To ask if you’ve ever needed/been involved with the police?

[YouWonJayne]

Having a conversation with my brother after watching the Raoul Moat dramatisation.

I said I think the vast majority people will need the assistance of the police or will have been on the ‘wrong end’ of the police in their lives. I know I have (on the ‘right’ side). He says he doesn’t know many people who’ve ever needed the police or who are criminals. Have you??

YANBU - I have needed the police in some way or have been involved in a crime
YABU - I’ve never needed the police personally

I haven't read the whole thread but my experience with the police is not good.

A few years ago at work in the middle of the day we had someone come and try to steal some stainless steel items - basically cheeky as you like just pulled up and tried to load some items into the back of a car. They were spotted on CCTV and challenged. One brave (stupid) worker chased after the car, which stopped, the driver got out and threatened to fucking drive over and kill the worker if he didn't move. All of it caught on CCTV. Really good pictures.

Police not interested in the slightest - brought back the memory stick a few weeks later and said sorry no luck.

Just last week our workshop got broken into, heavy plant machinery stolen, they drove through some massive glass doors to escape. Again all caught on CCTV, vehicle reg everything. Tried to get an update on what is happening but the investigating officer is now on rest days for another week so no updates.

I asked if they had chased up the registration number (I know in all likeliness it is stolen/cloned but surely you need to check) but nothing. Investigating officer on rest days and so is their sergeant.

Absolutely effing waste of time

Wow I’m so sorry to hear that. How awful. I hope your daughter is okay and makes a quick recovery.

Personally my main interaction with the police was after my mum died. They had to attend as she died suddenly and unexpectedly at home.

Am pleased go report they were all exemplary. We had 3 PC's and then a Sgt who had to examine mum to confirm no foul play. Given the circumstances any other than positive interaction would have been terrible.

Loads of times, both personally and professionally.

Personally: 3 x burglaries and a mugging, when my car was stolen, when my ex assaulted me, when an officer came to my house to tell me my mother had died, to give a statement after witnessing a fatal accident, when a police officer involved in a chase crashed into my car and when me and my flatmates got done for growing cannabis (not a grow house - they weren't a thing in the mid-70s).

Professionally, I worked as a solicitor's clerk for a few years, and used to attend with clients at ID parades, police interviews and at crown court (with a barrister, of course). Met loads of coppers in that job.

A career change or two later, I worked for the clerk to the police authority where I live, was on first name terms with the chief constable and divisional commanders, and I set up all the consultative arrangements for the force area. Since then, with clients who've been DV victims or victims of serious anti-social behaviour.

I'd never considered myself to be someone who's had a lot of contact with the police, but now that I've thought about it, I have really.

Most of my contact was when I lived in London and I found the Met to be pretty shit. Since I became a country bumpkin, I've found the local force to be excellent.

I needed the police's help twice over the course of two years when I was the victim of an ongoing crime, committed by the same perpetrator. Both times I phoned the police they were fantastic, attended my house for a couple of hours each time they came, offered me support and advice, took statements, phoned and emailed me and my family regularly to keep us updated and took the case all the way to Crown Court. They attended and gave evidence at the trial and the officer working on my case even phoned me after the trial to see how I was as he was not personally needed nor able to attend on the day. I couldn't have been more impressed with the police's conduct, their professionalism and their understanding. Thanks to them, I am safer and I FEEL safer than I ever could have done if I hadn't phoned them.

Oh and I'd also add I've had personal dealings with police officers, two of my close friends are police officers and three others are retired officers. All lovely people in my opinion.

I had once. My country's embassy called me that they need somebody to translate for my fellow countrywoman. Police picked me up and was driven to the station. It was very difficult to translate because the lady wasn't very clear what had happened. I don't know what happened after but I was driven back home.

I've never had any involvement with the police except for:

• twice handing in items of lost property at a police station when I was a child (each time I found a watch and was allowed to have it back when no-one claimed them);

• going to the police station for cycling proficiency lessons (also as a child);

• phoning the police station to report someone who was driving a horse and cart for animal cruelty (in my 20s);

• finding a police officer on my doorstep when I returned home from work. He told me that my (elderly) next door neighbour had had a heart attack in the street and died earlier that day and was hoping that I would have details of his next of kin. I was in my 30s.

