AIBU to expect the Police to have attended this incident?

[alittlequinnie]

This morning at 5.00 am I was woken up to a lot of shouting outside in the street.

I went to the window and I could see three women and one men standing on the street opposite. The man was punching one woman (wearing a pink top) repeatedly and she was screaming "get off me". It looked pretty bad to me. There was a third woman (denim jacket) next to them and another fourth woman I couldn't really see in a light anorak.

The other two women were not really doing anything.

I picked up my phone and dialled 999 - by the time I had gone through all the details of my address etc the man had literally picked up one woman (the one wearing the anorak - the one I couldn't see) put her over his shoulder and was carrying her into a house just opposite.

Somebody (definately a woman) was shouting either "put me down" or "let me go" and the man shouted "you're gonna pay for this [name of one of the women] and went inside a house opposite with her.

The other two women (denim jacket and pink top) hung around for a bit - although they did not look too concerned and then carried on their way.

I told all of this to the Police including the "you're going to pay" and the other women not being concerned.

I was really scared because if that bloke was happy to punch a woman in the street what was he going to do to the one he carried into the house - why did she need to be carried - wtf?

Police said they would send an officer out.

I was unsure of the house numbers and genuinely concerned so hung around in my front garden in my dressing gown for about a 1/2 hour but no Police, nothing.

Nobody came back and I strained and strained to see if I could hear any shouting coming from the house but nothing.

Just a few minutes ago the Police phoned me back and asked for some more details as they could not pinpoint the property - I told it all again and pointed the house out to them.

They have gone now but they were gone really fast and I don't think they knocked on the door or anything.

I feel really worried that my sorry tale of woe didn't illicit a quicker Police response than this - anything could have happened to that woman in the last three hours coudn't it?

Am I overreacting - I'm sure it was a drunken altercation between "friends" coming home after drinking all night but those can get out of hand can't they? The bloke was punching one of them women!

Maybe they have all sobered up and the woman doesn't want to press charges.

Probably the case but three hours is a long time for the Police to attend in that situation isn't it?

But they did attend
So your title is misleading
I would assume that they were busy and came out as soon as they could
Not ideal but when resources are stretched they have to prioritise

Police resources have been cut to dangerous levels and this has had a direct result on response times. They have to prioritise calls, they can't send an officer if they don't have one.

Yes, you are right my title is misleading - I started typing it up before the Police attended and about 1/2 way though they finally came - I should have added - "more quickly" at the end I expect.

I just think this is a sorry state of affairs to think that this would be so far down in the list.

They've probably seen it all before and the woman probably won't press charges or kick him out so they probably don't see the rush.

What do you think the police were doing in the time you were waiting? Hung around at the station until they’d waited long enough to piss you off? Or do you think they were attending other jobs?

You did the right thing to call and they did attend. Slightly worrying that they couldn't find the house the first time??

sweetcheeks considering they werent even sure what house it was an had to call back that cant be true.

Yip op its ridiculous.

We were in a car crash two weeks ago going home after a family party. Two taxis crashed into each other. In the car with me were my brother and all our children who were hysterical. Had to take them to hospital. Police who happened to be driving by stopped to block the road for and then drove away didnt even get out to ask what happened, take car details or check everyone was okay. Im still fuming.

Really? Even though the OP says...

I was unsure of the house numbers

They’re not bloody psychic!

Unfortunately, that's what police cuts do- fewer officers, longer response times to incidents. As someone said, they weren't all having cups of tea waiting for 3 hours then strolling out. Their shifts are long and they are rushing from job to job. It does mean that vulnerable people might be injured or killed. You are right to feel the way you do but I think if people knew how really really stretched the police are (esp if there was a terrorist incident/firearms cover) then they might be quite scared. There isn't the immediate responsiveness and cover you might think there is.

Austerity innit? It's what some people voted for

Peoplr keep voting tory that hate the government doing anything for idological reason if they could get away with it they would privatise the police and have people it like a service......

Its the only way they can justify the insane level of cuts to the police in my area there used to have 20 officers covering it now they have 3.....

Write to your MP telling them that police cuts are effecting even serious crime now rather then simply minor crime.

Blimey OP, did you not realise that it is not permitted to say anything remotely critical of the police - no matter how valid - without being aggressively shouted down as "anti-police"?

It is only permitted to speak in high praise and deference.

Even if you have perfectly valid concerns, and are trying to point out that if the police had the resources they need then people would not be left at risk as could have been the case here.

No, no, that is not acceptable. Instead, you are the one at fault, and it's clearly the fault of all actual and potential DV victims for wasting police time by not pressing charges. (Oh, the professionalism on display.)

Even if you had dared to talk here about a complaint of misconduct being upheld against a police officer (I.e. Because they had done something that had been investigated and proven to be wrong) you will still face a backlash of "anti-police" comments. Apparently certain extremely vocal elements in policing think it should exist above the rules, and above criticism. Anyone challenging that is aggressively silenced.

We are supposed to just be eternally, endlessly grateful that the police exist, and never seek to hold them to any kind of standard or raise concerns where people have come to harm because of police action/inaction.

