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Hi guys and gals!
I stumbled across this forum purely by chance, and thought I would post my experiences with the police.

When I was a kid, I grew up in an average home, mum dad, brother and sister, I was happy and well behaved.

I got to 18, and fell in with the 'wrong crowd' as you say.

I bought a car, even though I had no licence, and hid it from my mum and dad, using the money from my student grant and part time job to pay the petrol.
Obviously I began being stopped by the police and getting tickets (I'm 33 now) which I binned and forgot about about.

Eventually I was given a court date for non payment of fines, and like the idiot I was, I didn't turn up.
A few days later, there was a knock on the door, a police officer had came to take me to court.

My parents were mortified.
I was chucked out to fend for myself.

Bad went to worse, and I eventually stole my employers cars.


In the space of 2 years (I was now 20) I had gone from a perfectly behaved lad, to a complete tosser, and been arrested half a dozen times.

Im rather ashamed to admit the local beat officer and I were on first name terms for all the wrong reasons.

It was this officer that arrested me each time.

Eventually I ended up serving 3 months in prison for stealing my then employers car.

I was 21 by that time, and spent 3 months of my life in prison, disgusted with myself.

I had not seen any of my family for some 12 month by the time I was released from prison.

On the day of my release I was met by my mother, and taken home.

I promised her, on that day, that I would spend the rest of my life making up for my disgusting behaviour, and I'm pleased to say I still am.

I have my own home, my own car, and a full time job, and I haven't broken the law since.



A few weeks after my release from prison, I was having a beer in the local pub on a Sunday evening, and by chance I was nudged mistakenly by a guy at the bar.
It turned out this guy was the Officer that had arrested me before hand.

Any way he looked at me and walked to the other side of the bar.
I said to the barman, give that guy over there a pint and tell him I said no hard feelings.

I have seen him a few times in the street since then, and he always says hi.


He was always firm with me, but always fair.

Yes, he would give me a lecture, but it reminded me of my father if I'm honest.

I will always remember him saying to me I was ruining my life, but he then said stuff your life, how about your family, how do you think they feel?

And that stuck with me.

I know I'm rambling, but the point I'm trying to make, is that in my experiance, I was always treated fairly by the police, no matter how big a tit I had been, and that really has earned my respect.




The police get a lot of bad press, which I really do think is unfair.

There are so many rules and regs in place, their hands are tied as to what then can effectively do.

I know that a few hard words from the Officer that arrested me really did go along way, and he most definately was a big reason for me sorting my life out, I'm not sure he knows it though!


So yea, I was a scum bag, and I had dealings with the police for the wrong reasons, but it really did have a positive outcome.

Please don't think I'm posting this for a pat on the back, because all I have done is put my thoughts down for any and all to read!


There's a lot to be said for a good hard reality check, its just such a shame the police cant actually give a shake to some of the kids you see around now, Im sure it would do much more than the softly softly that seems to be all the more common.

How do you tell the difference between a British Police Officer, an Australian Police Officer and an American Police Officer?

 

QUESTION:

 

You're on duty by yourself walking on a deserted street late at night. Suddenly, an armed man with a huge knife comes around the corner, locks eyes with you, screams obscenities, raises the knife, and lunges at you.

 

You are carrying a Glock 40 and you are an expert shot, however you have only a split second to react before he reaches you. What do you do?

 

ANSWER:

 

BRITISH POLICE OFFICER:

 

Firstly the officer must consider the man's Human Rights. Then ask yourself...

 

1) Does the man look poor or oppressed?
2) Is he newly arrived in this country and does not yet understand the law?
3) Is this really a knife or a ceremonial dagger?
4) Have I ever done anything to him that would inspire him to attack?
5) Am I dressed provocatively?
6) Could I run away?
7) Could I possibly swing my gun like a club and knock the knife out of his hand?
8) Should I try and negotiate with him to discuss his wrong doings?
9) Does the Glock have appropriate safety built into it?
10) Why am I carrying a loaded gun anyway, and what kind of message does this send to society?
11) Does he definitely want to kill me, or would he be content just to wound me?
12) If I were to grab his knees and hold on, would he still want to stab and kill me?
13) If I raise my gun and he turns and runs away, do I get blamed if he falls over, knocks his head and kills himself? .
14) If I shoot and wound him, and lose the subsequent court case, does he have the opportunity to sue me, cost me my job, my credibility and the loss of my family home?

