The Policeman's Blog

"I thought that was fairly mild; but not mild enough for Humberside police, who I understand are thinking about knocking Kevin off [knock off= discipline] for making the comments!"

Constable Copperfield, how many times do we have to point out that we simply can't have the public being actually responsible for their actions? Such thinking is far too dangerous for anyone other than (us) trained professionals. Think what would happen if it spread? Bureaucrats everywhere would be threatened (THREATENED I tell you!) with having to get real jobs rather than their make-believe, make-busy, equal-opportunity, because-I'm-worth-it jobs. You frontline officers, unencumbered by our petty, politically-correct dictats would be far more effective in creating Sir Bob's 'absence of crime'. The public might even start to think they are better off without our 'expertise' or that we provide exceedingly poor value. The Horror.
 

What he should have said was how it wasn't the fault of those who stole his vehicles, blamed society for its failures. Explained how those who committed the act were as much victims as he was and gone to visit them in hospital perhaps taking a present.

If he'd have done all that he'd be nicely lined up for the CC job instead of a disciplinary.
 

I can understand the inconvenience and problems surrounding this theft, especially for a police officer. My thoughts are, what is more valuable, a car that can be replaced by insurence, or a human life, however imperfect, that can never be replaced?
We seem to be living in an overly materialistic society anyway, but when someone considers loss of life an adequate punishment for the theft of a car I despare.
What would be the appropriate punishment for rape, murder or a paedophile?
 

How many times have I spoken to victims who have said comments far worse than this . . . . should I arrest them for some ridiculous offence? Perhaps I could get their company to discipline them!

So much for having feelings/opinions hey!
 

What a mealey mouthed bunch of tossers we are becoming. I can tell you that in similar circumstances I would have zero sympathy for the scum or their parents. If they get injured/killed through their own actions that's very much their problem. I wouldn't be sending flowers.
 

Those are his personal feelings and he's entitled to say them in a private capacity if he wants. Shame we are sliding into an Orwellian nightmare, "thought police" used to be an amusing term - now the hordes of professional doogooders unleashed by Herr Tony are making it all too sinister.
 

I feel sorry for the taxi driver.

Also, please, please, please, can we do without the "loss of life is more important than a car" bullshit.

If he managed to set a car on fire in an accident, what the hell was he doing ? Would you feel the same way if it you had been in his path ? I think not. And the copper did not say it was adequate punishment, just that he did not give a toss, which most people who have lives to lead would agree with.
 

It's a free society so, even though I disagree with it, I'll defend to the death the right to say:

"We seem to be living in an overly materialistic society anyway, but when someone considers loss of life an adequate punishment for the theft of a car I despare."

[Even if you can't spell despair. Personally, I despair for educational standards.]

On the same note, it's my right to say I feel sorry for the poor guy who will certainly suffer a degree of financial loss and inconvenience for the fact two of his possessions were stolen and destroyed.

Bugger the thieving scrotes who nicked them and who were injured during their criminal activities.

We can only hope they all go this way in some sort of Darwinian extinction that sees thieving scum wiped out in ironic demises.

By the way Dave, has "the Yard" been in touch following a complaint from FJL?
 

Every thief makes a bet. The bet is that they can sacrifice a little of their life (their time) to gain a lot of a victims life (the time the victim spent working to earn the goods nicked). The thief anticipates that this bet will be profitable.

Note that this means that there's no dichotomy between "people's lives and mere posessions" as many bleeding-heart Grauniad readers will claim. The bet involves only that resource which people can't ever get back: part of their lifetime. Even insurance doesn't change this, since it merely involves a pooled bet where a lot of people sacrifice earnings (life time) to reduce the loss to the victim.

It's not all bad though. Sometimes the thief gets called on the bet. This can involved them losing more time than they staked on the bet, for example if they are jailed. It can even involve Father Darwin upping the stakes and calling them for their entire lifetime, as when a victim shoots them or they crash the stolen vehicle.

