To be scared of the police?

[AwakeTiredddd]

A short while ago i was woken up by a bright blue light flashing through my window and the sound of multiple voices and radios outside (I'm a ground floor flat). A quick look outside showed multiple police vehicles and officers stood around them.

I don't know what they're doing but they're still there now and I'm really unnerved. It's not a natural response to a service who are there to help you, is it?

Does anybody else have a reaction like this to the police or am I bonkers?

To add, when I was a child (12-15) I was a bit of a little shit and got myself into trouble a handful of times which resulted in me being carted off to the police cells (nothing serious) so logically perhaps it's because of those memories

Id say it’s not that unusual especially for someone who’s been in trouble with the police before!

I think you've answered your own question.

I think it's pretty normal to find it unnerving to see loads of police though, not necessarily because people are afraid of them but because resources are very stretched so if loads of them are in one place it's natural to be concerned that something worrying might be happening nearby.

It’s natural to be concerned or curious but what makes you scared?

To be fair I'd think it's more a gut reaction to wtf is going on in an area you live? The police 'spoke to me' a few times as a young teen 😳 but nothing came of it (mostly drunk/hanging about being a general arse!). So my DBS is squeakly clean (thank fuck! 😅). But I can recall young DS 'running away' from a police officer in Asda shrieking 'he's coming to get us! 🙄 Much to much my absolute horror, and terrible looks from everyone witnessing! I work with the police as an adult a lot and still sometimes feel the' no, no I'm a good person, officer!' sense 😂

I love the police. Whenever I’m around them I feel safe.

But then I’ve never been in trouble with the law, never hung around with anyone who was either and whenever I’ve needed the police’s help they’ve been brilliant.

I'm cautious around police. I've never had any dealings with them apart from bringing documents after a crash but they don't seem very friendly. They have a bad reputation abroad and you rarely hear about the good stuff. Maybe that's why? Obviously if I needed help I'd be immensely relieved to see a police person, so I don't know why I feel nervous around them.

I feel nervous aswell when I see them! I think it's just the thought that something really bad might be happening nearby

Having been to lots of protests (Poll tax, anti war etc) I have been kettled and seen enough acts of unnecessary police violence to have a healthy fear if the Police. I also worked for a Domestic violence unit and have come across some awful and some good police. DH works as another type of emergency services worker and has recount we some terrible stories. Sadly the two police officers I know are both sexist and racist which hasn't done much to improve my confidence.

If you don't know why they're there it's a bit unnerving imv as it probably means something has happened which requires the police, rather than them returning a lost dog, so you feel anxious as you don't know what the bad news will be.

I wouldn't be scared, no. But then, my dealings with them in recent years happened when I reported the historical SA that my DSis and I went through as children. Our case was handled by officers specialising in sexual crimes, and they were really supportive. They believed us all through; it was the CPS who decided that the evidence was insufficient. (Because the one who we could actually identify was dead.)

Also, I have a couple of good friends who are retired police officers.

However, in the situation you describe, I would be unnerved, as I would wonder what had happened and hope that our neighbours were okay.

Thank you for the replies

In my case it's definitely a sense of "they're coming to get me, what do they think I've done?!" which is ridiculous as I'm a law abiding person who wouldn't so much as steal a cherry from a cake these days.

I did receive some brilliant support from them when I was going through DV, but not before they arrested me after I called them for help!

I was only 18 at the time and living with my first boyfriend who had some serious MH issues and was abusive. He trashed the flat and locked me in, threatening to kill me. I managed to call the police but before they arrived the idiot had began to cut his arm on a piece of broken plate.

The police arrived, I ran to the window crying and waving them in the direction of the right flat, pleading with them to get me out.

They forced entry and to stop himself getting into trouble he told the police it was me who had trashed the place and threatened him, and told them that i had cut his arm open.

Despite the very mary obvious old self harm marks on his arms next to the new ones, and despite he had a history of histrionic behaviour and domestic abuse, they arrested me who had a history of neither of those things. I was dragged out in handcuffs by the people I called for help.

