'll make a difference.

They've just been so outnumbered, and having to cover too many areas at once. And then people are complaining when they can't be everywhere at once.

How the fuck do they expect them to be?!

OP posts:

freybean · 09/08/2011 12:04

i know. people have been saying that the firefighters not getting to the fires fast enough.

thats because the little bastards were trying to attack them so the police wouldn't let the fire fighters in until they were safe to do so

creighton · 09/08/2011 12:42

As I said, we need to know what happened with the man that was killed.

People die in custody. Not one police officer has ever been convicted of murder or manslaughter. Surely you can't say that this death should not be looked into?

The mayhem that has followed is just that, self indulgent mayhem. If you read the rest of my post you would have seen that I want the criminals dealt with appropriately and in a way that would actually hurt them.

Original poster

Empusa · 09/08/2011 14:53

freybean Can't believe they are attacking firefighters :(

OP posts:

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