Hunter

Yet another mental mutant vomiting forth the usual bile. Pity this cretin doesn't have the wits for a proper debate as I, among others, don't believe it fair to challenge an unarmed opponent.

angelman

I think that the "pretty minor stuff" is vital for the police to get right. If they appear to be taking some sort of interest in crimes, which may be petty in the grand scheme but important to the individual, and even solving them, then their PR will be greatly enhanced. As it is, I think that most people form their opinion of the police when they get stopped speeding in their cars (maybe that is a little flippant but I do think that there is some truth in that).

From my experiences, I have had cause to deal with the police on 4 or 5 occasions over the past several years.

One was when the company was part of a fraud for several thousand pounds. They took details and were very disinterested. They didn't even have the courtesy to tell me that the person had been caught - found that off someone else who was affected.

Then there was someone trying to pass off stolen goods through us. It ended up (after a bad attitude from the detective) with a line-up. Both me and my business partner chose the same person, which was the "wrong" one, and this detective basically thanked us for wasting his time and he couldn't put this £50k+ theft to bed.

Then I had a burglary in the office where about £20k worth of goods was nicked. Took details and a year and a bit later that is all that I have ever heard. I don't expect to hear any more.

To me the police seem to go through the motions and tell you to claim on your insurance. To a certain extent I can see where they are coming from as the crimes do not involve physical injury, but that doesn't help me.

Little Englander (sour)

My opinion of police has been formed by much more than being stopped for speeding (that job has now been mechanised through unthinking speed cameras).
My opinion has been formed by the content of post 17 and:

When coppers have been caught speeding on camera - no one can find out who drew the keys for that particular vehicle (63 "known" cases where this has happened).

Young lads charging around in suped up cars are "joy riders", young policemen doing ditto are "on a mission".

A friend of mine was 1 hour late when vacating his house which he had sold to a police sergeant, the sergeant had alcohol on his breath and got a bit shirty, the upshot, my friend got stopped 3 times in a 10 mile drive to his new house because he was driving "erratically".

I would not trust a copper further than I could throw one.

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Little Englander (bigoted)

g hall

Like most of life there are good and bad unfortunately the way that the police have become politicised since "Thatch" and the miners strike and add on the target system and the people that are recruited it is inevitable that what Joe public perceives as a worsening service is indeed happening.

My biggest complaint is very simple like many "customer facing" roles many are clueless about how to speak to people and their superiors are even worse

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