To think the police man shouldn't be done for this

[softlysoftly]

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Basically shouted at a bloke taking pictures of a car accident where an old woman died. I don't actually believe the man when he says he was only there after the victim was taken away, who would buy pics of a dented car?

Anyway perhaps the officer shouldn't have sworn but I feel that when they are dealing with horrific accidents where people die, having to tell devastated family's and all the while fighting off ghouls who are all after pictures of the wreck they deserve a bit of leeway for losing their rag at the gawping fuckers every now and then.

Yes they are police but they are also people.

I can't understand why anyone would want to take a picture in the first place, sicko.

And not, YNBU

Probably not the wisest choice of words from the Police Officer but I think I'd be a bit pissed off too if randoms were hanging around the scene of an accident.

Hmm, I'm on the fence. Taking photos is horrible, but There was a horrible accident outside my station (motorbike under lorry). It caused huge amounts of traffic chaos in rush hour, so many people were effected and many people passed by (having to walk as buses were diverted). I remember a copper yelling at people to go away. Most people were just glancing over to see what had happened on the way into the station. No one was taking pictures and I thought at the time that the PC was rather heavy-handed. It must be a horrible job but the passers by are not committing any crime by glancing that way.

Based on the details given int he link, it's impossible to comment. We only have one party's perspective and the DM's editing to go on. Given that the photographer freely admits that there were other people on site who were closer than he was who were completely ignored by police, the cynic in me suspects that there is more going on here than we're aware of.

All that said, the officer concerned should not have spoken to the photographer in that way because it is rude and unprofessional and paints the police in a negative light. Part of the job is the ability to remain polite and professional even when faced with fuckwits.

That doesn't mean I think the officer should be sacked. That would come down to how this incident fits into his career overall and what the circumstances were. Was it an out-of-character lapse caused by considerable provocation in a situation where he was under considerable pressure? Or does he have a record of complaints about rudeness? We don't know. However, I expect someone in professional standards is having a good long look at that right now, which is probably far better than an unofficial trial by media.

Taking pics is bit disrespectful when someone has died isn't it.
I know there was a bad accident by us last week and people put pics on facebook, not sure if the man died or not, but he needed to be put in a helicopter to get to the hospital fast. I'd imagine if that Policeman had been rude, he may well have been shaken up from the whole thing himself, he's a person not a robot.

I would expect a Police Officer to be able to communicate with a member of the public (who hadn't committed an offence) without threatening to "knock him out" or "make his life a living hell", especially given that he was a Sergeant & should be experienced.

Would be interesting to know the whole story though.

Perhaps he shouldn't have sworn but he had a point. Now we all carry phones, we have cameras. It's human nature to gawp but its incredibly sick to start taking photos of an accident.

"Taking pics is bit disrespectful when someone has died isn't it."

But not illegal. And press photographers do it all the time. And we all look at the pictures when they then get published in the newspaper.

" a lapse in professionalism."
YABU.
I haven't ever seen "professional" behaviour when watching the police, tbh.

The level of language they think they can use, is disgraceful, yet they can charge the person that they are dealing with, if it is reciprocated.

So it's ok, for a "professional" to tell someone "that they are lucky they are not getting knocked out".

I think that for a long while certain members if the force need erasing out, if they want to be known and seen as professionals.

He shouldn't be in the role that he is in.

I worked in MH, I have seen some disgusting abuses of police power. Those with LD's aren't always treated as they should be either.

A man died in my area recently, he was cuffed with his hands behind his back, the police took it for granted he was drugged up to the eyeballs, he was fitting and in a cinfused state (they have had the autopsy).

People were asking for the officers to handcuff him at the front, which was ignored, his whole demeanor was someone who wasn't well.

There needs to be a re-think about this "service".

He didn't take photo's whilst the body was there, or for an hour after it was taken away.

He was hoping to sell the photo of the accident scene to the local paper, and to be honest, it's a common front page type of photo really.

I watched the video earlier and I was really appalled at the Policeman, and having always been law abiding myself, but finding myself people spoken to like a piece of shit by a policewoman on a power trip, I can't say I blame the guy for complaining about the officer.

The police officer had no right to threaten him, he had done nothing against the law, immoral or not, but nothing against the law.

Been losing respect for the Police for a few years now.. sorry.

I've rarely seen the police use de-escalation tactics, either, if anything they egg on those they want to arrest.

I actually live a few hundred yards away from the scene of this accident and was 'on the scene' as I was at home at the time until the police and ambulance arrived (at which point the road and paths were closed). I also know the person that took the photos and he did not, at the time, realise someone had been killed and he did not arrive until some time after the poor lady who later died had been taken away by ambulance.

