To think my police complaint wasn't kept confidential?

[sowsomeseeds]

Name changed as v v outing.
A few months back I made a complaint against a Police Officer
PC was a friend of mine
They were making comments which made fun of people with disabilities on social media and I couldn’t do with the drama of confronting them directly.
Basically just jokes and memes etc on their social media.
Rightly or wrongly I filled in an online crime report form anonymously, with dates things had happened, which social media platforms etc.
I didn’t think they should be in a position of authority if they were happy to belittle the most vulnerable members of society.
Within 3 weeks the PC and 3 of their closest friends (who were mutual friends) have all deleted and blocked me on social media and refuse to talk to me.
Do you think that my details were given from the complaint (IP address maybe?) or could they tell it was me from my mobile phone.
I 100% made the complaint anonymously.
Have they just guessed or presumed it was me?
I’m worried that my details have been given even though I reported it anonymously and asked to stay anonymous and it is going to cause repercussions for me.

Reap what you sow OP. Why have you not asked any of them why you’re blocked?

But your details haven't been given out.

Ok OP. How do you think your details were given out when you didn't give them when reporting?

Neshoma
Not even an official complaint.
OP logged it as a crime because she feels they shouldn't be in their job.

I'd be very surprised if any details were given out in the police.
It's more likely that they've worked out from a period of socialising that the OP is the type of person who feels it's her place to comment on whether people should have their jobs and the type to complain.

I saw a popular comedian once who ended his night with what I felt was a horrific joke about disabilities. The room filled with a sense of unease and there were a few stiffled awkward giggles. I vowed he's never having any of my money. But it wasn't a hate crime.
If a fellow professional had made the joke, i would have challenged them on it.
If it was part of a pattern of crass and offensive jokes, I would probably report it in work if appropriate.
I wouldn't decide they shouldn't have their job and then anonymously report a hate crime.

They obviously HAVE found out it was the OP (somehow) because otherwise, why have they deleted her off facebook, and blocked her, and why are they ignoring all her contact, and blackballing her?!

Jeeeeeez, some people cannot see things that are as plain as the nose on their face!

Maybe they could just tell that you’re the sort of person who’d make an official complaint against a friend rather than discuss it with them personally.

Police officers are usually quite good judges of character.

@methe

police officers are good judges of character!

Ba ha ha ha ha! Good one.

If they thought the OP was a twat, then why did they not kick her to the kerb ages ago?

Police officers can rapidly become indoctrinated and can see the world as 'us' and 'them' - where 'them' is the public, or at least the public they deal with.
The police officers I've know (male and female) have been a mixed bag - like any walk of life. Some sexist, some racist, some pretty liberal. The sexism and racism aspects are a concern - and rightly so, but I've seen the same in teachers, colleagues, health professionals etc - it's just a societal issue in general, and police are not immune.

I saw a popular comedian once who ended his night with what I felt was a horrific joke about disabilities. The room filled with a sense of unease and there were a few stiffled awkward giggles. I vowed he's never having any of my money. But it wasn't a hate crime.
If a fellow professional had made the joke, i would have challenged them on it.
If it was part of a pattern of crass and offensive jokes, I would probably report it in work if appropriate.
I wouldn't decide they shouldn't have their job and then anonymously report a hate crime.

But there is a world of difference between a comedian making an off colour joke and a public officer repeatedly doing the same on social media

butterfly exactly. i worked in a private police club as a student and they absolutely would have given out any info (phone number in this case).

most police, especialy the men think the law doesnt apply to them.

i had to deal with them being drunk 3-4 nights a week for almost a year and i heard alot of racist/classist “jokes” and comments. they had nicknames for people who lived in certain poor areas.

they arent angels, its blatant they found out it was the OP. but this is mumsnet and people argue for the sake of it.

(Bold fail)

butterflysugarbaby
Socialise in a group, get on with husband, can get on with OP so wouldn't make a fuss.

