To think the police are useless?

[RainbowsAndCrystals]

In my 20s I've been around many people that have had bad experiences with them and say how useless they are.

Something happened to me a month ago and it was caught on cctv.

Firstly the police said I had to get the evidence myself. So I had to ask around for cctv ... very difficult when people don't want to be involved and you're someone with zero authority.

Now a month later and they still haven't bothered to look at the footage.

It's so disheartening and almost like they have sided with the criminals.

Try working like this ...a typical day.... start work.. sit down and try and do some enquiries on a crime or investigation - 2 minutes later - get sent to deal with a new incident that's just come in - one more added to your workload...... next day - start work.. sit down - try and arrange to do some enquiries ..... get sent out to deal with another incident .. come back - one more added to your workload - next day ... start work... try and get some enquiries done ... get sent to another incident because there is no one else to send... another one added to your workload... Do you get the picture? Its not that the police do not want to help a victim of crime or believe me they would never become a police officer.......and yes it is at breaking point ... police are not allowed to strike....

Reading through the comments here, defending the police, the thing that struck me about my own experience was the disgusting way a number of officers spoke to me or in some cases, over me.
I lost count of the number of times they gave me their opinion of the case, rather than what the law actually said.
I had a female officer telling me that I must be on benefits because I told her it was only me in the house with two small children.
I had another female officer telling me that if I complained about my neighbour, then I would be arrested too as in all of these cases there is bad behaviour on both sides. Really?
In the end, at least 15 other people were affected with one person's appalling dangerous behaviour and all of these people had to involve the police on a regular basis.
Yet, there were laws in place to deal with the behaviour and a large number of witnesses, some of who just needed support and reassurance to give their evidence.
Most officers were more interested in lecturing the victims and dismissing everything they said and belittling them. In the end, the situation went on for 6 years!
Obviously money wasn't an issue as it could have been resolved 50 times over!
We got a letter of apology in the end.
I can't tell you how far that went towards making the situation right when our lives had been ruined and some neighbours had given up their homes out of fear. Not far at all, just in case you're wondering!
I hate the police with a passion!

And she pays 14% of her salary into her pension so dont bother with that shit that she doesn't pay for her pension either

But someone paying that in other jobs wouldn't get anywhere near the pension for as long as a police officer. 14% is nothing for the pension paid out, and at such an early retirement age. Its massively subsidised by the employer.

I lost count of the number of times they gave me their opinion of the case, rather than what the law actually said.

Most police have a fairly loose grasp of the law imho. My personal favourite was when one said to me "can't do that, cos of, er, data protection act, innit" then was unable to clarify further.

Yes, my experience too.
I find it puzzling how many people start defending the police with excuses and work loads etc but my experience had nothing to do with any of the usual excuses.
They actively went out of their way not to help and added to the cost massively.
I remember getting a lecture once about my neighbour from hell, telling me that her gypsy background meant we had to respect her lifestyle.
Yes, smashing up people's homes and cars and breaking someone's skull with an iron bar, drink driving and running someone over on purpose should all be respected as a 'lifestyle'!

It’s a bit of a sweeping statement OP. There are people in every profession that are ‘useless’ but that doesn’t make all of them so.

My DF was in the police, he loved his job but it nearly broke him. What people don’t realise is that they don’t ever finish work. The cases you are working on, court cases and the people depending on you for help cannot be switched off. The effects on personal and family life is immense. I used to lie awake half the night waiting for my Dad to come home. I’ve seen him with some serious injuries, heard him cry about some of the awful sad things he witnessed, he’s been spat on, threatened and had threats made against his family. I’m not sure why anybody would want to do this for a living. I have the utmost respect for those that do.

My DF was in the police, he loved his job but it nearly broke him. What people don’t realise is that they don’t ever finish work. The cases you are working on, court cases and the people depending on you for help cannot be switched off. The effects on personal and family life is immense. I used to lie awake half the night waiting for my Dad to come home. I’ve seen him with some serious injuries, heard him cry about some of the awful sad things he witnessed, he’s been spat on, threatened and had threats made against his family. I’m not sure why anybody would want to do this for a living. I have the utmost respect for those that do.

All of which is true of teaching, social work, nursing, paramedics and any other number of professions. The police aren't a special case and a significant minority of lazy, greedy, corruptible, violent and ignorant bullies who are attracted to the job mean that they've lost the respect of many law abiding people, as witnessed on this thread.

and at such an early retirement age

How young do you think they are at retirement? Its either 30 years service (and who in their right mind would do it for 30 years) or 55 years of age whichever is first. Maybe we should insist they carry on for 50 years service instead or maybe 67 years old. Yes thats a great idea, a 65 year old chasing and fighting 18 year old criminals

Great to see so many posts (including op) dissing the entire police force based on one, or a small number of personal experiences. I agree that, like any profession, there is a minority who are crap/rude/lazy/whatever but this certainly isn't the majority and it's pretty ignorant to assume that applies to the body as a whole.

