Public perception of the Police force ?

Question

1. What do you think are the major issues that affect the Police force today ?

2. Which areas do you think that they should devote more attention/resources to ?

3. Finally, are you confident in your Police force ?

Answer 1

1) Administration and merging of forces, the lack of ability to handle serious crimes effectively, lack of tools and will power to stop the youth problems (gangs, drugs, weapons, behaviour), the concentration on easy targets such as traffic antagonises the general public. Terrorism must use a lot of their resources but probably is not a big a problem as the media makes out so the situation is hyped demanding more action and doing more damage to community and race relations than is necessary.

2) Getting their information correct before acting that is directed towards the shooting of the Brazillian lad but it goes on in smaller activities they persue also. They should devote more time to petty crime, robbery theft of mobile, cars, house breakins etc, but they should also be assisted by a a really good presecution service and judges with the laws to deal with the offenders in a way to make them think twice about offending again.

3) I have an element of confidence in them. They must also realise as upholders of the law they must be beyond reproach themselves, for even the smallest of incidents.

Answer 2

In UK we have policing by consent - that is, the people consent to be policed by serving officers recruited from amongst the community which they serve.

I am generally happy with the Metropolitan Police [London]. However, due to the ongoing terrorist threat, they're overstretched. I would like to see more police on the beat even if they're what we now call the community patrol made up of part-timers.

I think a lot more attention should be devoted to the victims of crime. Being given a letter of support, is not enough. A police officer should be given the task of getting on that case as well as others and tracking down where possible, the perpetrator[s] of said crime.

I am confident that the police are doing everything they possibly can to combat crime. The problem is it takes a long time to get a result. More public participation would help them.

Answer 3

I believe the pubic perception of the police force has been damaged by negative publicity connected to incidents such as the death of the Brazilian man on an underground train and the Stephen Lawrence enquiry. Both these issues appear to have caused a great deal of concern amongst members of the public.

Negative publicity is an important issue however it is important that a police service properly reflects the community that it serves. The recruitment, training and advancement of new officers has to properly consider diversity issues and strive to encourage members of different ethnic groups to participate.

Therefore, recruitment shoud have more resources devoted to it. An inclusive police force will better serve its community.

Training is also very important as officers should be able to do their work properly and this includes treating alleged offenders as innocent until proved guilty - as enshrined in English law. Officers need to be trained to realise that they serve the public and as such are answerable to the public and not to anyone else. It appears that the police service is so insular that it puts itself first and not the public.

I am confident in the police force however, as with any organisation, it is not perfect and needs to reform its recruitment procedures and ideological basis on which it operates. No force is above the law and the police should always be held accountable where they break the law.

Answer 4

1) The major issue is that the courts don't support them enough. - they don't give harsh enough sentances. And they Crown Prosecution Service (Criminal Protection Society) doesn't taken enough of the jobs to court in the first place.

2) They should ditch PCSOs and set up prisoner process units so all an officer needs to do it arrest the offender, take them in, write their arrest statement and prisoner process does the rest of the investigation. That way the officer can get back out there and give the public what they want - a visable presence.

3) I'm very confident with PCs at the front line - I'm not so confident of their leaders who have been away from proper policing for so long they seem to be a bit out of touch.

Answer 5

1) CORRUPTION.
2) Cleaning up their act and weeding out the corrupt and bring back Honesty and Integrity to the force remaining.
3) I have no confidence in the police.
The Police as a force are corrupt, racist, and bigoted, it is a gang of legalised thugs and thieves, running organised crime and drug dealing.
I cannot say this of the whole country, but my experience of the North-West of England. I don't see that the rest of the country's Police could be any different.
There must be some good honest police but I have yet to meet one.
Mr3dphd. your ill informed, blind sweeping statement, that those with a negative reply, will have had problems with the law, (Law abusers) by declaring that I have a clean record, never had criminal intent in my life and no wish to start now, I wonder if you can say the same with honesty.
Ignorance with some, is bliss. this is not directed at any one person but for heavens sake open your eyes and see, don't put your head in the sand when you wittiness and see the things that happen within the ranks of the Police, stand up and be counted.

Answer 6

I would say the growing violence on our streets ,its getting to a point where its all most out of control. The police devote their attention and resources in the right places but have their hands are tied behind their backs by an appalling Justice system, and finally I'm confident in the police but not in the government.

Answer 7

1. There are to many towns that do not have enough officers alone. If it was possible to group the towns funds to have more officers and more sophisticated equipment.
2. Communication and networking among all police nation wide. This would help catching criminals if they were to relocate from one part of the country to the next.
3. On a scale of 1- 10 I would give them a 6 maybe 7. They are vary aggressive in catching kids speeding on the way home from school but when it comes to vandalism or break ins they are more ho hum, they would rather you just call the insurance company and let them fix it.

Answer 8

1. Major issues I believe are problems with cross-border crime such as people trafficking, drugs/gun running. Not having a single force which covers the UK as a whole like the FBI is a real problem. Also problems with court sentencing. How would you like to spend the best part of a year investigating, surveilling and arresting a person only for it to get to court and either be thrown out on a minor procedural technicality or for them to receive a really light sentence in view of all the circumstances.

Furthermore, real problems now appearing with violent disorder especially involving knives and guns. They don't know what they're turning up to. Also, the people who are the quickest to slag the Police off are the first ones to ring up when they're in trouble.

2. Fighting major and international/national crimes and leave the smaller, more petty offences to PCSOs and the council to deal.

3. Yes, to a degree but I know that they are very underfunded in view of the amount/type of crime they have to deal with.

Answer 9

People who have a negative view of the police are mostly law abusers. If you think that "the cops are the devil" because you got busted for drug possession or speeding, you are just being ignorant. The police are responsable for keeping our streets as free from crime as possible. Of course, there will always be crime, but we would be living in a virtual nightmare if the police didn't do what they do.

Also, the cops you see busting people for little things that some people say should be catching "real criminals" are keeping drunk drivers off the street and drugs away from our children. There are plenty of other cops out there solving murder cases as well. In other words...quit complaining about things you don't know about!! (This is directed towards cop-haters...not the guy that asked this question)

Answer 10

Lots of questions !!!!!!
I think the police force are affected by public perception, also domestic violence and child protection, alcohol and drug related crimes and of course driving related crimes.
I would like more devotion to child protection.......there can never be enough investigation into the safety of "our" children.
Finally, fairly confident on a scale of 1-5 with one being low I would rate a 3