 

AUSTRALIAN POLICE OFFICER:
 

BANG!

 

AMERICAN POLICE OFFICER:
 

BANG! BANG! BANG!
BANG! BANG! BANG!
BANG! BANG! BANG!
BANG! BANG! BANG!
'click'...Reload...
BANG! BANG! BANG!
BANG! BANG! BANG!
BANG! BANG! BANG!
BANG! BANG! BANG!
( Sergeant arrives at scene later and remarks: 'Nice grouping!' )

I read this paragraph today, it was said after David Rathband, but has meaning today:


Friends would often ask me, on hearing of a Police Officer’s death, ” did you know that officer?”
I would say…. ” What? You mean that girl who joined the Police Service because she wanted to help people, fight crime and make a difference to people’s lives. The officer who would walk the streets in the rain checking shop doorways while you were asleep in a warm bed, who would attend traffic accidents
and try to ignore the horrors that she saw whilst being professional, the girl who would then have to go round to a home and tell the occupiers that their loved one had died in that wreck. That officer who would arrest some violent criminal, get injured in the process, spend hours on paperwork, be late home for dinner on more than one occasion only to see months later, that violent criminal walk free.



That officer who stood behind a riot shield against an angry mob, in fear for her life but standing firm, protecting the people she chose to serve. That officer who missed many important family events because she was working ungodly hours patrolling the streets keeping them as safe as she could so that you and your family did not have to live in fear. That officer who would regularly be spat and called a pig, a thug, and a racist, but was in fact just like you, an ordinary girl but doing an extraordinary job in extremely difficult times…… Did i know that Police Officer who died?

I never met her before in my life……..
But YES, I knew her, she was my colleague, my family, and I knew her very well…….

RIP PC Fiona Bone & PC Nicola Hughes

Just out of curiousity I scrolled to the middle of the above list and googled a random death to find out the circumstances i chose this one:

Terrelle Leray Houston, 22, Hempstead, Texas

He was resisting arrest, high on PCP in a state of excited delirium and after the first shock he got back up, the second shot he got back up and then tried to remove the barbs so was shocked again. The taser was listed as a contributing factor in his death but the officer cleared of any wrongdoing. The males heart was enlarged due to drug abuse and it was stated "it was a ticking timebomb". I wonder how many of these deaths would have been avoided if the person wasn't on drugs and wasn't resisting arrest or being violent towards police.

http://www.chron.com...ide-1701952.php

A second one: Jonathan Michael Nelson, 27, Riverside County, California

His autopsy attributed his death to "acute methamphetamine toxicity" as the primary cause of death but also cites a "prolonged confrontation with law enforcement," heart disease and obesity as significant conditions. He was tasered after being violent towards officers whilst in prison.

Your list is impactive as it is very long, but I picked 2 random examples and found they aren't as simple as this person died due to taser, there are other factors involved. I would bet that most of them are the same.

In the nicest possible way, how many times are you going to ask the same question?  You're a graduate, right?  You've already posed the same question, albeit from a slightly different perspective, once in the MPS Grad Scheme, help! thread you started. 

 

You do realise if you do join the Police you will have to make quick, split second decisions in the most challenging of circumstances - yet you can't seem to make a relatively straight forward decision here as to whether you want to be a Police Officer or not.  Is it really that difficult a choice to make?  How will you cope making instantaneous decisions in life or death situations, where you have to dynamically assess all your options and react accordingly?  There and then.  On the spot.