The police officers I know are, in the main, decent, incredibly hard working people. They frequently work longer hours than many people would actually be awake for, let alone at work. They take abuse, threats, risk injury and save lives on a daily basis. They do all this while becoming increasingly frustrated at the lack of resource they're working with. How can they be expected to deliver the same service with a substantially smaller rota? When they're sharing a single helicopter with several other forces and it's in use when it's needed? When their proactive team is dissolved because of restructuring due to cuts so there is only ever reactive policing? Wouldn't you be a little grumpy sometimes working like this, too?

This is not to mention the complexities of evidence gathering and the hoops that need to be jumped through to get CPS to prosecute. I think some people think they can just say that something happened and that's enough to get someone locked up when in reality it's much more complex by the time you get to evidential and public interest tests.

As I said, I'm not saying they're perfect - either as a force or as individuals - but maybe don't make lazy assumptions about over 100,000 people because one or two of them didn't meet expectations. By all means, complain through the proper channels if you're not happy how your case was handled though.

To be fair the incidences of bad police management in my area is on the rise. They dont attend muggings or shoplifting or burglaries not in motion anymore and dont even follow them up my ex was a police officer and he also thought it was shit how bad police are in the area. Thats not to discredit individual officers.

What about the time there was a van of police watching and waiting outside of a club I was in. There was no violence and it wasn't a residential area. They were doing nothing.

Or the time I was in the car with my friend and her friend a police officer pulled us over for a joke.

We drove into a wooded area once and there was a police car just sat there. They then followed me, pulled me over and made me get in the back. Then lied and said I'd been talking to the other cars pulled up in the woods - I really hadn't.

Great to see so many posts (including op) dissing the entire police force based on one, or a small number of personal experiences

I met officer, after officer, after officer who all acted in the same way.
At least 20 out of one local force, so I don't think it's a few at all.

Try being a victim of abuse and harassment and then realising that not only do you have to battle the perpetrator but also the police.

Of course police get abuse too but that's what they signed up to. You'd think it would make them a bit more understanding towards the victims instead of making the situation worse.

If it's that terrible working for the police and so badly paid, blah, blah, blah, leave!

Great to see so many posts (including op) dissing the entire police force based on one, or a small number of personal experiences

That adds up to quite a lot of bad experiences by the collective MN massive.

By all means start a thread about how fabulous the police are. Let's see if anyone is willing to share their great experiences.

FWIW I work long hours at my job and get abused by clients. Most people feel hard done by at work one way or another.

Several police I have come across should be grateful for the job tbh. They are only one step up from the thugs themselves. It was probably either the police or the army.

For petty crime it's not even worth bothering to contact them where I live. They can't/won't do anything and I assume lack of resources is to blame. Couldn't get through to local station on phone when I tried. Luckily I've never had experience of having to report a more serious crime. I have a deep mistrust of the police due to a long legal battle my father had with them which ultimately resulted in his mental breakdown and suicude. The force in question were deeply, deeply corrupt (this was 15 years ago, I hope it's changed) (think making up evidence, trying to plant a judge that would be sympathic to the force, outright lying to the press) . When the case finally got to court the (decent newly appointed) judge threw it straight out seeing it for exactly what it was , a police witch hunt led by a deeply corrupt force.A few months the judge was killed in a riding accident. I've always thought that odd. It sounds unbelievable but that's the reality weve had to learn to live with. I've often thought his story would make a good TV drama actually! That said I believe most members of the force to be well meaning if not terribly effectual.

Reading through the comments here, defending the police, the thing that struck me about my own experience was the disgusting way a number of officers spoke to me or in some cases, over me.
I lost count of the number of times they gave me their opinion of the case, rather than what the law actually said.
I had a female officer telling me that I must be on benefits because I told her it was only me in the house with two small children.
I had another female officer telling me that if I complained about my neighbour, then I would be arrested too as in all of these cases there is bad behaviour on both sides. Really?
In the end, at least 15 other people were affected with one person's appalling dangerous behaviour and all of these people had to involve the police on a regular basis.
Yet, there were laws in place to deal with the behaviour and a large number of witnesses, some of who just needed support and reassurance to give their evidence.
Most officers were more interested in lecturing the victims and dismissing everything they said and belittling them. In the end, the situation went on for 6 years!
Obviously money wasn't an issue as it could have been resolved 50 times over!
We got a letter of apology in the end.
I can't tell you how far that went towards making the situation right when our lives had been ruined and some neighbours had given up their homes out of fear. Not far at all, just in case you're wondering!
I hate the police with a passion!

cakefairy We have sadly had an identical experience, I am so sorry you had this too, really ought to be a time when police can be relied upon but sadly not.

I actually detest the police based on our experience too..... I really do.

Hope you have some peace now x x x

NoKidsTwoCats

Great to see so many posts (including op) dissing the entire police force based on one, or a small number of personal experiences.hmm I agree that, like any profession, there is a minority who are crap/rude/lazy/whatever but this certainly isn't the majority and it's pretty ignorant to assume that applies to the body as a whole.

How do you you know it's the minority who are crap? How do you know it isn't the majority?

