Friday, October 06, 2006
IT'S ALL ABOUT PRIORITIES
This can only be a good thing. You know how it is: you’re right in the middle of completing a form so you can get a subscriber check on a mobile phone when some meddling member of the public reports being mugged.
You have to get up, find some car keys, get your briefcase, hat and coat together then head off into the car park, only to realise you’ve run out of statement forms. So it’s back upstairs and when you finally struggle through the traffic, the mugger’s gone!
Private security patrols are the answer and it’s such clever, yet simple, idea: a group of people, in uniform, intensively patrolling an area on foot, providing help and reassurance to the public. It amazes me that nobody thought of it before.
The top banana is Paul Levine of Apal Security Consultants who says his service is so popular he doesn’t even have to advertise. If you live in Primrose Hill and are thinking of hiring Mr. Levine’s army of former soldiers, you need to ask Mr. Levine the following questions:
What’s your detection rate?
What percentage of ethnic minority officers do you have?
What’s your company’s policy on domestic violence?
If I call you because I’m having problems with my ex, will you speak to him/her for me without actually taking any action?
One couple who have taken Apal Security up on their offer are the Harringtons, who were ambushed by a group of robbers and forced to hand over valuables. From a police perspective it's not the kind of thing that happens all that often, and it's just the kind of crime that gets solved by our detectives. They're highly skilled and very experienced, as are the intelligence officers, forensic scientists and supervisors who lead and support them. Still, I wonder what the Harringtons were saying by signing on with Apal Security?
Could it be that the public aren't really bothered by most of what we do, and that all they want is to feel a bit more secure?
As luck would have it, I've spent the last few days off the front line and in an office. No. Hang on. That's not right. What I mean is, I've spent the last few days off the front line but still in an office. From this perspective, it's amazing how uniformed patrol forms such a tiny part of the whole of Newtown Constabulary, and at the same time how many people we manage to keep in work.
Presumably, if Apal Security makes people feel secure and happy, Paul Levine will grow rich; if not he’ll be out of a job.
Now there’s an idea.
You have to get up, find some car keys, get your briefcase, hat and coat together then head off into the car park, only to realise you’ve run out of statement forms. So it’s back upstairs and when you finally struggle through the traffic, the mugger’s gone!
Private security patrols are the answer and it’s such clever, yet simple, idea: a group of people, in uniform, intensively patrolling an area on foot, providing help and reassurance to the public. It amazes me that nobody thought of it before.
The top banana is Paul Levine of Apal Security Consultants who says his service is so popular he doesn’t even have to advertise. If you live in Primrose Hill and are thinking of hiring Mr. Levine’s army of former soldiers, you need to ask Mr. Levine the following questions:
What’s your detection rate?
What percentage of ethnic minority officers do you have?
What’s your company’s policy on domestic violence?
If I call you because I’m having problems with my ex, will you speak to him/her for me without actually taking any action?
One couple who have taken Apal Security up on their offer are the Harringtons, who were ambushed by a group of robbers and forced to hand over valuables. From a police perspective it's not the kind of thing that happens all that often, and it's just the kind of crime that gets solved by our detectives. They're highly skilled and very experienced, as are the intelligence officers, forensic scientists and supervisors who lead and support them. Still, I wonder what the Harringtons were saying by signing on with Apal Security?
Could it be that the public aren't really bothered by most of what we do, and that all they want is to feel a bit more secure?
As luck would have it, I've spent the last few days off the front line and in an office. No. Hang on. That's not right. What I mean is, I've spent the last few days off the front line but still in an office. From this perspective, it's amazing how uniformed patrol forms such a tiny part of the whole of Newtown Constabulary, and at the same time how many people we manage to keep in work.
Presumably, if Apal Security makes people feel secure and happy, Paul Levine will grow rich; if not he’ll be out of a job.
Now there’s an idea.
Comments:
I know we've touched on this before about Peels' principles, but reading them again just reminds me of what policing should be.
The cheifs and ministers should read them again, in particular...
"The basic mission for which the police exist is to prevent crime and disorder"
and
"The test of police efficiency is the absence of crime and disorder, not the visible evidence of police action in dealing with it."
Not quite what it's all about now is it? Detections seem not to be mentioned anywhere in the principles.
The cheifs and ministers should read them again, in particular...
"The basic mission for which the police exist is to prevent crime and disorder"
and
"The test of police efficiency is the absence of crime and disorder, not the visible evidence of police action in dealing with it."
Not quite what it's all about now is it? Detections seem not to be mentioned anywhere in the principles.
# posted by 
: 6:49 PM, October 06, 2006
: 6:49 PM, October 06, 2006
I know we've touched on this before about Peels' principles, but reading them again just reminds me of what policing should be.
The cheifs and ministers should read them again, in particular...
"The basic mission for which the police exist is to prevent crime and disorder"
and
"The test of police efficiency is the absence of crime and disorder, not the visible evidence of police action in dealing with it."
Not quite what it's all about now is it? Detections seem not to be mentioned anywhere in the principles.
The cheifs and ministers should read them again, in particular...
"The basic mission for which the police exist is to prevent crime and disorder"
and
"The test of police efficiency is the absence of crime and disorder, not the visible evidence of police action in dealing with it."
Not quite what it's all about now is it? Detections seem not to be mentioned anywhere in the principles.
# posted by : 6:49 PM, October 06, 2006
: 6:49 PM, October 06, 2006
It would be interesting to see them hired to patrol the council estate on my district. Especially as they do not have any PPE equipment or have any police type powers as it's written in the article. Although I would expect them to be vastly better equipped in general with a modern well made uniform that fits.
But people will pay cash for these patrols, the Police force is vastly underfunded! why?
It appears people are prepared to pay more for more security?
Imagine what we could do with this type of funding.
But people will pay cash for these patrols, the Police force is vastly underfunded! why?
It appears people are prepared to pay more for more security?
Imagine what we could do with this type of funding.
We're getting there ....... PCSO's will soon be doing all the things APAL Security are doing and more ..... just give it time.
Jurgen
Jurgen
# posted by : 7:59 PM, October 06, 2006
: 7:59 PM, October 06, 2006
The linked article is from May 2002. It seems that more than enough time has passed that the efficacy of private patrols in Primrose Hill might be assessed with a degree of accuracy.
Any idea PC Copperfield? Have they worked in the nearly 4.5 years since they were introduced?
Any idea PC Copperfield? Have they worked in the nearly 4.5 years since they were introduced?
# posted by : 8:04 PM, October 06, 2006
: 8:04 PM, October 06, 2006
"Imagine what we could do with this type of funding?"
What we usually seem to do probably: p*iss it all up against the wall.
What we usually seem to do probably: p*iss it all up against the wall.
O yes how short sighted of me, piss it up against the wall is exactly what we would do with it.
Well there might be some overtime
Well there might be some overtime
The Police Reform Act 2002 gives powers to non-sworn people - PCSO's, Police Civilian staff, and accredited non-police individuals through a Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS) in security type jobs, the powers to issue fiexted penalty notices, the pwer to require giving of name and address, powers to seize alcohol and tobacco, powers to remove vehicles, pwers to stop vehiciesl to testing, powers to control traffic, makes it an offence to fail to comply with requirements, and can allow use of reasonable force (Blackstones, Gen Pol Dut, 2007 pg 93-99).... all it needs is the nod from the area's cheif constable... Who will be the first to sign of these powers to non-warrented Officers, when will it happen, and what will it mean for Warrented Police Officers, and the Public they serve??
