Bl**dy Cyclists

[andyBeaker]

Settle down or you'll give yourself another nosebleed.

If you reread my posts you'll notice that I'm not having a go at the average beat plod... we all know they're caught between a rock and a hard place. The real problem is the upper management, which is rapidly becoming the exclusive domain of fast tracked graduates with sod all experience of actual policing and who run their respective forces with spreadsheets and statistical analysis software.

But....the simple fact is that Joe Public has little faith in, or respect for, the police as a whole and would like to see a return to "proper" policing.... ie, serving the public on the everyday issues that effect us.... in much the same way as we'd like to see the NHS return to and prioritise it's core values.... patient care.

As an example of how policing has lost it's priorities... A while back Hampshire Police (who are constantly complaining about having a lack officers) were recruiting for a Social Media Officer.... not a civvy, a full time police officer.... to handle their social media presence.

Starting salary..? £28k.

That's more than a newly qualified PC/WPC gets paid. ie the "real" coppers who, from day one, would be expected to deal with all the fun and joy that the less desirable members of this fair land inflict on us and them.

Tell me that's a good use of resources.

I do not think you are right when you say ‘the simple fact is that Joe Public has little faith in, or respect for, the police as a whole ‘. From what I see the larger part of public supports the police and sympathises with the circumstances they have to try and do their job in. A sizeable minority have zero respect and I would suggest the majority of this minority are involved in criminality or living outside the system in one form or another.

We are looking at a project down here to try and relieve the ‘first response’ pressure on plod for low priority non-criminality incidents by involving ‘Joe Public’ on a totally voluntary basis and the early response is encouraging. This from people who understand the issues and want to help, even in a small way, rather than heckling from the sidelines in 2022 style.

There are voluntary roles that you can undertake where you can engage with ‘management’ and it is possible your views will change; they have to daily make compromised decisions driven by funding and resources and, in my personal experience, care deeply about society and the force they represent.

As for your comments about social media officer…this is an absolutely necessary ‘moving with the times’ role in any public service, and I would be very surprised if your local force doesn’t have probably half a dozen similar roles to do what is a 24/7 job. Take a look at your local force’s social media and you will see why - whether it is liked or not the reality is that this is how people communicate and opinions are formed in 2022. For what it’s worth that salary is not out of line for that sort of role in 2022 and is set by the market.

Do I realistically expect plod to turn up if say I had a bike stolen? ** Sadly no, but that does not diminish respect, it highlights resource issues. Do I expect plod to be there doing amazing things if I am involved in a serious car crash or someone is waving a gun around - absolutely, and I do not think I will be disappointed. Do I know that the majority of officers will be in the local town centre on Friday and Saturday nights dealing with the drunken idiots while leaving the rest of the community relatively uncovered - absolutely, but that does not lead to lack of respect; the opposite in fact when you see them deal with situations that most would shy away from, often at the cost of personal injury.

** actually they did at my last place, sent a CSI officer out as they knew who the culprit was likely to be ame were trying to catch him to stop his one man local crime wave that was fuelling his drug habit

 

[Cougar377]

I do not think you are right when you say ‘the simple fact is that Joe Public has little faith in, or respect for, the police as a whole ‘. From what I see the larger part of public supports the police and sympathises with the circumstances they have to try and do their job in. A sizeable minority have zero respect and I would suggest the majority of this minority are involved in criminality or living outside the system in one form or another.

We are looking at a project down here to try and relieve the ‘first response’ pressure on plod for low priority non-criminality incidents by involving ‘Joe Public’ on a totally voluntary basis and the early response is encouraging. This from people who understand the issues and want to help, even in a small way, rather than heckling from the sidelines in 2022 style.

There are voluntary roles that you can undertake where you can engage with ‘management’ and it is possible your views will change; they have to daily make compromised decisions driven by funding and resources and, in my personal experience, care deeply about society and the force they represent.

As for your comments about social media officer…this is an absolutely necessary ‘moving with the times’ role in any public service, and I would be very surprised if your local force doesn’t have probably half a dozen similar roles to do what is a 24/7 job. Take a look at your local force’s social media and you will see why - whether it is liked or not the reality is that this is how people communicate and opinions are formed in 2022. For what it’s worth that salary is not out of line for that sort of role in 2022 and is set by the market.