 

I'm sorry, this may seem harsh, but it's either something you want to do or it's not.  Policing isn't just a job.  It's a calling.  That may sound corny but the reality is, you will be serving the public and making a lot of personal sacrifices if you join this job.  It's something you have to want to do and for the right reasons.  Already, before you've even started, you seem to be looking down upon 24/7 response as if that might be below you. 

 

Let me tell you, from your very narrow and limited perspective of things, that 24/7 response is the single most important role in the Police.  Everything follows on from there.  It will be you, for instance (and not those specialists in CID), who will be the first on scene at a murder  - and everything you do in that golden hour will have a huge bearing on the outcome of the case in the weeks and months to come. 

 

I get the impression this isn't about what you can give to the Police, rather what you can get from the Police.  Sadly, we have recruited far too many with that outlook over the years and it certainly hasn't been for the better.

 

In short, you either want to be a Copper or don't.  And to be a good Copper, you first have to have that desire to be at the sharp end.  Working shifts.  Dealing with the confrontation.  Coping with any eventuality.  Helping those who need our help. Locking up the bad guys. Getting your hands dirty as such. 24/7.  365 days a year.  That's Policing.  And if that doesn't appeal to you first and foremost then you really do need to question what your motives are and whether the Police is the job for you. 

 

I've already decided, and I might be wrong, but judging by your posts thus far, it isn't...  Otherwise, you wouldn't have to ask...

I'm starting to get a bit bored with this now.  Ok.  It's not something I would contemplate.  Nor do I agree with her actions.  But what isn't clear is her version of events.  All we have here is the garage owner's take on this - and rather than going through the proper and correct process of contesting this in court, he has mounted his defence via the national media and created an almighty fuss in the process.  A fuss, I might add, which is in real danger of getting blown out of all proportion.  I guess only he can account for his motives for doing so - and if consequently, due to all the pressure from politicians, senior officers and the media, she drops the case then he has in effect won without having to dispute the matter in court. 

 

What isn't clear here is whether this is a civil action she has taken personally or via the Federation.  In the case of the latter, the Federation will normally only fund such actions where there is a more than 50% chance of success. 

 

We all accept that Policing is a dangerous profession.  But what I'm becoming increasingly uncomfortable with here is this notion that the inherent dangers we face should some how preclude all of us from seeking some form of redress when we are injured or hurt unnecessarily through the neglect as others in respect of their obligations under the Health and Safety Act.  As would apply to any other member of the public.  Especially at a time when Winsor proposes disposing of Officers who are injured on duty and can no longer perform the full duties of a Police Officer. 

 

Let's be clear here: this Officer wasn't attempting to restrain someone.  She wasn't claiming a wall in pursuit of a criminal or confronting a violent offender.  The sorts of dangers we all accept.  She was at the scene of a burglary on a commercial premises and tripped and fell in an area, which was presumably unlit and should have had some form of lighting.  Clearly the owner disputes that fact - but the flip-side to this is, he still has certain legal obligations regarding the upkeep of his premises and safety of his staff and patrons, which he is not automatically absolved of simply because the injured party is a Police Officer.

 

That he seems to think otherwise is surely a matter for the relevant court.  Not Sky News or The Daily Mail. 

Guys and girls,

 

I know you are all feeling a bit ***** at themoment, and theres no doubt that this is probably one of the worst periods of transitions anyone has ever suffered for the job, in any area.

 

Just try and bear in mind we all fought tooth and nail to get into this position, to get into the job. Yeah it sucks at the moment. Probably just as much as it did when PACE first came in. But these things come in circles, stick with it.

 

At the end of the day we have careers, we have money for now and there is NOTHING out there. You might not enjoy the job but it gives you security.

 

One of the things that keeps me going is the people I work with, we all enjoy a bitch and a moan, but one of the best things we have is the people we work with. You will never have the cameraderie we have in this job anywhere else, because there is nothing like it out there.

 

Before you jump ship have a good hard think about whats a stake, and the small things you might lose.

 

Bullseye.

Passed final today! Most nervous I think i've ever been, so glad i'm in :)

I passed!! longest hour of my life but YAY!
Conditional for the 22nd of August :)

phew.