On another matter, we have had a drop in violent crime on our patch, great stuff.
Apparently not, the SMT are up in arms because this drop in crime has had an adverse effect on the detection rate.
We will have to explain ourselves to the cspt.
This may happen if private patrols are on the streets, yea right.
Apparently not, the SMT are up in arms because this drop in crime has had an adverse effect on the detection rate.
We will have to explain ourselves to the cspt.
This may happen if private patrols are on the streets, yea right.
I have always thought that the introduction of PCSO's was the Governments response,in part,to perceived unease(in the case of this Govt a knee jerk reaction to conflicting opinion polls/interest groups)of the use of 'private'security.
This government is about regulation.
The people want a uniformed presence on the street.Because of the layers of nonsense that the police have been chained to under this administration, warranted officers are stuck to a desk/computer screen for large chunks of the shift.
So...create another layer of uniform and to give it some form of legitimacy by calling it 'Police Support..' and even better create the notion of a 'Police family'.. and if there are dissenting voices,shout them down and cry 'Shame on you...they are members of your family'
The system falls down when private security/PCSO's etc have to actually deal with something more than a smile/nod/walk through of their 'patch'
If it gets to a 'lay hands on situation' they need warranted officers to deal.. who are still spending their time at a desk/computer screen.
ACPO...those 'Step up to the line,square-jawed,steely-eyed defenders of the ...Service'...have rolled more than a Budgies toy at the bottom of the cage.
Who will be the first to sign on the dotted line?...in the need to catch the Head waiters eye.. when it comes to it,the slower starters will be trampled in the rush.
With regard to Primrose Hill, it is a lovely area in Central London with some great little pubs.In the number of times I have been there since 2002 I have never seen private security on the streets. Perhaps the seasoned veterans of APAL Security have 'moved on'.
This government is about regulation.
The people want a uniformed presence on the street.Because of the layers of nonsense that the police have been chained to under this administration, warranted officers are stuck to a desk/computer screen for large chunks of the shift.
So...create another layer of uniform and to give it some form of legitimacy by calling it 'Police Support..' and even better create the notion of a 'Police family'.. and if there are dissenting voices,shout them down and cry 'Shame on you...they are members of your family'
The system falls down when private security/PCSO's etc have to actually deal with something more than a smile/nod/walk through of their 'patch'
If it gets to a 'lay hands on situation' they need warranted officers to deal.. who are still spending their time at a desk/computer screen.
ACPO...those 'Step up to the line,square-jawed,steely-eyed defenders of the ...Service'...have rolled more than a Budgies toy at the bottom of the cage.
Who will be the first to sign on the dotted line?...in the need to catch the Head waiters eye.. when it comes to it,the slower starters will be trampled in the rush.
With regard to Primrose Hill, it is a lovely area in Central London with some great little pubs.In the number of times I have been there since 2002 I have never seen private security on the streets. Perhaps the seasoned veterans of APAL Security have 'moved on'.
Quite simply the public feel that the police have abandoned them, and that their priorities lie elsewhere. From previous posts many police contributors react angrily when others make adverse comments. But it isn't because they don't appreciate what the front line are doing...they know they work hard...they know that police managers are, in the main, spineless career opportunists, and those that aren't can't do anything either because of police, objectives and Home Office targets. The public are tired of seeing PCSO's meandering around in herds, or refusing to walk the dark streets of a rural Gloucestershire village and being given a car etc. They're tired of being told there aren't enough officers around to send. They're also weary of stories of police officers refusing to guard an embassy (I appreciate that there may be more to it than what has been reported), or being paid hundreds and thousands of pounds for some reason where an 'ism' is alleged, or for maternity issues etc etc. (Why can't I bring the baby on patrol - if you spend some money on approved infant PPE and carry out the appropriate risk assessments there's no problem)They're also aggrieved that the police are now more remote than ever, that contacting them is a pain, that they won't come out to you if you've been burgled and there is no aggravating factor (like a hate crime aspect). They're also worried they'll be arrested if they take any kind of action other than baring their arses in a submissive gesture when some 'YOBS' are kicing down their fence, or smashing up their car, or someone alleges they're refusing to give a football back, or hand out Christian leaflets at a Gay Rally (no probs if you're a Muslim calling for more death on British Streets, or the execution of the Pope etc etc). Whether these things happen the way they are reported or not doesn't matter - it's perception and there's a constant drip-drip effect. Main police stations shut down at night, remote call centres, no daily presence for the public. No wonder Norfolk Police Authority chairs say 'exaggerate the details when you phone the police - it is the only way they'll come out to you'. e.g. the often quoted story of the MoP calls police re a burglary - told there's no one to send. Calls again later to say the suspect is nearby and armed with a gun - result...helicopters, armed ninja's, inspectors with logs, Hi viz cordons etc. More police than ever. What always sums it up for me is when I read a story e.g. the 17 year old girl badly stabbed in a park last Saturday on her way to work in Orpington. We then hear how the park has become ' a haven' for druggies and robbers. Where was the regular uniformed presence? the regular reassurance? How did it become this 'haven'? There was no one for her before she was stabbed, there was plenty afterwards, really upset DCI's, investigators, scene coordinators, cordons, hi viz jackets all over the place...but is that park any safer for the local residents today? Local residents don't want the local police commander to waffle on about partnerships, stakeholders, PCSO's, how the robbery figures have gone down by 1.5% (Still probably means there's 15 a week somewhere on the ground), or hold briefings outside in the summer so that the public can take part????? All window dressing and spin. The courts and rest of the criminal justice system are also to blame, and all the governments - Tory and Nu Labour. Build more prisons! Stop importing crime and criminals into this country - put the borders back up, get rid of the human rights act etc etc. But they won't, and while Ian Bliar and the rest of ACPO wring their hands about diversity and 'other issues around.....', and the rest of the loonies, (plenty on the radio about that DPG officer) carp on about how beastly everyone is to them in the job, the public will keep feeling that the police don't care about all of the public, just the ones who 'deserve' the police's attention. They were worried about 2-tier policing years ago, it's almost here. No wonder 'gated' developments are built in the up and coming areas of London and other cities (Woolwich, Peckham etc etc), if you buy a place there, while you're waiting for the underclass to leave, you need to keep them out, no one else will do it for you. As for PCSO's, just look at the press photos or news items, when they say 'police are now mounting regular patrols' cue PCSO's. Police are guarding the scene - cue PCSO. The 'New' 'New' Police I think. Anyway, don't get all sensitive you policey types - it isn't your fault, we're at a transitional stage in the development of policing - and you're caught in the middle. It ain't gonna get any better, so if you can afford it, you'll buy in your regular and reassuring patrolling presence, the scrotes will be wary for a while, but once they suss out that these people aren't the police, bound and gagged by all sorts of rules, and are a constant presence i.e. not there in force for two days and then never seen again - the wariness may remain for a bit longer - as for the rest of us................I'll just say I was racially abused whenever I call, someone's bound to attend. Bring back proper regular foot patrols, get the old bill back on the ground, stop Home Office interference and target setting, reduce all the bureacracy - (that should be the CPS's job) and stop lawyers dictating how the police do things - do this locally, let's have the police where they belong, stopping things from happening in the first place, and finally, let's stop importing all our crime (I can't wait for the first Romanian/Moldovan/Bulgarian specialist shops to open.....yum!) I an't see 'CAll ME DAve' Cameron being any better can you? That's it - off to take me medication. Good luck!