Do I realistically expect plod to turn up if say I had a bike stolen? ** Sadly no, but that does not diminish respect, it highlights resource issues. Do I expect plod to be there doing amazing things if I am involved in a serious car crash or someone is waving a gun around - absolutely, and I do not think I will be disappointed. Do I know that the majority of officers will be in the local town centre on Friday and Saturday nights dealing with the drunken idiots while leaving the rest of the community relatively uncovered - absolutely, but that does not lead to lack of respect; the opposite in fact when you see them deal with situations that most would shy away from, often at the cost of personal injury.

** actually they did at my last place, sent a CSI officer out as they knew who the culprit was likely to be ame were trying to catch him to stop his one man local crime wave that was fuelling his drug habit

Clearly your neighbours/friends are different from mine then as the majority that I speak to don't expect to see a police officer....other than in a patrol car, don't expect to have an officer attend to a reported crime (unless it's extreme/life threatening), don't expect the police to take notice and action crime when raised through the "proper" channels, don't expect to find their local police station open or manned.... if they even have one, etc.

As for your local project..... we've already seen "police lite" in the form of PCSO's and that's not been a success. Directly involving the public in policing, no matter how trivial, is just spreading the already thin margarine even thinner. It's no more sustainable than applying that concept to the Armed Forces.

Please explain to me why a social Media Officer is an "absolutely neccessary moving with the times role". I've seen the stuff posted on plod's social media pages....it's mostly reposts and retweets of stuff from other local news media plus a fair few about plod doing community orientated activities.....oh and a recruitment ad for volunteer Special Constables.

If I was a newly minted plod with just a PCSO for company, struggling with a gang of bottle wielding drunken twats on a Saturday night and I'd just been told there was no-one available as backup for some time then I'd be wondering whether PC Social Media or the young, freshfaced Chief Constable couldn't be sent out.

Fat chance.

 

[Malone]

I just phoned 101 because I’d seen 3 hoodied yoofs loitering around the back of some garages locally while I was out for my walkies - were they dealing?

all I got was a recorded message ‘ due to high volumes of calls etc. blah blah’. So I hung up. That’s my effort for community awareness.

 

[Jaws]

 

[ogr1]

Yet...Catch the local scrote bag thieving
your propery, give him a good hiding and
plod will be there in a flash to nick you.
Unless you do it on the quiet...

 

[Cougar377]

I looked out the window last night to see someone trying to break into my car. I dialled 999, only to be told that they had no-one available.
I put the phone down, waited a few seconds and then redialled.
When I got through I said, "don't bother sending someone as I've just shot the thieving bastard" and put the phone down.
Minutes later five patrol cars, two armed response units and a police helicopter arrived.
I opened the door and said to the copper stood there, "sorry, false alarm.....there's no intruder".
He said, "I thought you said you shot him".





I replied, "I thought you said you had no-one available".

 

[andyBeaker]

Clearly your neighbours/friends are different from mine then as the majority that I speak to don't expect to see a police officer....other than in a patrol car, don't expect to have an officer attend to a reported crime (unless it's extreme/life threatening), don't expect the police to take notice and action crime when raised through the "proper" channels, don't expect to find their local police station open or manned.... if they even have one, etc.

As for your local project..... we've already seen "police lite" in the form of PCSO's and that's not been a success. Directly involving the public in policing, no matter how trivial, is just spreading the already thin margarine even thinner. It's no more sustainable than applying that concept to the Armed Forces.

Please explain to me why a social Media Officer is an "absolutely neccessary moving with the times role". I've seen the stuff posted on plod's social media pages....it's mostly reposts and retweets of stuff from other local news media plus a fair few about plod doing community orientated activities.....oh and a recruitment ad for volunteer Special Constables.

If I was a newly minted plod with just a PCSO for company, struggling with a gang of bottle wielding drunken twats on a Saturday night and I'd just been told there was no-one available as backup for some time then I'd be wondering whether PC Social Media or the young, freshfaced Chief Constable couldn't be sent out.

Fat chance.

When you step back we are generally talking about the same issues but seeing it from a different perspective. It all comes back to plod not having sufficient resources to deal with everything both they and the public would like.