If, as I said earlier, every single experience (except one) I have ever had with the police (including them rating a threat made to me to blow me and others up on a tube there and then + anti-white racist comments as a "low priority" and didn't even bother to turn up to the tube station until over an hour after the TFL staff called for emergency assistance, as I escaped the tube and watched in terror as it continued with this man still on it...) has been absolutely dreadful, insulting and wholly incompetent, would you mind telling me on which planet I am therefore likely to say "oh yes, the police do a fantastic job"?

Doubleshot all good here now thanks. I've moved away and started afresh. It did ruin my mental health but recovering.
I hope your situation is resolved as well.
If it ever happened again to me, the last people I'd call in the police.

I find it absolutely amazing how nearly every police force in Britain now has their own 'show' on TV as well!
How has that been allowed to happen? So busy but have time to act on TV? Of course they're all impeccably behaved on there!
Sympathetic with the victims and calling the criminals 'mate' or 'big fella'
If they really want any sort of credibility, get off TV and do some work

One of Lancashire's best finally got dismissed after 11 years of poor behaviour.

www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/sexting-blackpool-cop-dismissed-for-gross-misconduct-1-8167854

That's right, 11 years of sexual harrassment, refusing to attend incidents because he was chatting up woman, leaving his division to continue an affair, sleeping on duty. 11 Years of it!

Just what do these officers have to do and for how long, before they finally get sacked?????

However underfunded and streched they are, surely I deserved more than "well it will be your word against his love" when I reported my ex raping and beating me. Also "it happens all the time and it never gets anywhere so you'll be wasting your time". Surely a human response doesn't cost money, even if that were the case there's a way to say it. We lived in student flats and other people heard. He beat me to within an inch of my life not long after and continously raped and sexually assaulted me. A boyfriend after that sexually assaulted me many times and I just didn't see the point of reporting. It took so much courage to even speak to them it put me off for life.
I know the amazing work some of them do as relative worked in child protection. Doesn't change my personal experience though.

Yep. That's what gets me the most. When one of their own misbehaves or is inadequate or even criminal they rally round and that's it. They fight to the end to defend themselves meaning they never weed out the bad seeds. I shudder when I think how the Hillsborough families or the Lawrence's had to fight all those years for justice. Sadly I suspect there's many more families under the radar like us who have been through similar experiences. Also I've often wondered about the influence of freemasonry in the police force.

Wow... who knew so many people were anti police?! Let's hope that all of you judging the police from what you've seen on the tv or what your neighbours told you are never in a situation where you need the police. A terror incident for example. I think you'll find those officers you are calling lazy and racist are in fact the ones running into the trouble.

Dare I mention #cutshaveconsequences and the fact it's not officers who choose not to come to your crime but the lack of resources available to do so and that policy has insisted that only certain crimes are dealt with. Priority crimes such as robberies and sexual assaults have to be prioritised over neighbourhood issues and people rowing over Facebook. I also find it highly unlikely that a van full of officers were just sat outside a club being lazy. I'm guessing there was intelligence that something was going to happen there that the poster as a member of the public wasn't aware of and they were there for that. Or we're waiting to do a house search or arrest round the corner of a violent offender warranting that many officers.

Ghostly Have you actually READ the thread? Because if you had you wouldn't have made such a stupid comment as Let's hope that all of you judging the police from what you've seen on the tv or what your neighbours told you are never in a situation where you need the police. A terror incident for example

Because almost all of us commenting negatively about the Police are from PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, not what we've seen on the TV or from a neighbour and one of the comments a few notches above yours was from someone IN what might have been a potential terror attack.

Ghostlyfeet
Wow... who knew so many people were anti police?! Let's hope that all of you judging the police from what you've seen on the tv or what your neighbours told you are never in a situation where you need the police. A terror incident for example. I think you'll find those officers you are calling lazy and racist are in fact the ones running into the trouble.

Perhaps I missed all those posts. What do you think about all the posts where we are judging the police based on actual fact - all our experiences of them?

A terror incident for example, as I wrote of above. The only one who was running was me and the staff desperately calling the police to attend.

Or the time a bus raced through Richmond on Thames, weaving across the other side of the road causing chaos with other cars going up onto pavements to avoid it, then ran across a zebra crossing whilst an old lady was on it, she dived onto the pavement in front of us to save her life. As we tended to her on the ground, people called the police, who are just at the station less than 5 minutes away. The police refused to come out and refused to stop the bus on its journey, until all of us bystanders went to the station and officially reported it in person. Whilst the bus continued on its very drunk or crazy merry way.

YABU - I’m absolutely sick to the back teeth of these threads bashing the police!!

I know you see all these police programmes etc but I don’t think the public actually have any clue what so ever about the state things are in.

The reality is that your case has been passed to an investigation officer. Who unfortunately has about 50-60 different cases that they are expected to deal with. They have to be prioritised. Yours is obviously not that higher priority as some of the other cases they have running.

I take calls daily from people demanding to see a police officer about a very minor offence (in the grand scheme of things), and they can’t comprehend that there are life and death emergencies happening every second of the day that have to be dealt with first. I know sometimes what’s happened is the worst thing that’s ever happened to that person, but someone else is having it worse time of it when they’ve been raped, stabbed or shot etc.

The mind boggles.