# posted by : 8:19 AM, October 07, 2006
: 8:19 AM, October 07, 2006
wow ranter...bet you feel better after that! :-)
got to say i tend to agree with most if not all you have said.
im a copper and to be perfectly honest im at the point now where im activley looking for a different career. i do think a large percentage of the public have lost faith in the police, and this is pretty well matched by the percentage of officers that have also lost faith in us!
i think most people appreciate that it isnt the police per se thats the problem but the way in which the police are run.
its often been said if we were a business we would have gone bankrupt years ago.
as for 2 tier policing...well i think its already here and has been for some time.
ah well enough of my rant im off to buy the winning lottery ticket so i can leave the country to its fate.
got to say i tend to agree with most if not all you have said.
im a copper and to be perfectly honest im at the point now where im activley looking for a different career. i do think a large percentage of the public have lost faith in the police, and this is pretty well matched by the percentage of officers that have also lost faith in us!
i think most people appreciate that it isnt the police per se thats the problem but the way in which the police are run.
its often been said if we were a business we would have gone bankrupt years ago.
as for 2 tier policing...well i think its already here and has been for some time.
ah well enough of my rant im off to buy the winning lottery ticket so i can leave the country to its fate.
# posted by : 9:32 AM, October 07, 2006
: 9:32 AM, October 07, 2006
It's a producer capture problem. The reason that it's p*ssed against the wall rather than spent on policing is that the idiots in charge suffer no penalty for doing so. So they spend the money on what they want not what people actually want.
Whereas with the private security firm, if they don't do the job, they don't get any customers.
Whereas with the private security firm, if they don't do the job, they don't get any customers.
# posted by : 9:45 AM, October 07, 2006
: 9:45 AM, October 07, 2006
Like the Medical Profession and Education the Police are crippled by central Government Bureaucracy and micro-management.
I bet "APAL security" don't have to produce graphs and charts every day,forward extensive performance data to the Home Office to expalin where every £ has been spent, complete statements and paperwork over every allegation of nothing, have to record the ethnicity, sex and sexuality of every person they speak to or even see !APAL probably don't have an equal opportunities office, Human Resources departments,Sexual equality Officers, Lesbian Gay and Transexual Outreach Coordinators, Minority group facilitators, etc etc ad nauseum.
They probably all put a uniform on and go on patrol...if they don't like it they can leave and work elsewhere.....
Home Office gurus take note...this is true business sense...not the cra* pretend business rubbish you peddle and micro-manage us with !
From Ricky G
I bet "APAL security" don't have to produce graphs and charts every day,forward extensive performance data to the Home Office to expalin where every £ has been spent, complete statements and paperwork over every allegation of nothing, have to record the ethnicity, sex and sexuality of every person they speak to or even see !APAL probably don't have an equal opportunities office, Human Resources departments,Sexual equality Officers, Lesbian Gay and Transexual Outreach Coordinators, Minority group facilitators, etc etc ad nauseum.
They probably all put a uniform on and go on patrol...if they don't like it they can leave and work elsewhere.....
Home Office gurus take note...this is true business sense...not the cra* pretend business rubbish you peddle and micro-manage us with !
From Ricky G
# posted by : 10:14 AM, October 07, 2006
: 10:14 AM, October 07, 2006
Ranter, you have said all I need to say so I can keep my posting short.
But why are the Police so bloody political?
We don't answer to the government or Dave Cameron, or any other ass licking MP.
We are here to serve Queen and country and uphold the law. So why are ACPO so intent on getting into bed with politicians?
Tell them we don't want your f**king PCSO's or your crime recording standards, if someone doesn't want the Police to investigate their incident then don't put pen to paper, it's just a waste of money and time.
Don't judge us the police on bloody detection rates, the public don't give a sh*t as long as someone comes when they need us and as long as we are patrolling the streets not sat in ivory towers counting beans.
If we were out there like we should be, there would be less crimes to record in the first place, it's a vicious circle.
Hours spent on the phone waiting for NFA direct to give an answer, I mean CPS direct.
We used to be able to decide who we would charge, but apparently we are clueless when it comes to making that decision.
But why are the Police so bloody political?
We don't answer to the government or Dave Cameron, or any other ass licking MP.
We are here to serve Queen and country and uphold the law. So why are ACPO so intent on getting into bed with politicians?
Tell them we don't want your f**king PCSO's or your crime recording standards, if someone doesn't want the Police to investigate their incident then don't put pen to paper, it's just a waste of money and time.
Don't judge us the police on bloody detection rates, the public don't give a sh*t as long as someone comes when they need us and as long as we are patrolling the streets not sat in ivory towers counting beans.
If we were out there like we should be, there would be less crimes to record in the first place, it's a vicious circle.
Hours spent on the phone waiting for NFA direct to give an answer, I mean CPS direct.
We used to be able to decide who we would charge, but apparently we are clueless when it comes to making that decision.
PC South West: "So why are ACPO so intent on getting into bed with politicians?"
Because they all want their fucking Knighthoods? And they know they won't get a "K" by being politically incorrect.
Because they all want their fucking Knighthoods? And they know they won't get a "K" by being politically incorrect.
You can see the anger in the police here in the last few posts, and all because we agree with Ranter.
I couldn't give a sh*t about detections. On my driving course they asked 15 officers who would rather lock up a s.5 Public order as opposed to a drink driver.
12 people went for the s'5 poa. Being a probationer at the time and a bit wet behind the ears I was surprised and asked why?
I was looked at with the 'are you stupid' eyes, "You get a detection for public order."
How ridiculous. For me there is no comparison between the two, both crime, one very minor, one very dangerous.
I don't know who the Government think they are kidding. When they trot out all the crime figures, and state things are better, no one gives a shit. The public know the truth as they live in it. They know the local scrotes run the streets, they know it takes hours/days for the police to attend their calls. They know how few police there actually are.
All the public want is a police force. All the bosses want is me to shave/not wear combats. Despite the fact they are happy to parade me on, on my own for 70,000 people over a weekend.
If it wasn't a big pension at the end, then maybe I too would re-consider. But I joined to make a difference, and despite all the shite from above, I will keep trying, for the decent poeple, to do something worthwhile.
I couldn't give a sh*t about detections. On my driving course they asked 15 officers who would rather lock up a s.5 Public order as opposed to a drink driver.
12 people went for the s'5 poa. Being a probationer at the time and a bit wet behind the ears I was surprised and asked why?
I was looked at with the 'are you stupid' eyes, "You get a detection for public order."
How ridiculous. For me there is no comparison between the two, both crime, one very minor, one very dangerous.
I don't know who the Government think they are kidding. When they trot out all the crime figures, and state things are better, no one gives a shit. The public know the truth as they live in it. They know the local scrotes run the streets, they know it takes hours/days for the police to attend their calls. They know how few police there actually are.
All the public want is a police force. All the bosses want is me to shave/not wear combats. Despite the fact they are happy to parade me on, on my own for 70,000 people over a weekend.
If it wasn't a big pension at the end, then maybe I too would re-consider. But I joined to make a difference, and despite all the shite from above, I will keep trying, for the decent poeple, to do something worthwhile.
# posted by : 11:39 AM, October 07, 2006
: 11:39 AM, October 07, 2006
Isn't it funny that we all moan so much about the job that we all clearly love and enjoy doing? I can't believe that I am the only copper who genuinely loves my job, but hate what has been done to it and what it is becoming.