I am very much trying to help address the issues in my own very small way in a proactive manner but I do understand why so many (but far from all) people have lost faith. Maybe the difference between us is I come from a very ‘police‘ family background.

You have rather leapt to,a,conclusion about the embryonic project I am involved in looking at…it is not in any way remotely looking to substitute ‘civilians’ for ‘police’, it is about looking carefully at how front line officers spend their time (an eye opener in itself) and trying to remove some of these non-crime related activities from them while potentially delivering a better overall service. In the same way that front desks at police stations are being looked at very carefully…it is another real eye opener when you look at what they actually deal with rather than what the public think they deal with….in the same way as banks I cannot see any sensible option other than continuing to close these down and redeploy staff in more effective ways to meet what the public need (which is not the same - not even close - as they might think they need).

Being dismissive of PCSOs is old hat now. Their reputation was as far as I can tell driven by large elements of ‘proper’ police being dismissive of them (‘plastic policemen’ etc). Internally attitudes have changed significantly for the better in this area and PCSOs fulfil a very important role away from the ‘front line crimebusting’ role. It is unfair to give them stick when they are unable to act in the same way as a ‘full’ officer. The role has its flaws but the people that fill them are generally excellent in what they do and, indeed, are permitted to do. Many PCSOs go on to become ‘full’ officers.

Bit surprised you don’t see a need for social media engagement. It is the way of the world in 2022, it’s as simple as that.

we all want the same thing - a police resource that is capable of dealing with public safety and crime effectively.
ways of solving it a) find a way of removing ‘domestics’ from front line policing, b) get the appropriate agencies to,deal,with mental health issues that have dropped into the police domain and c) get people to know when to stop,drinking and snorting at reasonable levels before they move into mayhem mode. that lot probably accounts for at least half of how response officers spend their time.

Another is to introduce mandatory jail sentences for anyone involved in production or distribution of drugs but that would break the prison service.

 

[andyBeaker]

I just phoned 101 because I’d seen 3 hoodied yoofs loitering around the back of some garages locally while I was out for my walkies - were they dealing?

all I got was a recorded message ‘ due to high volumes of calls etc. blah blah’. So I hung up. That’s my effort for community awareness.

If you thought they were dealing it should be 999.

 

[Malone]

I also remembered that when I called them when I was attacked last year that they refused to do anything about the attack as it was my word against his. Bear in mind he was pissed, had been causing trouble earlier that they were looking for, and that I am also almost 40 years older than him. Hardly a fair contest and why would I drag him in off the street to lay him out?

 

[andyBeaker]

I also remembered that when I called them when I was attacked last year that they refused to do anything about the attack as it was my word against his. Bear in mind he was pissed, had been causing trouble earlier that they were looking for, and that I am also almost 40 years older than him. Hardly a fair contest and why would I drag him in off the street to lay him out?

I feel,for you,,but at the end of the day without witnesses it is your word against his.

On a plod fly on the wall programme last week an old chap in a wheelchair was arrested for threatening someone with a bottle. Age is no barrier to dimwittery.

 

[derek kelly]

Man rushed to hospital after falling from bridge over M1 at Wakefield

The M1 at Wakefield has been closed after a man fell from a bridge, West Yorkshire Police have said.

www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk

 

[derek kelly]

Man rushed to hospital after falling from bridge over M1 at Wakefield

The M1 at Wakefield has been closed after a man fell from a bridge, West Yorkshire Police have said.

www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk

Now you’ve read that.

Man who fell from M1 bridge was serving West Yorkshire Police officer

Police, air ambulances and the ambulance service attended the scene after a man fell from the bridge near Wakefield

www.leeds-live.co.uk

 

[andyBeaker]

And a first for escooters…

E-scooter woman who rode while drunk on hen do gets driving ban

Paige Burnley was more than twice the legal limit for alcohol when stopped by police in Cheltenham.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Duck n Dive]

I can't help thinking that she used the "Boris" excuse.

"I didn't know it was wrong"

I'd be amazed if the scooter rental companies didn't make it really clear when you rent.

 

[Martin L Batley]

Once bought a motorbike, cheap, off a guy who got done drink driving in his car. Silly bugger thought it only applied to his car and that he could still ride a motorbike.