I take it you are not equally concerned about the safety of Police Officers, who above all else have the right to go home safe and well to their families after their shift has ended.  Or would you prefer one be stabbed than Taser be used because of some perceived risk to the knife wielding assailant?  Because that's the bottom line.  If someone is in fact Tasered, then they pose a threat to others.  Not always the Police - but themselves or innocent members of the public as well.  Shouldn't we be asking instead then how many lives has Taser saved?  Of course that is something we would never really know for sure.  And let's be honest, it doesn't have quite the same impact does it?..

Of course we do not know for a start how many of those deaths listed can be directly attributed to Taser.  I'd say very few in fact.  I imagine in most cases, there is a tenuous link and the actual cause of death was an unrelated, underlying issue.  But I guess you will consider all the deaths in a manner, which seems to reinforce your view.  That is a matter for yourself of course.

I might add though that Taser is not seen as a way forward due to budget cuts.  In my force, the roll out of Taser has been curtailed greatly... due to budget cuts, funnily enough.  But that aside, the general implementation of Taser started long before this government came to power and Police numbers started to decline - and for good reason.  It is a less lethal form of force - and it provides Officers with greater personal protection, not against innocent non-violent people, but rather drunk or drugged violent individuals who are intent on causing the Officer or someone else serious harm.  Or are you arguing Police Officers are expendable and not entitled to such protection in our ever increasingly violent society?

I'm afraid yours is the attitude, which seems to prevail in our society - that the rights of those who are dangerous and pose a threat is in fact more paramount than those basic rights of those we entrust to confront the bad guys or the innocent people, who are inevitably caught up and become victims of their appalling behaviour.

In short, if you behave, don't carry a weapon or become violent and aggressive after a few beers or a line of Coke then you're highly unlikely to find yourself on the receiving end of a Taser.

You might be surprised to learn that the Police in general receive fewer complaints from those who have been tasered than those who have been, for instance, struck with a baton.  The effects of Taser are in general short lived - whereas a baton strike is likely to leave you with a decent bruise and some lasting pain and discomfort for sometime afterwards.

Off the top of my head I can think of one Police Officer, who was killed who might well still be here today had he had immediate access to a Taser.  And I can think of two of my own colleagues, who likewise would not have been badly injured in the course of their duty if they had had Taser.

When all is said and done, it's a good bit of kit and all front-line Officers should be equipped with it.  Conversely to your point, the uncomfortable truth is that this excellent piece of equipment is not more readily available to those of us at the sharp-end and that we are not been afforded the protection we deserve. In the many times I've seen it used now, the red laser dot landing on the offender is normally enough for them to give-in in the vast majority of cases - and no-one gets hurt in the slightest.

But I guess it's easy to adopt apparent concerns about the safety of Taser when you don't have to worry about your own safety in dealing with the dangerous and violent elements of our society.  After all, if the Police can't deal with them - who you going to call?

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[*]what do you do on a usual shift?
[*]what sort of interaction do you have with other specials, regular officers, other police staff?
[*]how does it differ from a what a regular PO would do?
[*]how do you cope with the differing opinions of whether or not you are actually valuable to the police force u work for (i have noticed that a lot of regulars have some VERY different views on specials)

I started as a special on the neighbourhood team, who didnt really want me and saw me as an inconvenience.  So after being left in the office most weeks I was offered the chance to move to 24/7 and it all went from there.  I loved it!  To begin with I worked most friday backshifts - 5pm-3am.  I then was sort of adopted by one particular shift and became their special, falling in with their shifts at weekends and during school holidays - i was a teacher before i started as a PC in Feb this year.  I would go in, be chief tea girl anf then parade on, before being paired with a cop.  We attended whatever jobs came in and at jobs I tended to fall into the role of 'detail taker' as i felt I couldnt get that wrong!  In time I showed enough commitment for the cops to help me get thru my PDR and their help and teaching got me signed out as an independent special.  I was then able to go off on foot and wander round on day shift; stopping sector targets, collecting CCTV from the bars, going to reports of ASB etc.  I used to mainly be double crewed as tended to work nights or lates.  Mainly I took the back step at jobs and provided back watching or assistance, as they only jobs I ever really knew more about where ones involving children - I was responsible for child protection in my role as a teacher.