Unfortunately, Policing as we know it, is going down the Swannee pronto. Since the empowerment of so many "quasi cops" by this Government, the Office of Constable is being further degraded and diminshed, to the point where before much longer our job will consist of sitting in an office preparing files,or sat in an interview room or custody centre,dealing with offenders at the second level, ie, in custody, and not at the first point of contact, out on the street. We now have 2 tiers of policing without doubt. The introduction of PCSO's, which in my force are shortly taking over the role of Neighbourhood Beat Managers, Highways Agency Traffic Officers and any other uniform carrier that you may wish to mention, is just the start.I have no doubt that these people will be further empowered in the near future with powers of arrest,powers to report, issue all types of fixed penalties etc and where does that leave us? A ready made and highly trained team of investigators, or a rapid response team ready to be deployed to public order incidents or major crime scenes etc. I have no doubt that before very much longer we will have a patrol presence onthe streets, carried out by the above, leaving the rest of us carrying out the tasks that are deemed too dangerous or require our investgative skills.
I was in a local nick the other day, and the entire shift was in the parade room carrying out file preparation, various paperwork or inputting crimes over the telephone. One of the troops informed me that the only persons patrolling the town that day were the PCSO's and Traffic Wardens, leaving all the fully trained and empowered staff sat in the nick doing the mundane tasks.Sadly, that was not an unusual scenario. Surely we have our priorities wrong? Should it not be the other way around and there should be teams of less skilled people doing the files and case work? I'd be interested to see what everyone elses views are.
Unfortunately, Policing as we know it, is going down the Swannee pronto. Since the empowerment of so many "quasi cops" by this Government, the Office of Constable is being further degraded and diminshed, to the point where before much longer our job will consist of sitting in an office preparing files,or sat in an interview room or custody centre,dealing with offenders at the second level, ie, in custody, and not at the first point of contact, out on the street. We now have 2 tiers of policing without doubt. The introduction of PCSO's, which in my force are shortly taking over the role of Neighbourhood Beat Managers, Highways Agency Traffic Officers and any other uniform carrier that you may wish to mention, is just the start.I have no doubt that these people will be further empowered in the near future with powers of arrest,powers to report, issue all types of fixed penalties etc and where does that leave us? A ready made and highly trained team of investigators, or a rapid response team ready to be deployed to public order incidents or major crime scenes etc. I have no doubt that before very much longer we will have a patrol presence onthe streets, carried out by the above, leaving the rest of us carrying out the tasks that are deemed too dangerous or require our investgative skills.
I was in a local nick the other day, and the entire shift was in the parade room carrying out file preparation, various paperwork or inputting crimes over the telephone. One of the troops informed me that the only persons patrolling the town that day were the PCSO's and Traffic Wardens, leaving all the fully trained and empowered staff sat in the nick doing the mundane tasks.Sadly, that was not an unusual scenario. Surely we have our priorities wrong? Should it not be the other way around and there should be teams of less skilled people doing the files and case work? I'd be interested to see what everyone elses views are.
I kind of agree with Grumpy Traffic man. However when you have good knowledge of a particular job it's best to complete most of the file yourself I feel.
But as for the simple stuff like disclosure, bad character, CID2's or whatever could be done by a trained chimp, maybe the PCSO's could have a go.
We do all love our jobs and we are all watching it slowly but surely go down the Pan.
But as for the simple stuff like disclosure, bad character, CID2's or whatever could be done by a trained chimp, maybe the PCSO's could have a go.
We do all love our jobs and we are all watching it slowly but surely go down the Pan.
""However when you have good knowledge of a particular job it's best to complete most of the file yourself I feel.""
Tooooooo true - continuity counts for more than bosses realise...one person dealing means less is lost in handover and the full and peripheral facts are known for say an interview - the suspect has less chance to run rings around the Officer.The file is completed quicker with all the salient points included!
When the Court day comes only one Officer is sat waiting around for three days !!!!!!!
Ricky G
Tooooooo true - continuity counts for more than bosses realise...one person dealing means less is lost in handover and the full and peripheral facts are known for say an interview - the suspect has less chance to run rings around the Officer.The file is completed quicker with all the salient points included!
When the Court day comes only one Officer is sat waiting around for three days !!!!!!!
Ricky G
# posted by : 12:53 PM, October 07, 2006
: 12:53 PM, October 07, 2006
Hey non pc pc, it probably sounds tacky but I do hope you don't change careers. Even though the bureacracy and some public confidence is low, we need the people who care enough to care about whether it all is being thwarted. Otherwise we will be left with a whole of of people there for the wrong reasons. I have a growing appreciation and respect for the pcs. Keep on going, I reckon whenever we get to a point of throwing it in, thats the time to ride it out.... i really believe that, keep going, there will always be people who keep believing in you
# posted by : 1:51 PM, October 07, 2006
: 1:51 PM, October 07, 2006
The coppers who talk about PSCOs and HATOs replacing police and trafpol are dead on.
In other public sector fields I know of (Education and Medicine) this is already happening.
In schools, when teachers are absent or on their down time, they are replaced by Cover Supervisors and High Level Teaching Assistants. Most of whom have no qualifications or serious experience ; they are just talked up "Mum's army" people. Like PSCOs, there are some good ones, but a lot aren't.
In hospitals, the EU rules mean doctors can't work the hours they used to, so they are being replaced by Nurse Practitioners, e.g. nurses who've been on a short course (like a week) ; if you knew what I know about nursing training this means they know **** all. This is particularly bad at night (don't get ill at night !). Most of the time, they get away with it. Sometimes, they don't, when it gets complicated. Nurses are being replaced by assistants, (some of whom are nurses who can't get jobs but need the money)
I don't doubt that Policing will get worse.
PSCOs and HATOs will be allowed to on the spot fine, and this will end up being as "fair and honest" as the "Safety" cameras and the Parking wardens (i.e. completely bent). I suspect the introduction of FPN crimes is part of this.
"Proper coppers" will be gradually reduced ; there will be fewer transfers and retiring/leaving coppers will be replaced by PSCOs/HATOs simply because they are cheaper.
It wouldn't surprise me if the beat officers disappeared more or less completely, and there ended up with nothing other than PSCOs, HATOs, a few people to manage them, and special units for the crime-du-jour.
In other public sector fields I know of (Education and Medicine) this is already happening.
In schools, when teachers are absent or on their down time, they are replaced by Cover Supervisors and High Level Teaching Assistants. Most of whom have no qualifications or serious experience ; they are just talked up "Mum's army" people. Like PSCOs, there are some good ones, but a lot aren't.
In hospitals, the EU rules mean doctors can't work the hours they used to, so they are being replaced by Nurse Practitioners, e.g. nurses who've been on a short course (like a week) ; if you knew what I know about nursing training this means they know **** all. This is particularly bad at night (don't get ill at night !). Most of the time, they get away with it. Sometimes, they don't, when it gets complicated. Nurses are being replaced by assistants, (some of whom are nurses who can't get jobs but need the money)
I don't doubt that Policing will get worse.
PSCOs and HATOs will be allowed to on the spot fine, and this will end up being as "fair and honest" as the "Safety" cameras and the Parking wardens (i.e. completely bent). I suspect the introduction of FPN crimes is part of this.
"Proper coppers" will be gradually reduced ; there will be fewer transfers and retiring/leaving coppers will be replaced by PSCOs/HATOs simply because they are cheaper.
