Do police have too much power?

Question

Does anybody think police have too much power or in fact very little e.g reasonable grounds to perform stop and search activities, not being able to caution those under 18 years old etc...

Answer 1

Personally, I think they don't have enough power to prevent people from breaking laws.

Answer 2

They have any power that the law gives them. Sometimes I dont think they really have enough. Everyone including 18 year olds basically know when they are breaking the law. Why should it be their job to caution? They are put out on the streets to protect those people who dont break laws and to arrest those who break them. Maybe sometimes you may question their actions, but I know I wouldnt want their dangerous job. They have to make decisions in a split second.They are not out there to hold your hand unless you are in need of that.Dont break the law then you will not have to question how much power they have.

Answer 3

NO.....They need more power........On the stop and search situation, if there is nothing illegal in your car, then you have nothing to worry about. However, the authorities should introduce a id card that everyone carries, as soon as any individual has been stopped a certain amount of times without been charged or convicted, they should become exempt from being stopped and searched for the rest of the year

Answer 4

The Police have each and all of the flexibility they prefer -- however the Moronic "Do-Gooders" the army of "Defence attorneys" , the Demented "Politically maximum appropriate" bathe , and the Bureaucratic p i s s artists that have between them Shackled the Police and wilfully fail to help them of their responsibilities of up-protecting the regulation - the full device has been corrupted in favour of the offender Fraternity -- something is going -- Sod the victims - they don,t count type for something -- they have "No Rights " by any ability -is the present order of the Day ?? unhappy , unhappy Lawless Britain - who of their top concepts would prefer to be a Police Officer -- they positioned their existence on the line daily

Answer 5

I agree with deadman.the police have powers where they dont need them but in other places dont.The police for years could set up blocks at night to check cars for stolen property etc.This is allowed with a superintendents permission now can you imgaine what would happen if he was dragged out of bed because it was a quiet night and the lads wanted to put a road block on?

Answer 6

I agree with answer already given, the police do not have enough powers to deal with young scrouts, but other than that yes.

Answer 7

plod has enough power, its just that he hasnt go tthe resources to implement the power...

i work in the community, and its shocking to find out that due to cuts and other restrictions we had ONE patrol car and 4 officers on duty in an area of five square miles... the population is over 15000...

coppers shouldnt be wasting time on unruly kids, the kids know what theyre doing is out of order, and they also know plod is powerless... personally plod ought to be able to smack em round the ear and bang em up for being gobby... a night in the cells will soon stop their teenage antics...

and then maybe they get on with catching real criminals and terrorists.

Answer 8

I do not think that the police have too much power---
but in some circumstances some police officers have far too much attitude about the powers they do have !!

Answer 9

It's not a question of power's.It's the silly law's that are fashionable at the moment. Their primary role is to keep the peace and crime prevention. Get them back on the beat,and into community's again.

Answer 10

they have the power, its the courts that let you down, so whats the point .