Policing now and then

[Pete999]

Watched a documentary yesterday about Police Officers that had been murdered whilst on duty, and it got me thinking about the respect people have for their Constabulary.

I know when I was a nipper back in the 1950s, most Youngsters were scared to death of the local Bobby, we had one around our estate, Copper Jones (no relation I add) he patrolled on his push bike, and look out if you were caught playing in the street, playing noisily, even, as I experienced getting a rollicking for trespassing on our neighbours front lawn, nowadays you don't see many beat cops more than likely a PSO, usually in pairs, a sad reflection on how things have changed.

Just wondering what the younger, and older members recall of their younger days in dealing with the Fuzz, Babylon, Five 0, Rozzers or whatever the latest trend is, I know I will always respect them, at least the honest ones.

 

[telectrix]

all gon e pot these days. wheni was a nipper, plod would swipe you round the ear for misbehaving. when you told your dad, you'd get another belt. these days it's more likely to be an assault prosecution for plod.

 

[Barry White]

I think there respect has gone downhill. If a kid steals a packet of chewing gum from Asda 2 turn up if you get broken in to you may get a visit a day later or just a crime number.
That said Imagine the place without police nothing and nobody would be safe.
Personally I take them as I find them some are good others are power mad and arrogant (usually traffic officers)
Had a nice copper knock at my door as I have cctv and a car had been stolen further up the street.( I retrieved the footage for him) He seemed nice and I felt he actually wanted to solve the crime.

I too remember the village Bobby on his bike.The very sight of him was enough to keep you in check.

 

[snowhead]

Same as.

If you went out , you'd usually see one on the beat somewhere, not in a car.
My mate/best man's Dad was the local Sergeant.
He knew where we lived!!, so he was avoided like the plague when he was out.

When I first got married and moved away, I lived next door the local Sergeant.
I've had a few houses since then but have lived next door to a P.C and nearby others, for the last 16 years.

I'm not paranoid, but, are they watching me closely for something I've forgotten I did??

On the plus, Google street view of our houses was blacked out within a week and it wasn't at my request.

 

[Wilko]

Very tough job. Hope the use of body cameras will restore confidence and make it work better for all.

 

[Andy78]

The thing is that respect is earned, not assumed.

When my tools got swiped out the back of my car the coppers said they couldn't be bothered coming round as it happens all the time, they would probably not find my tools, and if they did I would have to prove they were mine...tough ----.

When I got knocked off my bike by a car and hospitalised they made sure they told the driver I had missing memory. He then produced 4 witnesses he hadn't mentioned before. The coppers told me that they did this and that it meant less paperwork for them. "Well the insurance would have probably seen it 50/50 anyway" was their justification for this. They also refused to check the CCTV cameras near the location as they "probably didn't see anything"

But I should respect these officers automatically because they wear a uniform ?

 

[FatAlan]

Opening a fair old debate there Pete. Policing has changed beyond recognition in the last 30 years. Far more accountable now, far far less corruption and opportunities to be corrupt. Senior officers are scared of their own backsides and more interested in political correctness and career progression. Bureaucracy and legislation has gone through the roof. No where near enough officers and staff available to investigate anything and as a result victims being let down more and more. Government introduces victims charter which means more bureaucracy and even less time to investigate. But hey, that's the public sector!

 

[telectrix]

all boils down to too many chiefs and not enough indians. just like the NHS.

 

[Diddy]

When I was a lad we had plenty beat bobbies. They all knew the kids and all knew yer dad too lol. If any of us had ever given any of the police even the slightest bit of lip or had given them reason to need a word with us then mum and dad were like the local sheriff with us as the target lol. Needless to say we in the main respected the police. I can remember this changing in the mid 80's - the result of fights between the police and the steel workers, then more well know the miners....shortly after that you had all these things happen in football (Very working class sport back then) - where the fans KNEW the police had made mistakes, done wrong and then covered up....Not just Hillsborough but again that was the most famous and tragic. But week after week these "working class" fans were beaten by the police for what seemed to us at the time "nothing". The police had changed, I think that is really when policing by consent changed in the uk and it is what led to the gradual erosion of the link between the police and the community.
Apart from the odd area nobody knows who the local bobby is...usually because they don't have one. What "good" is that ?
People don't trust the police now and the police don't trust the people either...so it is broken at this point in time and it will take a lot of hard work and backward thinking to get it back to a more respected.

 

[Spoon]

respect is earned, not assumed.

I agree totally with the above. Even told my son this. Some people on this site didn't agree with me telling my son this but everyone has different opinions.
There are good police and bad police. The majority are good IMO and like to help you.

 

[Dan]

I have friends from school that have ended up firemen, greatest bunch of guys you could choose. All the ones good at sports. Never smoked much. Didn't get in trouble. Awesome laugh down the pub. Got each others back etc.

Then I have friends who are now coppers. Biggest knobs ever at school. Still knobs now. Got picked on at school. Want to take it out on everybody now. Usually short-man-syndrome. They'd have to work hard to have my respect.

However, perhaps that's just local to me. As I got accused a couple of months ago of being involved in a cash point robbery in cheshire somewhere (never even went to the place) so got arrested, taken to the station, questioned. Turns out the date of the robbery in Cheshire i was in Paphos. They rang easy jet to confirm I boarded the flight and gave me a lift home. They were a laugh both before and after the interview. So perhaps swings and roundabouts.

I'd much prefer the bobby you speak of that you see every few days knocking about. These PCSO's aren't worth their wages.

 

[Spoon]

I know this will annoy the majority of people here but what the hell.
Traffic cops.... Great people. If you are speeding then though. If you are driving while using a mobile phone then tough. You deserve to get fined... The latter and you are an idiot as well.
I'd put an "Average speed camera" on each set of traffic light if I could. It's simple. Don't speed & don't drive while using a mobile phone. (Unless its hands free)
Yes, I'm sure there will be certain circumstances where you have to speed. Missus going to have a baby and all of that.

 

[FatAlan]

Traffic cops are just boy racers. The only thing I'm in awe of and couldn't do is being first on the scene of a fatal or serious injury crash. That's when they earn their money in my books. Like Ambulance and Fire Crews they deal with all the trauma that most people want to steer clear of.

 

[Pete999]

The main problem with Policing today, is in my honest opinion, Red Tape and Paperwork, beat coppers can't really do their jobs properly because of this, any arrests made are followed by mountains of form filling, you only have to watch any Police documentary when they, and they are usually in pairs take someone back to the nick to be processed, bang the perp up and spend the next 2 or 3 hours filling out pointless forms, when the would be better off bavk on the beat where they belong, PC (no pun intended) gone stupid.

 

[Barry White]

The main problem with Policing today, is in my honest opinion, Red Tape and Paperwork, beat coppers can't really do their jobs properly because of this, any arrests made are followed by mountains of form filling, you only have to watch any Police documentary when they, and they are usually in pairs take someone back to the nick to be processed, bang the perp up and spend the next 2 or 3 hours filling out pointless forms, when the would be better off bavk on the beat where they belong, PC (no pun intended) gone stupid.

Totally agree Pete but its the way of the world paperwork,paperwork and more paperwork even if its on an ipad