It wouldn't surprise me if the beat officers disappeared more or less completely, and there ended up with nothing other than PSCOs, HATOs, a few people to manage them, and special units for the crime-du-jour.
# posted by : 2:23 PM, October 07, 2006
: 2:23 PM, October 07, 2006
Ranter, well done my friend. You have managed to express the thoughts and feelings of most cops there. All us cops are sick to the back teeth of targets, directives, initiatives. We just want to do our job. Protect the public, keep the peace and occasionally solve stuff when given the time to do so.
# posted by : 4:58 PM, October 07, 2006
: 4:58 PM, October 07, 2006
""IT'S ALL ABOUT PRIORITIES"...
Every thing I deal with is someones priority...
But when everything is a priority which priority to I prioritise first..how do I know which priority takes priority over all the other priorities.....
and if everything is a priority have we not devalued priorities to the point where a priority is thus not really a true priority...
Of course the truth is that "priorities" is a buzzword hijacked by politicians and other such "birds of passage" to give the indication that they are doing something about a whole host of problems whilst in reality just talking a good job and progressing their own careers....
Every thing I deal with is someones priority...
But when everything is a priority which priority to I prioritise first..how do I know which priority takes priority over all the other priorities.....
and if everything is a priority have we not devalued priorities to the point where a priority is thus not really a true priority...
Of course the truth is that "priorities" is a buzzword hijacked by politicians and other such "birds of passage" to give the indication that they are doing something about a whole host of problems whilst in reality just talking a good job and progressing their own careers....
# posted by : 7:29 PM, October 07, 2006
: 7:29 PM, October 07, 2006
Priorities ...... we have so many blasted priorities in our Force that we have now got to have Area Aims, ector Targets and a Force Priority Focus to help us understand what is really to be thought of as a priority out of all the presumably - lower level priorities. It has got around to the stage where whatever I actually do can be defined as acting in accordance with a priority - so I just get on with it. As my Tutor Constable said 21 years ago: If somebody does something wrong then tell them off, if somebody does something very wrong then arrest them. Wise words indeed. As for our managers they don't know their arse from their elbow anyway, so just ignore them and crack on with the real job and let them live in their parallel universe with their performance indicators, initiatives and statistical returns to keep them company
Edmund Grindsbrook
Edmund Grindsbrook
# posted by : 8:53 PM, October 07, 2006
: 8:53 PM, October 07, 2006
Well said Ranter. I'm fed up of being the only uniformed presence on the street, even if I am one of those godawful parking warden types. Up until six months ago we used to see Police foot patrols at least occasionally, now we don't even see PCSO foot patrols for weeks on end.
Tough on crime - my a***!
Tough on crime - my a***!
HEY RANTER!!!
what a cool post, so many totally relevant points were brought up there....it's all stuff I (as a cop), agree with, and I scream for that kind of change on a daily basis.
Who gives a toss about targets and crime rates, I don't.
And the lady at the end of the road who always complains about the police not being there when the kids kick their ball off her windows, doesn't give a toss either....she just wants the police to be where she USED to see them, walking a beat, in the estates.
PCSO's are policing on the cheap.
what a cool post, so many totally relevant points were brought up there....it's all stuff I (as a cop), agree with, and I scream for that kind of change on a daily basis.
Who gives a toss about targets and crime rates, I don't.
And the lady at the end of the road who always complains about the police not being there when the kids kick their ball off her windows, doesn't give a toss either....she just wants the police to be where she USED to see them, walking a beat, in the estates.
PCSO's are policing on the cheap.
# posted by : 4:40 PM, October 08, 2006
: 4:40 PM, October 08, 2006
i find that whatever i do is either a priority or part of a policy but it is purely accidental. i work on the theory of keep doing what you are doing if no one says anything then you must be doing it right until i get a good bollocking for doing it wrong. i then ignore the bollocking and carry on becuse the policy/priority has changed by the following week and the focus of the sauron is elswhere looking for another ring to burn!!!!
what i really object to is the making of policy and procedure that takes away your initative with the idea that you can be held to account by someone who was never able to do the job properly in the first place so they got promoted ( i have spoken to some at pc level who tell me they will not be a good sgt/insp but will be able to make a differnece at c/insp!!)
the policy and procedure side is also turning into an idiots guide. so that persons with little or no ability to think for themselves are able to complete a simple task to set guidelines and say to the public " i was only following procedure" or "we have a duty to investigate all crimes reported"
the future is bright..the future is...
what i really object to is the making of policy and procedure that takes away your initative with the idea that you can be held to account by someone who was never able to do the job properly in the first place so they got promoted ( i have spoken to some at pc level who tell me they will not be a good sgt/insp but will be able to make a differnece at c/insp!!)
the policy and procedure side is also turning into an idiots guide. so that persons with little or no ability to think for themselves are able to complete a simple task to set guidelines and say to the public " i was only following procedure" or "we have a duty to investigate all crimes reported"
the future is bright..the future is...
# posted by : 8:27 PM, October 08, 2006
: 8:27 PM, October 08, 2006
Some serious debate 'around' some important 'issues' going on. Did you notice how important our 'Oath of allegiance' became last week? (DPG officer). They've started to slowly get rid of it (SOCA) because it might be a barrier to a more diverse staff???? Maybe not for a while eh?
Looking forward to the 'lack of prison spaces' story as it unfolds...horror stories of CAT A's being placed in open prisons, absconding figures thru roof, people recently sentenced to 3 months being out in 2 weeks (It happens already?), a couple of murders by people who should have been locked up in a high security prison etc. What about Lord Chief Justice Liberal Twat doing a WHOLE day on a community work module to prove alternatives to prison are valid options??? No spare cell spaces in the MET as Ian's Management Board (well Sir John's I suppose) have successfully implemented plans so that frequently there aren't enough spaces for prisoners at certain times of high demand in London , meaning officers travelling miles across London, increasing overtime/fuel and other costs. What it is to be Bramshill trained! About time for the Human Rights Act to be repealed so that all the foreign prisoners can be released early, via their national airline, back to wherever. That would free up a couple of thousand places - and might even save someone's life as well. Keep an eye out too on the local Belgian elections, our politicians should start to think clearly before the UK population start thinking about electing some real alternatives. Our leaders really need to sort their priorites out - get a grip - robust transparance - blah blah. Too much for me - 2 temazepam tonight I think.
Looking forward to the 'lack of prison spaces' story as it unfolds...horror stories of CAT A's being placed in open prisons, absconding figures thru roof, people recently sentenced to 3 months being out in 2 weeks (It happens already?), a couple of murders by people who should have been locked up in a high security prison etc. What about Lord Chief Justice Liberal Twat doing a WHOLE day on a community work module to prove alternatives to prison are valid options??? No spare cell spaces in the MET as Ian's Management Board (well Sir John's I suppose) have successfully implemented plans so that frequently there aren't enough spaces for prisoners at certain times of high demand in London , meaning officers travelling miles across London, increasing overtime/fuel and other costs. What it is to be Bramshill trained! About time for the Human Rights Act to be repealed so that all the foreign prisoners can be released early, via their national airline, back to wherever. That would free up a couple of thousand places - and might even save someone's life as well. Keep an eye out too on the local Belgian elections, our politicians should start to think clearly before the UK population start thinking about electing some real alternatives. Our leaders really need to sort their priorites out - get a grip - robust transparance - blah blah. Too much for me - 2 temazepam tonight I think.
