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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think that police officers are allowed to be "off duty"?

18 replies

squirrel42 · 24/02/2009 21:13

This has been prompted by a Daily Mail article I stumbled across (article here).

In summary, this gentleman finds out at 6:45pm one evening that a rental property he owns has been broken into and some games equipment stolen. He goes to the local police station to report the crime but the station shuts at 5pm (obviously not very convenient, but not the subject of the article). He then goes 150 yards down the road to the Thames Valley Police HQ to try and report it there. Despite signs on the door stating that it's not an operational police station, he buzzes for entry and speaks to a security guard inside who asks whether he's there for a police poker game at the social club. The man explains no - he wants to report a crime; security guard then says he can't do that there and gives him a non-emergency number to ring instead.

Cue outranged Daily Mail headlines: "Pensioner trying to report crime turned away from police HQ as all the officers were playing POKER!" Erm... it's an office building/social club not a police station, and the only officers there were off duty and attending a social club. If someone was being assaulted outside it would be shocking if off-duty police (or even passers by) ignored things, but for a break in that happened some time ago where a few snooker cues were nicked - what would an off-duty police officer even do about it?

I just found it really shocking that people are commenting on there that the officers involved should be sacked. Would you go and knock on someone's door and demand that an "off duty" plumber come out and fix your non-urgent dripping tap?

OP posts:

LauriefairycakeeatsCupid · 24/02/2009 21:15

yanbu

they are twats

please repeat that to yourself any time you feel like reading the dailymail

toddlerama · 24/02/2009 21:38

I hate the Daily Mail with an unbecoming passion. They were pro-Hitler before WW2. Knobs.

TheCrackFox · 24/02/2009 21:40

YANBU.

Original poster

squirrel42 · 24/02/2009 21:44

I was trying not to make it a run-of-the-mill "look what flaming nonsense The Daily (Hate) Mail are publishing yet again" thread, but I seem to have failed!

Sometimes I think I only scan the front page of that website just to find things to raise my blood pressure about...

OP posts:

ChippingIn · 24/02/2009 22:21

YABU

You are reading the Daily Mail. LOL Squirrel - come on, you know that paper is only for people with scarily low blood pressure...

YANBU for thinking off-duty police officers are allowed to be off-duty (esp in relation to petty theft).

TheYearOfTheCat · 24/02/2009 22:28

Although there is a point - police officers are 'servants of the Crown' and as such, technically are never off duty. Nor are they 'employees' which means a lot of employment law does not apply (although the working time directive does).

Although I hate to be thought of as agreeing with anything the Mail has to say - it clearly unreasonable in the circumstances.

fledtoscotland · 24/02/2009 22:33

i personally hate the daily mail but TheYearOfTheCat is right about them being 'servants of the crown'. in the same way that nurses and doctors are never off duty and have a duty under their professional registrations to provide first aid whenever needed. nurses are also required to "act in a manner befitting the profession" and we can get hauled up in front of committees to explain ourselves for driving offenses.

Original poster

squirrel42 · 24/02/2009 22:55

Point taken on the technically never off duty issue.

And I know it's difficult to draw a line between what is "urgent" and "non-urgent" so far as what people may reasonably expect an off-duty officer to help them with. With the doctor/nurse example, I suppose most people might expect someone with medical training to assist a stranger who turned up at their social club if the person was having a heart attack, but they wouldn't expect them to change a dressing or do some blood tests.

OP posts:

TheYearOfTheCat · 25/02/2009 10:12

Squirrel - I agree with you. If a murder or serious assualt had taken place, I would expect 'off-duty' police to offer immediate assistance (if they were sober), and a failure to do so could be regarded as neglect of duty. I know someone who as a police officer has done the following 'off-duty':

Stopped a drunk driver driving on the wrong side of the road;
directed traffic following a traffic accident;
assisted police with arresting a violent, resisting offender;

SlartyBartFast · 25/02/2009 10:14

it was a charity poker game wasnt it.
difficult one. if it was a charity quiz/jumble sale, would it have even made the papers.
unfortunate

mumto3boys · 25/02/2009 13:16

My DH is as Police Officer. Whilst off duty he has ALWAYS become involved in urgent issues, such as car crashes and a number of incidents on trains (the reason he is given free rail travel is so that Police Officers will become involved if necessary). One of which resulted in him being quite severely injured.

However, I would being blooming well annoyed if he received a complaint for something like this. The man was given the correct number to call and should have called it.

People often forget that an off duty officer has no police radio, no handcuffs, no asp, no cs spray etc. They are as vulnerable as everyone else, other than having had safety training.

Most good officers would put themselves in danger whenever necessary to protect the public and are entitled to relax and be off duty.

toddlerama · 26/02/2009 21:36

My husband used to be a police officer and never seemed to be off duty. Always flashing his badge around trying to make teenagers behave. I always thought we were going to get stabbed. [cowardly emoticon]. But this story is stupid. Love the analogy of going to a Doctors' social event and demanding a blood test or dressing change. Lol.

SharonGless · 26/02/2009 21:45

YANBU
Serving police officer here. Although technically never off duty surely we are entitled to some sort of life.

Most officers I know would deal with an emergency whilst off duty even if it "outs" them in their neighbourhood. I had it when a yooof broke into a neighbours car and I chased him. After I arrested him he subsequently threatened me that he knew where I live. A few weeks later he tried running me over in a stolen car. Nice

Just one incident of many that I could recount about me and many of my friends and colleagues off duty.

I do find it amazing that there was a social club still in a police station. Most nicks now don't even have a canteen. And as for poker....am sure there is some regulation or other about gambling.

Yes we are not governed by employment law therefore I have no entitlements when going back after maternity leave.

WTF I am getting wound up about DM article

lollipopmother · 26/02/2009 22:59

What was wrong with using the bloody phone anyway?

MARGOsBeenPlayingWithMyNooNoo · 26/02/2009 23:04

Hijack - SharonGless - were you the blonde alcoholic?

fryalot · 26/02/2009 23:10

Margo - yes, she was, the dark mumsy one was tyne daley (always makes me want a suet pudding her name!)

LadyOfWaffle · 26/02/2009 23:20

Where does it end? People queueing down the road at HQ? He was given the correct number to call... Unfortunatly every minute of every day there is crime, unless it is serious of course the police are allowed time off. Snooker equipment? FFS.

TheYearOfTheCat · 28/02/2009 21:10

SharonGless - what maternity entitlements will you not get as a police officer?

My understanding of equality legislation is that sex discrimination legislation is one of the areas that does apply to police, and that all of your maternity rights are protected - something to do with it originating as a result of the Treaty of Rome - I would need to look up the exact reference.

This is an area I am pretty well versed in if you want to CAT me.

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