I only ever had good interaction with all other people who worked for the police, once I'd left the NBM team.  It takes all kinds of people to mak the world go round, and that's the same withe the police!  There will always be miserable sods, people unwilling to help you, people who are arrogant!  The one thing I learned was to just suck it up and get on with it, and gain the reputation as being a worker and a do-er not a moaner and a not-do-er!  I took all constants on, scenes on etc as in my mind I was not trained as cops were, couldnt drive, couldnt take statements or be interviewed so might as well do the jobs I didnt have to be 'qualified' for.  The only thing that got on my nerves a bit was lots of cops saying 'god you must be mad to be working for free' - it's difficult to reply to it, but i was doing it, and did do it for 2yrs, to make sure it was the job i wanted to do full time.  I turned out to be the right thing to do, and i must have being doing something right, as my sector decided they would pay for me to go and have a basic driving course.  didn't get it, as it was scheduled for the day i started at training school as a probationer.

It differs massively from work a PC does - you havent half the training the cops have, and it becomes your responsibility to learn skils, ask for help and show your face on a very regular basis.  training and updates are scant and you are last on the list of priorities for being given new training or even any training and you have to just accept that.  Be proud that you do work for free and you do get trusted to wear the kit, speak to the public and work with other cops but accept you dont know the half of it, and probably never will.  Know your limitations and work to get over them, and the cops will have no worries about working with you.  And if all else fails - make the teas and take a few biscuits in!

Moxnil!.

In terms of posts being hidden, moved, merged, altered etc this is as per the moderators discretion, always has been and always will and is in the forum rules that you all signed up to when you joined this forum.
 
In terms of justification regarding the actions of other members and the moderation team justifying decisions, they only have to do that to BR or I and I would not expect any of the moderation team to have to justify their decisions to anyone else.

OK so I might upset a few people but the above is basically it.

Yes a forum is only as good as its members but it is also only as good as its staff.

I moderate on other forums and have been accused of many things....treating people like children, being power crazed, an idiot etc. etc. and those are just the clean ones!

What people don't see is what goes on behind the scenes. Every forum has a staff area and believe me there is plenty of discussion that goes on there. Was this right? Should we do this? Should we allow this? What are the members saying? Are they all saying that?

Simple fact of the matter is that as soon as you try to take moderation into your own hands then you will either get moderated yourself or the forum will descend into chaos.

Yes sometimes things don't move as quick as you like, particularly with professional trolls, but the staff have to take action on balance. If they stamp on someone too quickly then that can be off putting to new members who happen to have a differing view. Where you get a troll that has an axe to grind, this perhaps being particularly true of a Police forum, then apparent harsh action will only mean that their warped view will be, in their minds, validated?

They have to be given enough time, to use an old phrase, to get enough rope to hang themselves. Yes I know that can be frustrating but things have to be balanced between someone having an opinion and someone being a knob! And to be perfectly honest, members lowering themselves below their perfectly reasoned argument to any kind of personal comment does not really help.

I think the big problem today with this sort of crime view is that so many people are frightened because they themselves feel insecure with there own thoughts and dealings with children in life. I also think some members of the public and Police workers get confused about the situation too, in fact I don't think I know they do.

I have worked within NACR along side all types of people good & bad, and yes I know that if you befriend them paedophile's etc they can and indeed do go onto a good future life.

Most people classed as paedophiles are simply not, they just made one mistake in there life and unlike 1000's more they got caught, what people do not understand is that for every 1 that do get caught the UK have 500 others that never will get caught.

What is a paedophile? because if it's a person who touches a child that has no clothing on, then millions of mothers & fathers every day are paedophiles right? then again if a person is a paedophile who see's a nude child i a photograph then millions of parents are doing the same on beaches all over the world, does is make you feel more relaxed just because the child your seeing is your own?.