# posted by : 11:47 PM, October 08, 2006
: 11:47 PM, October 08, 2006
Another thing that might help is reopening mental institutions. There seem (to me anyway) to be increasing numbers of people convicted of crimes where there is a high degree of serious mental disorder. I don't mean just those who fake it to get off, I mean the seriously mad ; a consequence of "Care in the Community".
# posted by : 7:14 AM, October 09, 2006
: 7:14 AM, October 09, 2006
i'm not a copper - but maybe i live in a parallel universe to the rest of you folks, but here in basingstoke i have nothing but praise for the coppers here.
5 minutes tops for answering a 999 about a burglarly - turned out that it was just a noisy cat on the garage, so it was a false call i admit, but i was seriously impressed with the response speed. and there was 4 or 5 coppers in my back garden checking the place out, just in case (there HAVE been burglaries in my neighbourhood, so i suspect that there were extra police on standby maybe)
anti-social behaviour from the teenagers? theres a copper or two or three there in about 5 minutes flat. now, it might be different outside of hampshire, but thats just my experience. the police in my area are top notch and doing a great job.
and no, i'm not a nu labour troll. i'm a conservative.
5 minutes tops for answering a 999 about a burglarly - turned out that it was just a noisy cat on the garage, so it was a false call i admit, but i was seriously impressed with the response speed. and there was 4 or 5 coppers in my back garden checking the place out, just in case (there HAVE been burglaries in my neighbourhood, so i suspect that there were extra police on standby maybe)
anti-social behaviour from the teenagers? theres a copper or two or three there in about 5 minutes flat. now, it might be different outside of hampshire, but thats just my experience. the police in my area are top notch and doing a great job.
and no, i'm not a nu labour troll. i'm a conservative.
# posted by : 1:59 AM, October 10, 2006
: 1:59 AM, October 10, 2006
""Another thing that might help is reopening mental institutions"""
Ha ha ha ha ha.....the wheel has been reinvented....
Close down Mental Hospitals - kick the patients out into the community with less supervision...they rape and murder people...lock them up...fill up the prisons...no more prison spaces...open up the mental hospitals...
Ricky G
Ha ha ha ha ha.....the wheel has been reinvented....
Close down Mental Hospitals - kick the patients out into the community with less supervision...they rape and murder people...lock them up...fill up the prisons...no more prison spaces...open up the mental hospitals...
Ricky G
# posted by : 5:19 PM, October 10, 2006
: 5:19 PM, October 10, 2006
Well, can someone here very gently explain to me why the mugger in question here was released on bail, despite being violent and unhinged?
The old boy who sorted the coward out would have been more effective by breaking the muggers wrists -- at least it would have kept the public safe for a little while longer than the justice system managed to do.
From the Telegraph: Ex-soldier, 70, teaches mugger a lesson
By Richard Savill
(Filed: 11/10/2006)
A 70-year-old former soldier with the Household Cavalry was yesterday praised by police after he fought off an attacker and held him down for 10 minutes.
Neville Paddy was hit in the throat but managed to overcome his assailant and detain him with a wrist lock until police arrived.
"This man picked on the wrong guy," said Mr Paddy, who is also a retired prison guard.
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He was walking along a street in Truro, Cornwall, on his way to the British Legion last Friday morning when a man grabbed him by the throat and threatened to kill him.
But Mr Paddy, a former instructor in restraints with the prison service and an anti-riot team leader, unbalanced his attacker and threw him over a motorbike.
"All my past training kicked in and I reacted immediately," said Mr Paddy, from Mount Hawke.
"He was 6ft 2in, a big fellow. When he started shouting that he was going to kill me I realised I had to take this fellow out."
A 34-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of actual bodily harm and released on bail until Oct 24. But Mr Paddy criticised the decision to grant bail.
"You get attacked in the street, go and make your statement and the man is straight out on police bail," he said. "I'm a pensioner and I made a citizen's arrest. Where is the law and order in this country?"
Devon and Cornwall Police said Mr Paddy's actions were "highly commendable".
Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=ONPCME0W3JUCBQFIQMGCFF4AVCBQUIV0?xml=/news/2006/10/11/nmugger11.xml
The old boy who sorted the coward out would have been more effective by breaking the muggers wrists -- at least it would have kept the public safe for a little while longer than the justice system managed to do.
From the Telegraph: Ex-soldier, 70, teaches mugger a lesson
By Richard Savill
(Filed: 11/10/2006)
A 70-year-old former soldier with the Household Cavalry was yesterday praised by police after he fought off an attacker and held him down for 10 minutes.
Neville Paddy was hit in the throat but managed to overcome his assailant and detain him with a wrist lock until police arrived.
"This man picked on the wrong guy," said Mr Paddy, who is also a retired prison guard.
advertisement
He was walking along a street in Truro, Cornwall, on his way to the British Legion last Friday morning when a man grabbed him by the throat and threatened to kill him.
But Mr Paddy, a former instructor in restraints with the prison service and an anti-riot team leader, unbalanced his attacker and threw him over a motorbike.
"All my past training kicked in and I reacted immediately," said Mr Paddy, from Mount Hawke.
"He was 6ft 2in, a big fellow. When he started shouting that he was going to kill me I realised I had to take this fellow out."
A 34-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of actual bodily harm and released on bail until Oct 24. But Mr Paddy criticised the decision to grant bail.
"You get attacked in the street, go and make your statement and the man is straight out on police bail," he said. "I'm a pensioner and I made a citizen's arrest. Where is the law and order in this country?"
Devon and Cornwall Police said Mr Paddy's actions were "highly commendable".
Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=ONPCME0W3JUCBQFIQMGCFF4AVCBQUIV0?xml=/news/2006/10/11/nmugger11.xml
# posted by : 5:23 PM, October 11, 2006
: 5:23 PM, October 11, 2006
I am old enough to remember the time when every village in the area where I lived had there own police house and a resident policeman, Our local copper was there for well over twenty years and they transferred him because he was not making arrests. He used to go round first on a bike then a noddy bike and finally in a van. He knew everybody, if he wasn't in his office you, you went to the bar in the local pub and he would be sat behind the door in the bar with his usual pint. A quick word in his ear and the problem was solved. You wanted a form or something and he would pop it through the door. He might say to one of the locals “ I didn't see your tax disk in the window of you car, has it fallen off”. When you went outside there was the tax disk and it was out of date but you can bet your life it wasn't the following day. He used to come to the school and talk to us kids. He even taught a lot of us to swim in the local gravel pit. If he had to summons you for something he made it seem as if you had personally offended him for doing such a stupid thing. He got transferred because he was not making arrest. The reason he wasn't making arrests was that he was doing his job, he knew everybody in the village and what was going on and and if anything began to happen he nipped it in the bud. He didn't waste police time filling in forms, or wasting the time of courts fining people 80 pounds for dropping lollipop sticks.
I went back for a visit 10 years ago, I hadn't been back there for 20 years. I was walking round the church with the new vicar and back towards the vicarage, when up pulled a police car. Somebody had broken into the church and caused a bit of vandalism, nothing really serious, but it had taken them two hours to answer the call. It seems that there was now only a couple of police cars for the whole area and they had to come from 15 miles away, and they had had a busy day. The copper had a utility belt that would have done Batman proud, pepper spray an American style night stick handcuffs, and I don't know what else a radio in the car that was squawking all the time and another one in his shirt pocket. I asked him with all that modern technology couldn't Scotty have beamed him down. It seems to me as if the police have become enamoured with all this technology and and have retired into there own private bat cave to play with them and have forgotten that it is the public that they serve. The ones at the top seem to have become more and more isolated from the public and when the public complain about lack of feet on the beat instead of doing something about it, spend the money that should have been spent on more coppers in launching a public relations campaign to tell the public how wrong they are. It seems to me that the first rule of the policing now, is not to protect the public but, thou shall not offend anybody especially if they are a member of an Ethnic minority. It seem to me that the police are now not part of the community but have retreated behind a bank of computer screens and spy on us through surveillance cameras and the people sense, and don't trust them anymore.