The thief enters the bet knowing these stakes, unlike their victim, who is forced to the bet unwillingly. Too often the thief is correct and they'll gain more lifetime points (Pounds) than they'll expend. Sometimes though they'll lose and this can properly be celebrated. Only bunnyhuggers sentimentalise this to "lives versus property".
 

Nope, loss of life is NOT adequate punishment for the theft of a car.

The stocks, a bit of torture, THEN loss of life. Now THAT would be more like it... ;)
 

what a result.

Sympathy? it's in the dictionsry.
 

Thank god that they didnt kill anyone else, not thay they would have cared in any event, nor the parents, I can just see the headlines "Police in probe on car chase shocker" in the unlikely event they managed to get behind one of the stolen cars and then make the decision not to stop.

You reap what you sow !!!!

As for the comment from the
pc - good work, expressing what the public actually want to hear
 

Is this the start of a trend in which police,in some way or other, must be blamed or found (even in the smallest way) culpable or linked..no matter how tenous.. to a tragic event?
This would appear to be circumstances in which the loss of life would be down purely to those who chose to steal the vehicle then drive it( or allow to be carried in it) and whilst not familiar with the car,untrained, uninsured etc...cause the vehicle to crash in which they or other's died.
There would appear to be a complete absence of any pursuing police vehicles..who in other circumstances, somehow invariably (whilst doing their duty to apprehend those who chose to steal and drive cars at high speed)are pilloried if the offender crashes and causes death to his/herself and others.

Thankfully it would appear that no innocent parties were seriously hurt in this.

So...dead and seriously injured 'suspects'..no obvious police involvement at time of crash....you can see those who are in charge of overseeing police behaviour scratching their heads at this one..no one to blame/ point at, other than those in the stolen car.

Relief!..victim is a police officer who choses to offer a understandable personal opinion on events(not gloating,not baying for blood)just expressing his feelings about those directly connected to their own demise/injury)

How dare he!..lets roll out Professional Standards ..

Is it coming to a point were officers can be sued/disciplined for not getting emotional about the fate of the underclass we deal with?
 

Absolute bag of shi*te, this really f**ks me off.

I don't give a flying f*ck about the bastards who CHOSE to break into someone else's personal space, CHOSE to steal their property and then, ooh, CHOSE to drive like a tw*t and crash.

I have every sympathy for their families, because at the end of the day everyone loves their children and no amount of tubthumping can take away the fact someone's lost their offspring.

However, what the bleeding heart liberals who run this country don't get is everyone has CHOICES.

I'm just relieved that, FOR A CHANGE, someone else wasn't injured.

I CHOOSE to pay every tax going, work hard, behave responsibly and compassionately towards other people. I CHOOSE to help other people in trouble.

Let's hope sh*tbags like this never hurt me or my family due to their choices.
 

Very,very disappointing - Seems to me that this off duty officer is a genuine victim of a crime and as such is entitled to voice his (and NOT the police's) opinion

Surely Blair's 'victims of crime charter' has something to say on the matter?

Still,more work for PSD (Professional shit diggers)
 

That marvelous document the European Convention on Human Rights enshrines amongst other things the right to free speech.(thank God for the French, Germans and Spanish). His employers are a Govt body and as such are bound by this. He was making a comment as a private individual, he has certainly not brought his force into disrepute by any stretch of the imagination. What was said was perfectly fair comment. We are all encouraged to speak with the press these days, did they want him to tell porkies.Its not as if he said "HA hardy har har ,they're dead and crippled" is it. Now that would have been naughty
More likely he answered a question put to him by some slick little toad of a reporter and it was quoted as direct speech.
Did the Merseyside Press Office set up the interview I wonder.
 

"I thought that was fairly mild; but not mild enough for Humberside police, who I understand are thinking about knocking Kevin off "

This Humberside PC and his comment have done more to improve the public perception of the Police than any number of glossy brochures.
This poor PC - lined up to be lynched by the "good ideas club" - needs to remind the do-gooders in his force of the Human rights act - and his right to freedom of expression, right to a private life free of interference from a public body etc etc. Surely the bobby has just aired publically his "victim impact statement" - which the Government has encouraged.
By the way...what poetic justice! I wish it happened more often.
Just glad no "innocents" were injured or taken out.
 