I really do feel that as a Christian & from a Christian family I forgive all human people for one, yes one bad mistake in say 70 years of life, and once these people serve sentence then they must be allowed to get on with life, if not then the Police are as bad as they are by not being a true christian and learning to forgive.

I would not have been allowed to serve with NACRO if I could not forgive, and treat these men & women as human beings who deserve to be guided to better life ahead of them.

I hope I have not upset anyone by my post?

A paedophile, correct me if I'm wrong, is someone who has an unhealthy sexual interest in children.  Not a parent, who sees their child naked.  Or someone who touches a child for whatever reason with no clothes on where there is no sexual gratification. 

 

How do you quantify your comment that most paedophiles aren't paedophiles - but have just made a one-off mistake?  I'd be interested to know what amounts to a one-off mistake?  Because, whilst you might feel such people are human and that we should forgive, what about the victim at the core of that one off mistake, who is robbed of their innocent as a child? 

 

I'm sorry but you simply cannot justify such abhorrent behaviour. These people destroy lives and gain gratification from the abuse of children - and whether that be indecent images or actual sexual activity with a child, it involves wholly sickening abuse of children by them or others for their satisfaction. 

 

I'm less forgiving, I'm afraid.  I'd castrate the lot of 'em - and would sleep perfectly well at night.  Whilst I am a christian, strictly speaking I was christened, I am not religious in the slightest.  If that makes me bad, then so be it, I'll live with that.  Regardless, I'm not the forgiving type.  Some things are simply unforgivable. 

 

I have often dealt with paedophiles.  I've arrested several in my time.  I am always professional in my dealings with them and treat them so.  But that doesn't mean I have any sympathy for them whatsoever.

 

Could I befriend one?  I'd rather stick my head into a concrete mixer. 

A policeman in the big city stops a man in a car with a huge rabbit in the front seat. "What are you doing with that rabbit?" He exclaimed, "You should take it to the zoo." The following week, the same policeman sees the same man with the rabbit again in the front seat, with both of them wearing sunglasses. The policeman pulls him over. "I thought you were going to take that rabbit to the zoo!" The man replied, "I did. We had such a good time we are going to the beach this weekend!"

Someone needs a hug...

 

He's missing Moxnil.

At the end of the day it ends up with the simple fact that PCSOs provide a useful role in today's police force. It helps the police remain engaged with the community and plays big part in the reassurance side of police. They are not and should not be considered as Police Officers. They do not do the same job and should be criticised for not being able to do the same thing. In the same way a DEO (Detention/Escort Officer)/ COA (Custody Officer's Assistant) is not a police officer. They have a specific role which helps the police force work. If there were no PCSO's the force would not function as well but would still carry on.

I'm not sure about that.  I'm not sure we'd really notice the difference.  I well remember when we had Community Constables - and they single handedly did the community engagement bit for their area.  They knew everyone and everyone knew them.  They were aware of all the low-level problems within their locality and were often quite effective at dealing with those problems.  Now we have an entire workforce of non-warranted Officers to fulfill that role.  I'm afraid PCSOs are but a product of the excesses of a New Labour government, whose public spending knew no bounds. Those who don't draw a correlation between the size of cuts to the Police budgets and the money wasted on extending the size of the Police in general and more so the so-called Police family are perhaps naive.  The Police is but one example, greater than most, of how Labour bloated the public sector without any regard whatsoever for future cost.  They recruited more Police Officers than ever before and then on top of that, thousands of PCSOs.  But they missed the point entirely.  It's not about numbers.  There are enough Police Officers in this country, it is how we're deployed and burden with with red tape and bureaucracy which prevents us being as effective as we might be.  These are the issues that successive governments have failed to address and in most cases have compounded.  Replacing a Police presence on the streets with an expensive civilian work-force was never the answer but an expensive gimmick introduced by a government, who were completely clueless on Policing - and one I might add that contributed more than any to the disappearance of the Police on the streets through it's centrally set obsession with targets and performance.