I went back for a visit 10 years ago, I hadn't been back there for 20 years. I was walking round the church with the new vicar and back towards the vicarage, when up pulled a police car. Somebody had broken into the church and caused a bit of vandalism, nothing really serious, but it had taken them two hours to answer the call. It seems that there was now only a couple of police cars for the whole area and they had to come from 15 miles away, and they had had a busy day. The copper had a utility belt that would have done Batman proud, pepper spray an American style night stick handcuffs, and I don't know what else a radio in the car that was squawking all the time and another one in his shirt pocket. I asked him with all that modern technology couldn't Scotty have beamed him down. It seems to me as if the police have become enamoured with all this technology and and have retired into there own private bat cave to play with them and have forgotten that it is the public that they serve. The ones at the top seem to have become more and more isolated from the public and when the public complain about lack of feet on the beat instead of doing something about it, spend the money that should have been spent on more coppers in launching a public relations campaign to tell the public how wrong they are. It seems to me that the first rule of the policing now, is not to protect the public but, thou shall not offend anybody especially if they are a member of an Ethnic minority. It seem to me that the police are now not part of the community but have retreated behind a bank of computer screens and spy on us through surveillance cameras and the people sense, and don't trust them anymore.
The comments by Yorshire miner struck home regarding Policing as it used to be - prevention rather than detection. However the Police force, sorry, Service has now been included in the curerent madness which is called society. Police officers are subject to the sex equality act, race relations act, religious slagging off act (all good things) but are also subject to the health and Safety Act which means that if a Police officer falls over he (untied) bootlaces and injures himself, or a female detective becomes stressed at having her rather large bosom the subject of comments (the list goes on) they can sue the Police force, sorry, serve, for a shed load of money. This means that the Police Authority has to make sure the officer is conctained within a self-sealing, environmentally friendly, suit with suitable communications and to be placed in a position where they feelings are not hurt (by being teased or fellow officers, rather than being called a slapper, slag or ho by some scumbag, 'cos that's OK).
When I jopined, if you were insulted or teased you very quickly found a suitable answer - now the solution is to phone the number of the local 'hurt feelings' lawyer.
No longer in it.
When I jopined, if you were insulted or teased you very quickly found a suitable answer - now the solution is to phone the number of the local 'hurt feelings' lawyer.
No longer in it.
# posted by : 8:13 PM, October 11, 2006
: 8:13 PM, October 11, 2006
A yes the good old days indeed, and I remember them well.
Sadly those days will never return where people respected and to a certain extent criminals and yobs were frightened of the Police.
Police are no longer judged on the lack of incidents in an area but on their ability to detect a crime by charging a suspect.
I think as little as 5 years ago I spent 3 or 4 times more time on visible patrol than today.
This is because I spend more time investigating crimes, getting TIC's, telephoning victims to let them know I have failed to find the person who broke their plant pots. Filling in crime reports, prosecution files, detained property reports, risk assessments, search forms, intelligence reports, the forms to say I have done the search form, MG3's for every prisoner!
Juvenile forms x 3, District tasking returns, data protection forms. Logging detections to ensure we are credited with them. Reports to justify why I have failed again to hit detection target for the period.
Compensation forms, sickness forms for my fallen colleagues who have gone sick with stress.
There are many many more but I am to pissed off to continue.
I should be out there in the faces of the scroats and the drug pushers, pissing them off and stopping them from peddling their poison. But I am not and wont be anytime soon, not as long as this Political approach to Policing continues.
Sadly those days will never return where people respected and to a certain extent criminals and yobs were frightened of the Police.
Police are no longer judged on the lack of incidents in an area but on their ability to detect a crime by charging a suspect.
I think as little as 5 years ago I spent 3 or 4 times more time on visible patrol than today.
This is because I spend more time investigating crimes, getting TIC's, telephoning victims to let them know I have failed to find the person who broke their plant pots. Filling in crime reports, prosecution files, detained property reports, risk assessments, search forms, intelligence reports, the forms to say I have done the search form, MG3's for every prisoner!
Juvenile forms x 3, District tasking returns, data protection forms. Logging detections to ensure we are credited with them. Reports to justify why I have failed again to hit detection target for the period.
Compensation forms, sickness forms for my fallen colleagues who have gone sick with stress.
There are many many more but I am to pissed off to continue.
I should be out there in the faces of the scroats and the drug pushers, pissing them off and stopping them from peddling their poison. But I am not and wont be anytime soon, not as long as this Political approach to Policing continues.
Just an idea. No pay rise, no Police cells for prisoners.......OK, back to the real world. It would be a nice statement from our "superiors" but I fear that they don't realy give a monkeys about our pay rise. Thay have certainly been less than vocal about it in our force. Of course sitting around for 12 hours looking after no prisoners on double time wasn't exactly " a tough day at the office" last time, so maybe I should just shut up and take the money!! Incidentaly, every blog I have read is echoed in every parade room I have sat for the past 3 years. We were right then, I hope we are not now......suspect we are though.
Firstly, I would like to say what a great ( and brave ) idea I think it is, to blog these thoughts..( NO THREATS OF oFFICIAL SECRETS ACT YET ?
I 'retired' from the firm about 10 years ago . and see nothing whatsoever has changed !!.. well maybe the introduction of DNA and the internet !!
Same story though, bosses, chasing recognition through Knighthoods or other similar self- gratification..
underlings , struggling to peer through the fog of self seeking behaviour, of each rank above them. Each feathering their own nest to the exclusion of all others.... amazing.. exactly the same.
After 10 years out, I can honestly say I miss virtually nothing about the job, occasionally, an additional rush of legitimate adrenalin, would be nice, but there are many other avenues for this.
PC Copperfield, you have found a way out ! Well done, I am sure that this venture will finance your escape.. its clear that is what you need to do because the system will never change so unfortunately, you , as I did , must.
My advise to anyone still suffering the frustrations of living each day in pursuit of the pension is simply forget it !! We are here once .. when pension day comes, you will have very few days left to enjoy it .. its a big lonely world if all you know is 'POLICE'
retired ?... I dont think so !!
I 'retired' from the firm about 10 years ago . and see nothing whatsoever has changed !!.. well maybe the introduction of DNA and the internet !!
Same story though, bosses, chasing recognition through Knighthoods or other similar self- gratification..
underlings , struggling to peer through the fog of self seeking behaviour, of each rank above them. Each feathering their own nest to the exclusion of all others.... amazing.. exactly the same.
After 10 years out, I can honestly say I miss virtually nothing about the job, occasionally, an additional rush of legitimate adrenalin, would be nice, but there are many other avenues for this.
PC Copperfield, you have found a way out ! Well done, I am sure that this venture will finance your escape.. its clear that is what you need to do because the system will never change so unfortunately, you , as I did , must.