I could look at my friends and make a guess on most likely to go travelling on impulse, bungee jump, resign without a job to go to 'on principle', get into an argument with their boss, most likely to complain in a restaurant etc.
It's not a million miles to suggest that someone in a social group could work out who might do X y z.

@esk1mo sadly, I am not shocked to hear you say all that about police.

Some of them are fine, and do a great job (and it's not an easy one!) But some of them don't deserve to hold a position of traffic warden, let alone a police officer!

Sorry @Maisypops I haven't got a clue what you're on about.

I’m upset that I’ve reported something anonymously, but it seems that my details have been given out!

I don't think they have OP. I think Plod has put 2+2 together and gotthe correct answer. You did unfollow him, you clearly dislike him, there's no way he hasn't noticed.

I say this as someone who is no fan of the police and who lives in a similar area to Plod's beat.

maisy this isnt about who reported out of a small group, OP stated the person had around 400 friends on the social media platform.

could you really work it out, out of 400+ people? i wouldnt have a clue.

Aridane
My point was the OP didn't challenge them, nor did she raise a professional complaint (which would be more than reasonable if there's a lot of material on social media).

She decided she doesn't think they should have their job so reported it anonymously as a crime (seemingly to cause as much impact as she can to their job as she can).

I've had to report people, including people i really like for a couple of potential social media issues (Not going into but misguided). There are ways to do things.
Option 1 - speak to the relevant person in the organisation, raise concerns, leave it
Option 2 - decide they shouldn't have their job so find a way to report it in the biggest, most dramatic way I can so they really can be shown because clearly doing X means they shouldn't have a job.

The latter is spiteful.

butterflysugarbaby
My point is I could say which of my friends and social circle would be likely to do all sorts of things.
It's not beyond the realms of possibility that people have the OP marked as the sort of person who may go trying to get a friend sacked.
I know someone who's very quick to complain about things, carries on like judge, jury and executioner in all sorts, feels quick to talk about how peopel they've encountered are clearly incompetent etc.
If I had to guess someone I know who might do like the OK, I know who I'd pick.

How is reporting anonymously online a big, dramatic way of doing it @Maisypops ?

And the online form to report anonymously is there for that very reason. (To report something without any repercussions.)

I don't think it's the OP who is being 'dramatic' here.

Looking at social media and reporting a professional concern vs deciding you think someone shouldn't have their job and reporting a hate crime.

Former entirely reasonable. Latter when someone openly thinks someone shouldn't have their job, dramatic and spiteful.

In your opinion @Maisypops I don't think it is.

I really don't think the details of the complaint will have been passed on - I.e the IP address. It would take some work to find out that was from your house - I agree with the others that they have just guessed.

I think that as you know it was you, you're hyper aware of being blocked. They could have blocked other people who haven't noticed as they're not feeling the need to check ifswim?

Oh my God!!!

The posts on this thread are just horribly shocking. Well done. Ignore this thread. It’s gone very weird. With people fighting for their right to be prejudiced and spout hate online. And protect our boys in blue because errr, just because. Oh and snitches get stitches doncha know!

Thank you OP are standing up for ethical thinking and not accepting prejudice from the police in any form.

Disability attacks and hate crime have gone up hugely. As I’m disabled, I shudder to think how the police might decide to treat me if I ever needed to report something happening to me.

Would they help me? Or kick me whilst I’m in the gutter?

Who knows. But at least you’ve made sure that at least one knows that he has to hide his distain a bit better. And sadly, that counts for something.

anne OP included her phone number in the report. have you ever put a mobile number into facebook? often it shows you that persons profile.

OP has also stated the person didnt lose/block a whole load of people, only her.

butterflysugarbaby
Difference of opinion that's all.

Whatever they've put is probably on dodgy ground or highly inappropriate.

To me it's worthy of challenging the friend over it or raising a professional complaint.

To go down the hate crime route having decided someone shouldn't have their job based on a couple of spcial media memes/comments (unless they're clearly inciting hatred) seems more of a calculated attempt to do as much damage as you can.
That's why I think they may have been able to work out who it is. Nobody can k ow that many people who would do that sort of thing.