Professional shit diggers, I like that. Gonnor,I'll add the rest "Sympathy,it's in the dictionary; between shit and syphilis"
 

Third anonymous:

Being killed in a ball of flame, or by being thrown through a window, was not and is not a punishment for car theft. It is a consequence of the theft of a car by an idiot.

Similarly, being thrown through the window of your car in an accident is not the punishment for failing to wear a seatbelt, but it is a consequence of it.
 

I regularly take statements from fed up I/P's who in their Victim Personal Statement at the end regularly state, in writing far worse comments than this PC has done as punishment for the crime.

None of them ever get bollocked!

This smacks of the PC blame culture, as another poster said, would appear no-one to blame so we'll hang the officer who speaks his mind. I keep thinking I've seen the limit to our own lunacy but again we manage to out-do ourselves. Who are the idiots in charge at Humberside?

This officer is a new hero to myself, he had the balls to speak his mind, said what ALL decent, tax paying, hard working, non-wishy washy liberals were thinking and I hope he sticks to his guns and sticks it to Humberside.

And as for the thieves, well, if you want to break into homes, steal high powered cars, drive like t**ts, then guess what, you will crash and die. Tough. There are plenty of decent people killed ont he roads every day so to wipe dome scrote out this way concerns me not.

To be honest, sounds like a good all round job.
 

You pay your money (or not in this case) and you take your chance. Unfortunateky for them (fortunate for the local community!) they took the chance and lost. I'm glad that some of the thieving, workshy sponging t**ts were not able to get out of the wreckage and run away, as so often happens.

Back of the net!

P.S. I do feel sorry for the pain it will inflict on the family of the deceased and my sympathy goes to them, but in no way does a shread go to the thieves.

With regards to the comments made by the victim, if he gets disciplined for saying that, I will gladly support any action by the Fed, to fight it. I'd even consider handing in my warrant card.
In any case, they are no more hurtful than the comments made by sir (small 's')Ian Blair, rearding Holly and Jessicca.

I can't wait to retire (25 years away!) and leave these shores. How long can we go on like this? The do gooders will erode away any form of control on the mob, who will grow and grow (are growing and growing?) and then will stab/burgle/shoot/mug/assault all the do gooders, and they'll realise that they had a big part to play in bringing it upon themselves!
 

I find it even more hypocritical that Tony Blair can support the killing of Al-Zarqawi without any consequences.

Prescot literally did the "misconduct" in the public office with no consequences.

This bobby should be supported not vilified.
 

I feel sorry for ip that now has to worry about his pension as well as replacing his cars.

God has slapped his own asbo on the car thieves. Yes I feel sorry for the families involved but I'm sure it wouldn't have been the first time that they had a little ride in someone elses property - but it will be the last. And for some nominals its the only way they stop - the threat of prison doesn't work.

Why just because your a pc don't you have a right to speak your mind. Ip has been wronged just as any of the victims we visit have. If your off duty and it doesn't relate to a case you are investigating then you have as many human rights as anyone else - dont we?

Good luck IP,
 

One need look no further than this site, and similar police focussed sites for an indication of the limitations placed on the 'free speech' of serving officers. It is almost without exception that comment, including my own, is submitted anonymously, for fear of repercussion. It would appear that the ECHR is applied to anyone other than police officers and their families.
 

Talking to an old mate of mine from an adjoining force yesterday. He made the comment that nowadays it's as if we can't be seen to win. This sad indictment upon the out of touch awfully clever chaps in dream factory HQ's up and down this land says more than any of their god awful 'mission statements'.
The people of this country want us to get on a mission. That mission is quite simple. The vermin are obvious but the tools to cull them have been taken away. We struggle to convict them, even if convicted they are not put away for the correct amount of time and when they come out it all starts again.
No wonder the calculated gamble of profit from crime is so profitable. Guess who else is laughing all the way to the next Range Rover:
Judges, Barristers, MP's, Senior Police Officers etc etc....
It must be like playing a computer game to them. Removed from the degredation and suffering these vermin cause but actually in control of the whole shooting match!
If Kevin Scarth is 'molested' by Humberside Police we should take action. "You gotta stand for something or your gonna fall for anything"
Meanwhile we continue to fight a war we cannot win in a far away land but fail to see the battle emerging on our own streets.
 

