What hope is there for the rest of us when the Police can't be arsed?

[onthetrain]

Originally Posted by scubajay

Like Mark, I am frequently seen defending the police on most threads, but in this case, I can only say (and on your word):

Dorset Police have badly let you down, and their failing should be reflected in their efforts to make good. As they are not making good, I can only say they are not doing themselves any favours. Bunch of layabouts!!

Frankly you should know better than to sterotype a force based on one example of poor service. Ask some of your colleagues who have transferred down about the pressures of working here.

On some of our BCU's a single PC can be covering an area of 150 square miles....You won't see much of that in Liverpool street :-)

There is however no excuse for crap service

[Mark Davies]

Originally Posted by MATTBIN

I do hope Mark Davies doesnt find this one.

Too late!

Matt, you'll see me criticising the police as much as I defend them. Where you'll find me fighting the corner is against those rants that are based on little more than prejudice, supposition and rumour and have very little foundation in fact. Some people just don't like the cops and are over-eager to believe every bad word they hear about them - and pass it on with a little more embellishment.

But where criticism is due we just have to take it on the chin. There is much that is wrong with they way we police these days and I've said many times how embarrassed I am to be working in the organisation I am in at the moment. But mostly that is down to idiotic policy imposed on us, rather than failings of individual officers who are generally struggling against all the odds to do their best for you. Again, in those circumstances I'm likely to rise to an individual officer's defence.

However, in this instance there's obviously no excuses. To be honest I wasn't all that surprised that there wasn't an immediate attendance by an officer (though there ought to have been) - we're just stretched so thin everywhere and endlessly tied-up doing pointless paperwork - but it's not good enough all the same. The response from the complaint however is increadibly disappointing. Not exactly decent service recovery.

I hope the letter does its job and the officer who clearly didn't turn up when he should have done is found out - and the inspector who appears to be trying to cover-up for him. I'm sure with Alan's help it well get a result.

[Buster Lung]

Here' another one for ya to get your teeth into.

A Dorset Police Officer attends Portland Bill Car Park. A favourite spot for bird watchers, tourists and a landmark most of us divers are familiar with.

There's been a recent spell of boy racers causing mayhem in the area etc.... We've all seen it.

The officer concerned attends with the intention of seizing a vehicle being used in a dangerous manner. Upon explaining to the driver of his intentions he is told to feck off and a crowd of fellow chavs gather. Feeling for his safety the officer quite rightly presses his panic button and requests urgent assistance.

Nobody comes to his aid. There is nobody. There are no officers on duty. He is alone.

The officer then retreats and the boy racers continue with their games safe in the knowledge that they won't be bothered again.

[Buster Lung]

Here's another one.........

In the not too distant past during one evening shift. The entire west of Dorset was covered by five uniformed officers available to deal with incidents.

The first officer was a sergeant and the other four were probationer constables that were not authorised to drive police vehicles.

[Buster Lung]

Originally Posted by onthetrain

If you PM me your full name and the phone number you phoned in from I will check on the command and control system tomorrow and find out who was involved and report it to professional standards myself.

Thank you. But with all due respect the matter is in the hands of the Chief Constable of Dorset Police and Jim Knight Labour MP for West Dorset.

If the Chief fails to do his duty and provide the appropriate Police cover for the County, the Police complaints authority will be my next stop followed by the national press.
Senior Officers and MPs hate it when the press get involved. It might just be the rocket up the arse they need.

[onthetrain]

Originally Posted by Buster Lung

Here's another one.........

In the not too distant past during one evening shift. The entire west of Dorset was covered by five uniformed officers available to deal with incidents.

The first officer was a sergeant and the other four were probationer constables that were not authorised to drive police vehicles.

I'm not having that one. I am responsible for probationer training in Dorset and can assure you that (almost) all officers are authorised to drive police vehicles before they go on patrol. Their driving authorisations are done in week 17 of their training!

There are only two exceptions.

2 officers who don't drive period, ie no driving licence. The Government have decreed that you don't need to be able to drive to be a police officer so we have to take non drivers!!

In this instance your source is talking crap

[Twinsetmad]

Most of the time in Northampton the Police are very busy...manning thier speed camera's....

Northampton..Home of the Vehicle Stealth Tax...but thats another thread.

[Buster Lung]

Originally Posted by onthetrain

In this instance your source is talking crap

Thanks, I'll tell them.

[Dan Wilko]

Originally Posted by Mark Davies

But mostly that is down to idiotic policy imposed on us, rather than failings of individual officers who are generally struggling against all the odds to do their best for you. Again, in those circumstances I'm likely to rise to an individual officer's defence

Yeah, spot on with my views

[Captain Deco]

Originally Posted by onthetrain

Frankly you should know better than to sterotype a force based on one example of poor service. Ask some of your colleagues who have transferred down about the pressures of working here.

On some of our BCU's a single PC can be covering an area of 150 square miles....You won't see much of that in Liverpool street :-)

There is however no excuse for crap service

I am not stereotyping a force based on one example. Dorset Police has let someone down. You are bound to get defensive as it's your force, and to be honest, the layabout has let YOU down as well, as you have to defend Dorset police's good reputation now.

And on another note: 1 pc covering 150 sq miles? wow. On one shift last week I was the only response driver covering a patch that extends (in my force's equivalent of BCU) all the way to Peterborough on nights (Harlow on days and out to Slough etc heading west. This massive area was covered by me, my partner and one other. In that shift we attended a one under, 2 calls for kids on the tracks in areas far apart, umpteen fights and assisted the met with a couple of calls as well. We all have it bad etc, as we have all stated ad nauseam on this board, but lazy arses (and god knows the BTP is chock full of them) make us all look bad. One bad apple etc.