No critical discussion allowed.

And yes, I think it is outrageous that the police do not have the resources they need to perform the role they are tasked with. I have no idea how anybody thinks we can challenge that if all we are allowed to say is "I love the police, they're so wonderful!".

[Don't bother piling on me with your "anti-police" bullshit. I've heard it all before. Decent cops with integrity don't do it. So you're only proving my point by engaging in it. If you really want to lose public respect, keep shouting "anti-police" at valid concerns. That will do the trick.]

Twas ever thus - even 20 years ago I'd expect the response to calling in that sort of incident to be no police appearing on the scene for hours, then them (ie the police) turning up on my doorstep at 4am.

Only time I've called 999 on our own behalf (my then partner being assaulted) they couldn't find the location despite me giving very specific directions plus OS grid references (was in a field, no there isn't a postcode...), turned up after it was all over, did nothing for days then threatened to pursue my ex for wasting police time because he wouldn't press charges against his attacker (funny that given said bloke has loads of family and lived right by him)

I remember a pretty substantive bit of academic research a few years back which showed that basically the more contact you'd had with the NHS (patient not employee), the more faith you had in it and the better your view of it - whereas the more contact you'd had with the police (as victim rather than criminal!) the less faith you had - which accords 100% with my experience.

They've probably seen it all before and the woman probably won't press charges or kick him out so they probably don't see the rush. - RIiiiiight. They won't attend a potential rape/murder/DV because it has happened before and nothing will be done by the woman.

Blame the Police.

Yes of course they should have attended, but a Saturday night means that there are probably quite a few of these in the system to be deal with.

And yes, I think it is outrageous that the police do not have the resources they need to perform the role they are tasked with. I have no idea how anybody thinks we can challenge that if all we are allowed to say is "I love the police, they're so wonderful!"

I'm not saying that. I'm saying that immense budget cuts which then mean individual police are over-stretched and stressed (more are off with work-related stress and mental health issues than has ever been the case before) means they get to jobs slower and when they get there they may make poorer judgement calls than if they were better resourced, much like junior doctors or any profession with long working hours and too much to do in them. There are also massive issues around the police not understanding new coercive control DA as well, but in this case it seems fairly straightforward that an assault had been committed. My contact with the police has left me feeling better about them (or at least the force I've had contact with), not worse, but it is worrying how stretched they are.

Yes an assualt had been commited but if the other officers were attending more serious assaults?

Few police means right now even some serious assualts are going to not be attened espcailly when some counties and i mean counties have fewer then 40 officers working (not towns or cities but entire counties) what if there was a fatal accident, 2 aggravated Rapes ,1 murder and assault with a deadly weapon boom that's 30 officers tied up already.

The tories had basically said the police would have enough resoruces to deal with serious crimes still (They don't) yet its the police's fault that they dont have the man power to do the things that need doing.

IT IS NOT THE POLICES FAULT that response times are insanely shit, the active police cannot be in more then 1 location at a time (in my local large town there are 2 that cover a town of 200,000) but hey lets ignore the fact its only this bad because of the Tories saying we are out of money yet find enough for tax cuts for the rich and allow companies to exploit loopholes to pay no tax.

And people are being so dense to not put 2 and 2 together and see the problem is the tory government so complain to your MP make it clear you wont tolerate such undermanned police force if enough people do it the Tories might actually listen and actually give the amount of funding they need...

I suppose they have to prioritise and drunken Saturday night altercations probably take up so much of their time they end up low priority.

No one is saying that you can't criticise police.
No one is saying you need to love plod either.
But you must come to terms with the operational realities of policing in 2018 and how it has left all of us vilnerable

@sadik

So you called police to an assault. They did arrive after it was all over. Which is the usual state of affairs assaults do not go on idefinitely. Then your partner declines to cooperate and you are left disillusioned?

Contrast that with a visit to the doctor which usually goes
" I feel unwell"
" ah yes I diagnosed xyz. Take these tablets and see how you get on"
One week later you are up and about and singing the praise of the fabulous doctor. (I am paraphrasing there anyone who has had on going treatment from NHS will know how brilliant they all are)

Visiting your gp is not comparable with visiting police.

A few weeks ago I was a witness in a trial the next day the blokes wife physically attacked me whilst screaming that I was a grass and she was going to kick the baby out of my cunt and stab me.

The only reason this lady even knows who I am was because she saw me in court and that was the sole reason for her attack. We are not friends who just fell out or anything like that.

It took 30 hours for the police to get to me, and she was arrested yesterday, she admitted everything had no choice it happened in a busy city centre. She got an adult caution. Despite her having a long record.

Whilst yes a police officer made that decision it’s because of serious budget cuts.

Keep voting tory kids 👍🏻👍🏻

Buster72 - they never arrived at the location of the assault, they visited our house 2 days later.

Blimey OP, did you not realise that it is not permitted to say anything remotely critical of the police - no matter how valid - without being aggressively shouted down as "anti-police"?

No one has called the OP anti police. Near everyone has recognised that the police are doing their best trying to manage limited resources following massive cuts.