And of course the ubiquitous "INGERLUND" flag left as a poignant tribute to these fine examples of British youth flying at the scene of their demise. Makes you proud don't it. Vermin.
 

What I also see is police officers whining how they cannot do their job, or cannot speak their mind, but I see precious few who do anything about it.

I feel even less sympathy when I see the zeal of some police officers to go after law abiding citizen for trivial things because it is easy.

But then, I walk past a bobby helping an old lady down and up the stairs of an underground pedestrian passage, and I surprise myself to think that all is not wrong in the world.

Some judges are actually living amongst us, my neighbour being a crown court judge who got burgled and got his car stolen recently.
 

I agree with the bobbies comments, I fully support every single word he uttered, if he wants any help support point him my way.
 

"What I also see is police officers whining how they cannot do their job, or cannot speak their mind, but I see precious few who do anything about it."

We are non-Unionised, have no right to take industrial action, and our Federation (IMHO) is a toothless lion; therefore our options are very limited, and mainly consist of trying to tell the public about the situation we are in. Consider this, Officer's jobs are at stake because are threatened with the sack for very petty and minor things, so if any attempt was made to try and challenge the attitude from on top by protest or other action, I can easily imagine the consequences.If discussing our problems in this forum is whining, then that's your perception.


"I feel even less sympathy when I see the zeal of some police officers to go after law abiding citizen for trivial things because it is easy."

Then they can't be law abiding citizens then surely? And do you know how those same Officers go after the awkward and difficult jobs as well - hard to say isn't it? By way of example, if everyone drove as the law mandates, we wouldn't have to intervene, but sadly we waste a lot of time dealing with people who do know better, but choose to flaunt the law, and then argue the toss about it after.

Back to the original point, I am outraged and disgusted by Humberside's response to one of their staff who has been a victim of serious crime. What about e-mailing them for an explanation - is anyone up for that?

Keep us posted on this one DC - the thin end of the wedge keeps getting thicker every week....
 

We had a bloke in our force, who wrote to the PM once as a private citizen complaining about governemnt polices. He also disclosed that he was a PC. They managed to track him down and even went as far as handwriting samples. next thing you know he was up in front of the chief for daring not to toe the party line.
 

Well for what it's worth I have e-mailed Humberside Police, asking if it is true they are planning a disciplinary hearing against the Officer, and stating that I support his right to express his opinions as a victim of crime.

I'll see if they then choose to try and identify me, and take sanctions against me.

It's hard being the first one over the top, but once we voice our common opinion, surely they won't sack us all?

Anyway:

Webmail@humberside.pnn.police.uk

.
 

Here's a question

How did the media find out that the car owner was a serving officer? I can't believe that the officer would voluntarily identify himself, thereby letting those who survived know exactly where to go back to for "revenge".

I suspect that the details were broadcast (otherwise leaked) by the press office. Had I been the victim of this offence, I would be extremely annoyed if my details were disclosed to the press.

If I was officer Scarth, I would be considering a complaint for a breach of the Data Protection Act. That should put any potential complaint onto the back burner!
 

Would that be the same Humberside that failed to inform Cambridgeshire about a chap called Huntley who later murdered two little girls ... or is a different one
 

"Would that be the same Humberside that failed to inform Cambridgeshire about a chap called Huntley who later murdered two little girls ... or is a different one"

Yes as you can see improvements are being made
 

Sorry if this spoils a good story but Humberside Police are not disciplining Kevin Scarth, and are respecting his rights as a private citizen to express himself over a personal matter.

Good for Humberside I say!
 