That's not bad in over 60 years!

I've reported anti social behaviour a couple of times on 101 but that's all. DH has dealt with them once when he crashed his car.

I have called the police once, given a statement twice and been a witness in court (not proper fancy one, table and chairs in a room court) once

Never been the victim of a crime or been on the bad side of the law

Been pulled twice, once because a bit of car trim was hanging under my car, MC copper pulled me over and told me to remove it. Other time was during lockdown, I'd changed my licence but not my car's papers when we moved 200 miles away, so their anpr flagged me as driving way outside of where the car was registered. They thought I might be running drugs 😂 kicked my tires a bit, ran my licence and let me go

@Freshstarts22 Thank you for your kind words, she is making progress but it's very slow.

Reading through the thread has made me think of many more times I have been involved with the police.

• When I was 10 years old as a man got his penis out in front of me and started masturbating.
• When I was around 13 and there had been a stabbing not far from our home. The police wanted to search our garden for the weapon as it was right next to an alleyway where they believed the suspect had walked.
• At 18 years old when I had my first house, I had my windows smashed by some youths. Police came out but there wasn't really much they could do as there was no video evidence and no one saw who it was.
• At 18 years old again, my then husband had his motor scooter stolen and then set on fire in the woods. Some children who saw them stealing it told the Police what direction they had gone in but the police didn't bother to look. They just said "they will have gone to ground by now".
• When I was 20, and living in a different property, I had my windows smashed again so had to call the police. The man who did it was still on the scene when they arrived and he admitted to the police that he had done it because he thought we were hiding someone who had attacked him or something. He was drunk. Anyway, police refused to arrest him, saying they can't arrest him because he was drunk.
• Had a few instances where I have called the police due to incidents happening to other people, such as seeing someone drag their partner into the house by the neck, a fight outside our house, a man dragging his girlfiend down the street by her hair etc.
• Once a woman I knew came to my door being verbally abusive. I told her I was not going to continue talking to her and went to shut my door. She put her foot in the door and pushed it really hard, pushing be backwards. She was trying to get into my house. She then threatened me and got all her family to surround my house. Police said her trying to force entry was a civil matter which is a load of crap.
• When I was around 32, we had new neighbours move in next door and they were awful people. Shouting and screaming arguments through the night, loud sex, purposely banging on our walls to frighten my disabled daughter, videoing us every time we left the house. Police did sod all. In the end we had to leave our home of 11 years because of the Police's (and Council's) incompetence.
• Next property had awful neighbours again (actually I would say they were worse than the previous) who would play music all night, purposely slam their doors loud and to the point where the building shook, would come round to our property being aggressive and confrontational. The woman grabbed me and wouldn't let me go. I punched her to get her off me. Police did sod all again and told me that I assaulted her and would not accept it was self-defence (even though it was all audio recorded). Police told me that neighbours can't harass their neighbours - apparently harassment laws don't apply if you live close to each other which again, is a load of nonsense.
• My husband had to involve the police due to disclosures from his son about potential abuse. Police just spoke to the suspect and accepted their word for it and then marked my husband down as making a malicous report - despite his son telling the police what had happened. I understand them needing evidence to act but it's like they can't even be bothered to investigate.
• I had to call the police in December just gone due to the kids kicking our front door aggressively over the course of 2 weeks. Traumatised my disabled daughter to the point where she has now been sectioned. Police refuse to do anything because they "don't want to criminalise 16 year olds". Yet it's perfectly fine for them to ruin my daughter's life.
• Recently had to call the police due to a man across the road being aggressive and verbally abusive to his parents. He wanted money and would not leave them alone. He persisted shouting and on their property for nearly an hour. I saw him push his dad. When the police showed up, the suspect ran off. I told them where he had run and they gingerly walked off in that direction. No urgency in them whatsoever considering what he had done. Not the first time either.

I am sure there are more that I have probably forgotten about but they are the main ones. The impression I get is that it's always the victims fault and they simply cannot be bothered to pursue any crime unless it is cut and dry, with evidence handed to them on a plate. This has mostly been Derbyshire Constabulary. They are appalling. I wouldn't be surprised if they were the worse force in the country.