As you can see if you have looked at the photos, a considerable time had passed, I think over two hours, because the car involved was in the process of being placed onto a tow truck. As far as the person that took the photographs was concerned, it was a car that had been in an accident at the entrance to a new supermarket that had been open for a couple of days and assumed someone had pulled out when they shouldn't have because of the new junction.

REGARDLESS of all this, the police officer was absolutely out of order saying what he said.

The photographer may have behaved in a morally repugnant manner - and I say "may" because there is no evidence he was taking photos of anything other than a dented car which is frankly insignificant in the scheme of things - but for the police officer to threaten him with assault and false imprisonment is appalling.

No wonder the police have such a poor reputation.

The officer was probably misinterpreting s128 of the Communications Act 2003 which prohibits electronic transmission of an image that might cause distress.

Actually taking the pic is not illegal, but sending it across a mobile network could potentially be construed as being.

If the officer believes the person taking the pic plans to send it electronically, they think they can can prevent them from doing so.

Police officers do this all the time, find a statutory provision that, if reeeealy stretched might just about justify their heavy handed actions and use it to bully the public who, on the whole, don't have detailed understanding of the law. See also s5 Public Order Act - which the police seem to think gives them the power to arrest anyone who swears at them.

...and they wonder why they are not respected/trusted any more

I happen to be a police officer . No I don't condone it in the slightest .In fact I think the bloke's a complete prick , who's done the rest of us a grave disservice , because it makes people think that all of us are like that . You just have to read some of the above posts to see that thought process in action . Because of course all police officers think the same , dont we ?

In twenty years , I've been at multiple fatal accidents . Not that long ago , I tried and failed to save a fifteen year old boy , who died in my arms , on the road . When he was pronounced deceased, I had to go and help with the road closures , whilst we waited for the ambulance to convey him. In the 20 minutes I was there , I was sworn at repeatedly , told 'I know a VERY senior officer and I'm going to complain' and my shoulder numbers repeatedly asked for. Have them , I don't care . There's at least 3 sets of them on me . I hate rubberneckers . I hate the fact they cause yet more accidents because they're too busy gawping to realise the car in front has stopped . I still didn't feel the need to threaten anyone , or behave as he did.

I have never had the negative experiences you all talk about regarding the police, now maybe I'm lucky, maybe it's because my interaction is minimal but to tar all the force with the same brush is ridiculous. I bet they are the first you would call when you needed them.

Plomino fair enough, I just wouldn't want to see someone lose their job over a reaction to something that quite frankly I find a morally abhorrent modern phenomenon regardless of its legality.

Yanbu.there wS an accident all over fb the other week and turns out my dp was fucking in it!
He was ok but i dont understand these arseholes who do it.
This is so much worse.this poir woman died.
This officer dont deserve to loose his job.

He deserves a fucking medal.
Who are these sickos who wants to put these kinds of pics all over the internet????

The old lady didn't die at the scene, she was airlifted to hospital where she died later that day.

The article clearly states the man was taking photos after the lady had been taken to hospital, and people are nearer the car than he is.

I think the Police man is a complete cock and I do hope he is disciplined. I have family living in that area. Do you think if my 16 yo nephew said to him "you're lucky I didn't knock you out" to the policeman, he'd get away with it? Not a cat in hell's chance!

People take pictures of accidents all the time. They even go as far (sick bastards) as to print them on the front page of tabloids.

However it is legal. What isn't legal is the abusive and threatening behaviour the police officer is alleged to be guilty of.

If convicted the police officer should pay the price for breaking the law.

Plomino I'm sure there must be plenty of decent police officers, but each time I say that I do so with a little less confidence. I was brought up at a time when parents said "if you are lost go up to a police officer". Trusting the police and honoring them for the job they do was the default position.

However, It seems every time I have anything to do with the police I find myself saying "well ok he was a #### but they are not all like that".

More and more these days it feels like the police are just another gang.

The Police Officer was doing a job. Badly. He was videoed doing it and therefore the evidence is against him. He should have been wiser.

kali110 whatever you do don't read any newspapers when you grow up or you will be very disturbed by the content.

Of course he should be done.

He was aggressive, goady, ignorant of the law or lying, threatening the bloke with violence, threatening to arrest him even though he hadn't committed an offence, threatening to lock him up all day for no reason.

Nasty, nasty abuse of power.

Sadly there's a few YouTube videos like this.

I not anti police At all. I used to be a cadet and my sis is an officer but these types have no place in the police.

The police officer should have acted in a professional manor.