I did email Blunderside about this and have today received a response stating PC Scarth will not be disciplined.

Quote from the reply from Blunderside, "We are all entitled to express our view about matters which personally affect us in our private lives and how the officer chose to do so is entirely a matter for him. His views do not represent those of Humberside Police."
 

Oh dear Frustrated; that was the e-mail I got too, and it made me feel all special and individual to think that they had written back to me.

Perhaps they were overwhelmed by incoming e-mail in support of PC Scarth that they simply had to do a one size fits all e-mail? I wonder if they'd disclose how many e-mails/letters of support they received?

.
 

I see that this story has repeated itself this weekend in Sunderland with a 15yo boy being killed after crashing a car stolen from a hospital car park. (so we can assume it belonged to a health worker or someone visiting someone in said hospital.
Every time I see this I think of the tragic waste.
There were at least three empty seats in that car!
 

"..his views do not represent those of Humberside police"

How often have you heard that line trotted out?
Who decides whose views represents that of whatever service you are in?
If the Directorate of Media Communications(or whatever its called now)ever dared ask I bet a large chunk of Humberside would be 100% behind Pc Scarths views
 

I drive past that crash site on the A565 every day and the amount of tributes to this car thief is astounding. It grows every day....lots of pictures, flowers, some England flags, lanterns (I kid you not) and all this for some poor poor lad, who did nothing but rob someones house, steal their car and endanger everyone on the road and his passenger with his dangerous driving. Just a shame he had so many empty seats that could have been filled by his insect mates! Glad the IP isn't getting investigated by the Humberside Thought Police to:)
 

As a health worker, we are easy targets, if one little scrote is put off thieving cars by the example of some little s***s wiping themselves out, so be it. Unfortunately the cost of repairing these unemployable little b******s is too much especially when they will never work and just be a leech on the law abiding and TAX paying majority.

Keep on nicking them, day and night.
 

Ironic that there are England flags left at the scene of criminals death.
I guess they haven't read up on the social contract?
Wish someone would go take the flags down. They at least, deserve our respect.
 

Spartacus, I too felt special and individual and then posted my comment and saw yours appear just before it.

Never mind, at least they aint potting PC Scarth. Still shoudl be ashamed of themselves though for failing to support him.
 

Just to add to this saga, a shrine has been set up at the scene with flowers,football shirts and a nice little fence around it.In addition there seems to be a 24 hour "guard" on the whole thing with supporters gulping copious amounts of beer and etc.They have extra seats so visitors seem to be welcome.
How the local council(Sefton) can allow this is beyond me-no doubt the low life will be asking for a more permanant site no doubt.The world has gone crazy
 

I've heard this response to twocer deaths before: ie. 'good result last night' after two 15 year olds died. Obviously policemen can't be forced to feel sympathetic when human beings die. Equally you can't force everyone to feel sympathetic when police die. Particularly the ones who get shot/knifed etc because they were too dumb to wear their body armour.
 

A bobby owning a Merc and an A3? The overtime must be really good in Humberside. Either that or his Mrs is an heiress.
 

Glad to hear he ain't having the book thrown at him.

Couple of years back a thieving scum bag broke into a local shopping mall (during the night) on our patch, into a sports shop, went behind the till, through a door, down an unexpected flight of stairs head first and was found dead minutes later by our lads attending the alarm activation.

Result !

Didn't stop a fatal accident enquiry just to prove we didn't do it but there was cheers that night for sure.

I didn't feel sorry for him as the maggot was living the life of crime and paid the price.
 

some people will defend any scrotes.i remember several years ago a touching article with a picture of a well presented young man in a suit.article spoke of tragedy of him being stabbed to death in town i work.not sure if paper were not aware that at the time of death he and junky friend had broken into old couples house and put a knife to ladies throat demanding money threatening to kill her.husband grabbed knife put him in the morgue and other scrote in hospital followed by long stretch in prison.husband was not prosecuted.sometimes there is some justice at least
 

He is being disciplined for letting his cars get stolen !!!!!!!