I'm glad I posted this now as it's helped me to unpick this huge fear I have of them and it's finally making sense

Blue lights signal an emergency so perfectly normal response especially to be woken by it.
I hate having them behind me driving from the time I could only afford barely road worthy bangers then my turn boyfriends super posh car I was stopped a few times for reasons such as bald tyres to suspicion of being in a robbery!

Given your last post, YANBU to feel the way you do. That's horrific.

When I was at school, and they announced our bags needed to be checked because Fred’s Walkman had gone missing I invariably felt really guilty and half-expected to see the Walkman in my bag.

As an incredibly law-abiding citizen, I still have that same flash of guilt whenever I see a police car.

The last time I had any dealings with the ‘police’, anyway, a plain clothed officer run off with my phone... but that’s another story entirely.

Thats shocking op did you receive an apology.

I'm sorry others also feel nervous around them, but it's reaffirming to know I'm not alone.

I didn't receive an apology from them no. My abuser phoned the station the next morning whilst I was still being held in the cells and told them he "loved me" and didn't want to press charges anymore so I was let go - but not before my faith in them was destroyed completely.

That was when I was 18, it took until i was 22 to finally get away from him because i was too scared to report him for anything else incase they took me away again

They were very good with me years later when I did find the courage to turn to them again, but the damage had already been done. As before, he tried again to frame me for assault but they weren't having any of it this time (probably because of the last time he did it)

Typically law abiding citizens don’t have many dealings with police officers until something ( usually bad) has happened so your memory of them is forever associated with the bad thing. On top of that domestic violence cases are notoriously difficult to deal with because there aren’t usually witnesses or the witnesses are children. Couples then make allegations against each other and it becomes impossible to unpick the truth standing in the house so both people get arrested. It’s not great but what is the alternative? Only listen to one party? The first one who manages to speak to the officer first or only the woman? If you were ever to have an encounter with a police officer in a situation that wasn’t emotionally heightened you would find that they’re just normal people doing a job.

I do see what you're saying Divebar.

In regards to the occasion I've mentioned, it was very obvious who was the abuser and very obvious what he had done to himself. It wasn't even as if they had arrested us both, they only arrested me - the victim.

He had an extensive history of abuse toward women and was alot older than me. He had been sectioned several times for self harm, had convictions for arson and threats to kill etc. He was a "6'2 man and I a small, very young looking frightened 18 year old girl who had called the police myself pleading with them to come and help me.

All I had on my record was silly little things from when I was a child, stealing cans of pop from ASDA which they arrested me for and spray painting my name on a bus stop (theft and criminal damage). I had never been violent in my life. I'm embarrassed to say I had ever broken the law but it was nothing more than typical teenager silliness.

In cases such as these they should be able to use their discretion and common sense. They also know very well how manipulative abusers are and are (as far as I'm aware) trained and educated on domestic abuse.

To PP thats true they are just ordinary people doing a very difficult job. They need to make snap decisions and sometimes get it wrong.
I work with them in a professional capacity and they are all without question dedicated and passionate about helping society and protecting people. We need them and no way would I ever be able to do their job.

I will say that I've met some wonderful police officers, my lovely current landlord being one of them but he did spark a panic attack when he popped round with some bits whilst wearing his uniform as I didn't know he was a police officer when I signed up for the flat

Love Police Officers in general. We have some in the family.

Our little road is very quiet but we had a fairly large group of youths having a row with some pushing and shoving going on, and suddenly a Police van and a police car turned up about 8 officers jumped out, They separated the youths, questioned them independently, sent one lot on their way, held the others for a while then let them go. It was dealt with quickly and efficiently.
There was lights and radios and authoritative voices, but it served as a warning and the youths quietened down and everything de-escalated fast.
The strategy worked really well. It would have exploded into violence if it had been left longer and a single or two person crew would not have been anywhere near as effective at putting a stop on it.

Expect they followed them to check they didn't meet up again.

I felt a lot safer for having them there, we were so scared someone was about to be stabbed.

I'm glad they were able to disperse the crowd itsalla, I don't doubt they do a brilliant job in most cases.

I've just had a look around the internet and discovered that it's a recognised phobia called Capiophobia! I never knew that, but I feel less 'bonkers' for finding out