...to think 'call the police' is not the correct solution to every problem?

[user1471468700]

Long time lurker here...
Now I'm aware that I'm probably about to p*ss off a lot of people, but I've noticed many problems relating to neighbour disputes, naughty trick-or-treaters etc are causing people to advise 'call the police, call 101'
AIBU to think the police have other stuff going on, like muggings, murders, burglaries and so on?

[user1471468700]

Totally agree CremeBrulee

[limitedperiodonly]

YABU. Perhaps you have never had a problem with a shitty neighbour.

Most police work is dealing with anti social behaviour and low level crime before it escalates. That's probably far more prevalent than serious crime but causes a great deal of misery.

From my dealings with a wonderful police team, they want to nip it in the bud so people can live in peace and their job is easier.

I was having trouble with a neighbour - non violent - and the police officers who called gave me various strategies for avoiding confrontation but insisted that if I felt threatened I should call 999, not 101.

It was the first time that someone took me seriously about this cunt. I didn't even take it seriously myself - I thought I should man up - until they explained that what she was doing deserved at least a talking to and possibly arrest.

I didn't call either number in the end - I called their direct numbers at the Neighbourhood Protection Team - and either got them or left a message.

They were wonderful. They gave her a talking to and that worked. She is out of my life. I think you should thank your lucky stars that you've never had to cope with someone like her, or someone far worse OP.

[user1471468700]

A problem may be 'important to someone' MistressDeeCee. But that doesn't automatically make it a police matter

[mouldycheesefan]

Well the rules aren't hard are they? basically, is it a crime? Yes, call the police. No, don't call the police.

[butterfliesandzebras]

There just isn't enough resources to forensically examine every crime scene.

I always remember as a student my friends house was burgled, and as it was very common in student areas (no money for good security) and the value of stuff stolen wasnt much they assumed the police would do nothing and only reported it for insurance claim purposes.

They were somewhat embarrassed when the police turned up with forensics kit and they had to explain they thought they wouldn't bother and had thus tidied away/contaminated anything that they could have fingerprinted!

[mouldycheesefan]

The op is not saying don't notify the police for threatening behaviour.

[Katy07]

I'm not police-bashing. I just genuinely don't see what the police do these days other than fill in forms. So many crimes round here don't get solved, particularly burglaries - they get logged and that's it. Yes, granted there aren't the officers available, but that doesn't make it right. People are being affected by crime and the criminals get away with it. And it will get worse because the criminals will see that there aren't the resources. Now maybe if they stopped wasting money on pointless admin & overpaid top brass they'd be able to afford more officers and specialised resources. And then we could have a proper police force again.
And I agree that there's a lot of wasting A&E time - I was sat in the waiting area a few weeks back waiting for my dad (ambulanced in after collapsing) and there were a lot of people who didn't look like they should have been there. But you wonder how many would have seen their GP instead if they'd been able to get appointments?

[limitedperiodonly]

Their non-confrontational strategies didn't involve staying in, btw. They were horrified when I said I did this. That's what prompted them to tell me to call 999 if she insulted me in the street - not a physical assault, words would be enough. I was amazed that they said that but they said that no one should be intimidated from going about their normal life.

[Matchingbluesocks]

That's not really a good test when most people (on here at least it seems) don't know what is and isn't a crime though is it mouldy?

Then you misapplication of knowldge- posters who insist a argument is threatening, therefore you have been assaulted. Posters who insist lewd comments are sexual assault. It's very hard for any of us to say whether or not these are technically crimes- but do they need to involve the police regardless? The police don't investigate everything that could be considered illegal.

The amount of people who suggest it's a good idea to get the police to visit to scare people or teach them a lesson is shocking too. Like the police are school teachers there to scold naughty pupils

[user1471468700]

Nobody is saying none should contact the police EVER. Obviously they serve a purpose. And they generally do a wonderful job with limited resources. Its about what's appropriate

[user1471468700]

No one, not 'none'

[Matchingbluesocks]

Katy last month a man pinched my bum in the street- dark alley at night- and ran away. The police found him - conducted their own mini sting on him- and arrested him. That's all I wanted them to do really. I thought that was good work (ignoring the original officer who asked if I wanted to do anything about it as lots of people would "laugh it off" )

[limitedperiodonly]

I work for the police answering the 999 and 101 calls. The amount of bull shit non event stuff that people call about is unbelievable

Farfromtheusual Presumably you are trained to distinguish between calls though.

I imagine you dispatch help to genuine emergencies, get timewasters off the line quickly and are able to identify those people who may be in need of help but who don't need an emergency response. If someone like that calls 999, what do you advise? Especially if they are very distressed?

[limitedperiodonly]

When do you think it's necessary to call the police OP?