My advise to anyone still suffering the frustrations of living each day in pursuit of the pension is simply forget it !! We are here once .. when pension day comes, you will have very few days left to enjoy it .. its a big lonely world if all you know is 'POLICE'
retired ?... I dont think so !!
Private Patrol companies = Protection racket. If they start taking over the patrol of estates then I can see me spending most of my time locking them up for assault when they bango a pissed youth for calling them a chocolate cop or locking them up for threats to cause criminal damage when the old fella at no.9 refuses to pay thier patrol fee.
I've actualy been to a job when a private security firm was leafleting a street. I saw that the boss overseeing the operation was the local plastic gangster and drug dealer. Public Reasurance?.
As for PCSO's is it just me or do we seem to be paying people to phone the police?. I regularly have to go to jobs where the local shite (who all know the PCSO's dont have any real powers) have been winding them up. As for policeing on the cheap I beleive its a false economy. A PCSO in my area gets about £18K a year but cant go out single crewed as its too dangerous due to health a saftey guidelines. So they put two (sometimes three!!) out together thats £36K a year for walking the streets and moving kids on. A Cop (average about £28K a year) on his/her own can do that and a multitude more single crewed. Absolute fucking maddness.
I've actualy been to a job when a private security firm was leafleting a street. I saw that the boss overseeing the operation was the local plastic gangster and drug dealer. Public Reasurance?.
As for PCSO's is it just me or do we seem to be paying people to phone the police?. I regularly have to go to jobs where the local shite (who all know the PCSO's dont have any real powers) have been winding them up. As for policeing on the cheap I beleive its a false economy. A PCSO in my area gets about £18K a year but cant go out single crewed as its too dangerous due to health a saftey guidelines. So they put two (sometimes three!!) out together thats £36K a year for walking the streets and moving kids on. A Cop (average about £28K a year) on his/her own can do that and a multitude more single crewed. Absolute fucking maddness.
I retired three years ago and have tried to forget the awful time I had in my last six years in the force. Political correctness, minority group favouritism, beaurocracy and red tape, clueless senior ranks, laughable justice system, policing by speed camera, misleading statistics etc etc. In the early days of my service, I used to say that the best thng I ever did was to join the police. Now I say, the best thing I ever did was to leave it. I got my life back - and my sanity. I used to think it just me who had become cynical and disillusioned - until I started reading these blogs. Don't get me wrong, I loved being a police officer. It was initially rewarding and exciting. I got a great deal of satisfaction from helping people and putting the baddies away. Then suddenly, everything changed and it all started going downhill. And it's still going downhill - at a rapid pace. Whether the police service (or the country) will ever recover, is debateable. Keep up the blogs, they're great therapy !
# posted by : 10:43 AM, October 17, 2006
: 10:43 AM, October 17, 2006
Yesterday a 15 year old kid was jailed for 'life' for murdering an 11 year old boy. He hit him with a frying pan and stabbed him repeatedly in the head before dumping his body in a wheelie bin and hiding it in some bushes.
The judge said he'll be eligable for parole in 12 years!
I thought 'life' was 4 years in this candy floss land of Blairisms?
The judge said he'll be eligable for parole in 12 years!
I thought 'life' was 4 years in this candy floss land of Blairisms?
# posted by : 12:06 PM, October 17, 2006
: 12:06 PM, October 17, 2006
I'm really looking forward to my retirement in 22 months time,(not that I'm counting the days off!).
What the hell is going on with this country? Succesive governments have carved up the Police requiring them to set up departments for this and departments for that, taking police off the streets to do it thereby leaving fewer and fewer frontline cops, and whenever they set up these departments the cops don't do any locking up they're just there to advise the minority on the streets who still have the pleasure of arresting those particular offenders!
The remainder - the "Emaciated blue line" because its a lot thinner now, are left with piles of crime to investigate even though the Government and ACPO keep ramming the fact that crime is falling rapidly down our throats,plus all the other crap that lands in your respective laps!. We used to get some compensation in the form of a decent pay rise each year but that has deteriorated over the last 10 years to the measly 3% offer each year. Meanwhile we still have to bow to and carry out the different
ideas like performance indicators and all the other policies that are offloaded on us by senior officers and the like.
Now they are baulking at this years 3% rise! then they announce that once again we will have to bail them out and look after convicts and remands because they havent
got enough room in prisons.
Great news for some of the overtime bandits I know but where would they, (The Home Office), be if we refused to work the overtime?
Not that it will ever happen because we are dedicated to the job, arent we? Everytime the shit hits the fan be it miners strikes, lorry drivers strikes,ambulance drivers strikes, printing workers strikes,local authority gritters strikes etc., etc., we get it to deal with on top of everything else we have to deal with.
The words camel, straw and back spring to mind.
Good luck with the book Mr C. I am really looking forward to my retirement!
What the hell is going on with this country? Succesive governments have carved up the Police requiring them to set up departments for this and departments for that, taking police off the streets to do it thereby leaving fewer and fewer frontline cops, and whenever they set up these departments the cops don't do any locking up they're just there to advise the minority on the streets who still have the pleasure of arresting those particular offenders!
The remainder - the "Emaciated blue line" because its a lot thinner now, are left with piles of crime to investigate even though the Government and ACPO keep ramming the fact that crime is falling rapidly down our throats,plus all the other crap that lands in your respective laps!. We used to get some compensation in the form of a decent pay rise each year but that has deteriorated over the last 10 years to the measly 3% offer each year. Meanwhile we still have to bow to and carry out the different
ideas like performance indicators and all the other policies that are offloaded on us by senior officers and the like.
Now they are baulking at this years 3% rise! then they announce that once again we will have to bail them out and look after convicts and remands because they havent
got enough room in prisons.
Great news for some of the overtime bandits I know but where would they, (The Home Office), be if we refused to work the overtime?
Not that it will ever happen because we are dedicated to the job, arent we? Everytime the shit hits the fan be it miners strikes, lorry drivers strikes,ambulance drivers strikes, printing workers strikes,local authority gritters strikes etc., etc., we get it to deal with on top of everything else we have to deal with.
The words camel, straw and back spring to mind.
Good luck with the book Mr C. I am really looking forward to my retirement!
Reading this blog takes me way back. I joined up in 68 and escaped 8 years later. It was bad enough then with a hierarchy being established from Bramshill with no bloody idea about anything except promotion and investigating every frivolous complaint from criminals against anyone under the rank of Inspector. As a Detective Sergeant doing what I think was a good job (the results certainly proved that), but being surrounded by such a bunch of clowns that we were restricted in all directions. Sat in an office all day designing new forms was about as much as they could do. We had one young Bramshill guy with us on CID for a time that used to put in a fabulous crime report ...on how he didn’t catch anyone for anything. The same guy went through the ranks like a rocket. As a Superitendent he actually caused a major riot purely through incompetence. He was then promoted to Chief Constable of a neighbouring force where he was equally enept. He retired a couple of years ago, having been given the QPM for doing bugger all and as a final insult to all good serving officers, was knighted by the Queen. You cannot have an officer class in the police force as it just doen’t work. We all know they were utterly useless and if you can’t catch criminals, what good are you as a police officer.
# posted by : 12:09 PM, October 18, 2006
: 12:09 PM, October 18, 2006
It's a principle seen everywhere when government supplies a service. You pay once through tax, but if you actually want the service, you have to pay again.
The tax part just gets eaten up in "friction" and nothing makes it through the pipe to the end.
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The tax part just gets eaten up in "friction" and nothing makes it through the pipe to the end.