I've told you what the police said to me - to call 999 if I felt threatened. I was amazed, because I thought that was making a fuss - she wasn't violent, or even verbally abusive. She was just in my face all the time, sneering at me and making me feel like shit until I didn't want to go out.

They said that if I stayed in because I was afraid of what she might say to me, they'd come round. Their support gave me the confidence to go out without calling 999 or 101. Just the thought that someone would take me seriously helped.

[Matchingbluesocks]

But obviously you were already in contact with the police limited? I don't expect most people would be for a bit of "in your face" as you've described so no need for the police to advise anything generally.

Also, police are only human. After above incident the officer told me to carry around a bottle of deodorant to spray in the face of an attacker. Hardly official advice!

[Squills]

YANBU and I think the same goes for the other emergency services too. I have a friend who is a paramedic - some the 'emergency situations' she attends are not even urgent. She's been in the job for many years and says that more than ever folk feel justified in calling an ambulance for the most trivial situations.

[PersianCatLady]

They said that if I stayed in because I was afraid of what she might say to me
It sounds like your neighbour has been having lessons from my neighbour.

[limitedperiodonly]

Matchingbluesocks At the risk of a drip feed - I wasn't in contact with the police. They called one afternoon because she had made a false complaint about me and my husband and threats to kill.

I explained the incident and history to them and they formed their own opinion using their experience and dealt with it accordingly.

They advised both parties. I have absolutely no problem with their attendance, advice and support. They were fantastic. As I understand it: the police just want to keep the peace. That's fine by me.

My problem is the OP saying that people should not bother the police except for dramatic matters.

I have direct experience of a problem that some people might think was minor but was making my life a misery. That's the experience for most of us. Yet my local officers not only took it seriously, they encouraged me to report things that I thought I should just put up with.

That's my experience of the police. They were wonderful. If there was a TripAdvisor for the police I'd give them five stars.

I'd hate to think that the OP, who presumably is not a police officer, is encouraging people not to contact them.

[TheNaze73]

YANBU, the police are for serious matters.

Some of the suggestions for why the police are called on here, make me think the perpetrators are probably serial callers & cause raised eyebrows at the call centre.

Also, make an "official complaint" always makes me laugh. As opposed to what? An unofficial one?

A bit like going to A&E, calling 101 should depend on the severity of the situation. Guess we all have different thresholds.

[mouldycheesefan]

Limited, give it a rest. Nowhere has the op said only contact police for dramatic matters. 🙄 nor is she encouraging people not to contact the police.

[PersianCatLady]

They called one afternoon because she had made a false complaint about me and my husband and threats to kill
Now I know that your neighbour has been having lessons from my neighbour.

This is exactly how it all started with mine, they were always shouting at me in the street and throwing rubbish into my garden but I thought that it was too minor to involve the police.

Next thing I knew, the police were banging on my door because they had accused me of theft and criminal damage of the broken toys that had been thrown into my garden.

[Farfromtheusual]

limitedperiodonly yes of course I'm trained to distinguish the difference. You ask the relevant questions and to be honest when you've been doing it long enough you can usually tell within the first 30 seconds of a call of its a genuine police matter or not.

mouldycheesefan I would tell them it's not a police matter and give them a bit of advice on how they could resolve it themselves without the need for police involvement.

CremeBrulee totally agree about rue wasting time.. Not enough people are fined for this. There are a couple of people I know of in the area I cover that have but they are persistent abusive callers that are on the phone all day every day reporting the same thing that never even happened.

[Farfromtheusual]

Also...

A problem may be 'important to someone' MistressDeeCee. But that doesn't automatically make it a police matter

THIS!

[Farfromtheusual]

The police aren't, and never have been, there to resolve rows, disputes etc. People have become very dependant on someone else doing this for them rather than putting on their big girl pants and doing it themselves.

And this! Well said Matchingbluesocks

[limitedperiodonly]

PersianCatLady I think there is a FB group for these people where they swap tips

I hope your nightmare has gone away. Mine has. People don't understand what it's like.

One of the worst things that happened to me was that at 3am four police officers, hammered on the door shouting that if we didn't open up, they were coming in. We were fast asleep.

My husband groggily asked them to wait until he put some trousers on and they screamed: 'Open up NOW! Or the door's coming in!'

They held him, naked, in a separate room while they questioned me, also naked, in bed. They let me have a dressing gown.

Someone had called them reporting a woman's screams and they'd come to save me. I don't blame them and neither did my husband, once they let him put his clothes on.

It was a malicious call and designed to bolster the false report of threats to kill which had been reported that afternoon.

People who haven't been through this have no fucking idea of the lengths people will go to harass you.

So, if you don't mind mouldycheesefan, I won't give it a rest. And the OP did discourage people from contacting the police.

The police I dealt with were great and encouraged me to call. I'd rather go with their advice.

No one should ever should think it's too much trouble to call. If the police think it is, they'll soon tell you.