Do You Trust The Police?

[daytona-supersport]

Rather than intrude upon the thread introduced by "Cone". I thought it better to ask this simple question in a new thread.

Do you trust the police?
If no, please give your reason.

To start the ball rolling, my answer must be no, based on my limited experience and contact with them.

Reasons.
1, Most recent was the traffic violation of crossing over the solid white line at traffic lights. I had stopped and waited a considerable time at the red light and making absolutely sure that the way was clear, I went through the junction. There was a considerable amount of traffic backing up behind my vehicle at the time. Having pulled me over immediately after crossing the line on the road, the officer informed me not only that he was reporting me for the offence of going through a red light, but also went on to explain to me that he was aware of the fault that caused the lights to remain on red if any vehicle was not directly over the wire loop in the road on the left of the lane. Also than he and his colleague had sat in their car for some considerable time watching, knowing that I would eventually have no choice but to move my car forward.
What this officer should have done was to get his lazy arse out of his vehicle. come across to the junction and controlled the traffic. But no, far easier to sit in their car and pick off a few very easy cops for the evening.
I was bloody disgusted at the time and it still rankles.

2, Years back, lying in the road after being run down by a car and sent flying over into the oncoming traffic. I was on a 750 motorcycle, stationary, waiting to turn right at the time or the impact. Having struck me the car continued for quite a long way down the road before pulling over. Lots of pelvis, leg and spine injury. I was unable to move and in a lot of pain.
Police officer looks down at me and comes out with a smart arse comment. Fell of our bike did we. What a totally stupid, inconsiderate bastard.

3, Two lanes of traffic going down into a single lane left hand lane. I'm driving along at the posted speed and just off my N/S rear quarter is a police vehicle. As the lane I was in was about to blend into the left hand lane, I moved ahead to give clearance to the vehicle in the left hand land. Guess what. The office pulled me over and accused me of speeding. I replied how could I be speeding as we were doing under
the posted speed limit. He reply was very simple. I say you were speeding and if you don't like it I'll see what else I can find. This was many years ago and was an education in the lack of honesty by some officers.

Don't these fools understand that every time they behave in this manner they do a bit more to destroy the trust and respect of the public they are employed to serve. Don't get me wrong, I believe and appreciate that there are thousands of decent solid coppers working to do their best in sometimes very trying situations. I thank them and appreciate their efforts. Would I trust them without knowing them. Sorry, but based of past experience no.

[-Ralph-]

Reasons.
1, Most recent was the traffic violation of crossing over the solid white line at traffic lights. I had stopped and waited a considerable time at the red light and making absolutely sure that the way was clear, I went through the junction. There was a considerable amount of traffic backing up behind my vehicle at the time. Having pulled me over immediately after crossing the line on the road, the officer informed me not only that he was reporting me for the offence of going through a red light, but also went on to explain to me that he was aware of the fault that caused the lights to remain on red if any vehicle was not directly over the wire loop in the road on the left of the lane. Also than he and his colleague had sat in their car for some considerable time watching, knowing that I would eventually have no choice but to move my car forward.
What this officer should have done was to get his lazy arse out of his vehicle. come across to the junction and controlled the traffic. But no, far easier to sit in their car and pick off a few very easy cops for the evening.
I was bloody disgusted at the time and it still rankles.

That is disgusting and you should have asked to go to court. All a police officer does is report you for an offence. The Criminal Prosecution Service (Talking England and Wales here) decide whether to prosecute (assuming of course they look at the details hard enough to make a decision and don't just process the paperwork), and then there's the magistrates court.

Now unfortunately the court, if the CPS let it get that far, may still decide you've committed an offence, but you'd have had the opportunity to present your case as to why, you would have put the behaviour of the officers in the spot light, and I can't imagine the court under those circumstances would have given you any greater a punishment than the fixed penalty.

[nickoff]

I trust some yes and definetly not others. Many years ago whilst on a pissy night out with mates whilst visiting Redcar we were banged up by the local cops for arsing around. When they got us in the van they knocked seven bags of shit out of us plus a bit more down at the station. We were kept in the cells for 2 nights and only fed with crap food left out to go cold. I still remember the bastards P.C. 123 and 134.
On the other hand I was once pulled over for speeding on my bike by a motorcycle cop. He started to lecture me on the dangers of riding fast etc and was about to book me. I said " bet my bike will beat yours, how about a race"? He just smiled and told me to bugger off without giving me the ticket.
Nick.

[-Ralph-]

The question I would have to answer is do I trust a police officer? I make that decision when I meet him/her.

Same as when I meet anyone else in any job.

Muppets like those you describe are over represented in the police, because unfortunately it's weakness of human nature that when you put someone in a position of power and give them a uniform, they turn into a prick.

The job is also a tough one where every day you deal with the worst society has to offer, and that can give some people a very jaded view of the world, and a tendency to pre-judge the people they come across, as though they were the same as the criminals they have to deal with every day, and hence make their first approach that way, and talk to everyone as if they are scum.

If you're a traffic cop and you're sweeping up limbs off the road every day, not not surprising if you become a bit over sensitive to risk taking.

The good police officers are the ones that recognise those weakness and don't allow themselves to succumb to it. It's a job that needs a lot of strength of character.

[daytona-supersport]

Reasons.
1, Most recent was the traffic violation of crossing over the solid white line at traffic lights. I had stopped and waited a considerable time at the red light and making absolutely sure that the way was clear, I went through the junction. There was a considerable amount of traffic backing up behind my vehicle at the time. Having pulled me over immediately after crossing the line on the road, the officer informed me not only that he was reporting me for the offence of going through a red light, but also went on to explain to me that he was aware of the fault that caused the lights to remain on red if any vehicle was not directly over the wire loop in the road on the left of the lane. Also than he and his colleague had sat in their car for some considerable time watching, knowing that I would eventually have no choice but to move my car forward.
What this officer should have done was to get his lazy arse out of his vehicle. come across to the junction and controlled the traffic. But no, far easier to sit in their car and pick off a few very easy cops for the evening.
I was bloody disgusted at the time and it still rankles.

That is disgusting and you should have asked to go to court. All a police officer does is report you for an offence. The Criminal Prosecution Service (Talking England and Wales here) decide whether to prosecute (assuming of course they look at the details hard enough to make a decision and don't just process the paperwork), and then there's the magistrates court.

Now unfortunately the court, if the CPS let it get that far, may still decide you've committed an offence, but you'd have had the opportunity to present your case as to why, you would have put the behaviour of the officers in the spot light, and I can't imagine the court under those circumstances would have given you any greater a punishment than the fixed penalty.

Ralph, I did make one mistake due to a lack of experience in these matters that I will never do again. I signed the form that was presented to me at the time, at the bottom, having been assured by the officer that he would fill in the details later.
Yes I do have a witness to this. Call me stupid, but I truly did not believe that I had committed any offence and that this would result in no further action being taken.
To this day I have no idea what was written on the form after my signing. I'm sorry to admit this, but it was stupid of me to sign, but as I mentioned, this was unknown territory to me and I accepted the officers word.
I was offered and awareness course, which I attended. At these courses, it is asked if anybody felt that they should not be there. I responded and explained why. The course instructor has quite shocked and suggested that I make an official complaint. The only thing that puts people including myself from doing this is that having already been misled, one is not likely to trust nor believe any response from the police or officers concerned. The net result of this is the trust in the police is completely destroyed. So well done that officer, I wonder, was the damage the you have done really worth the value of one minor traffic charge?

[Shidosan]

I was pulled in Scotland for doing well over the speed 60 limit.....licence losing speed.... one of the coppers (young s%*t) wanted to throw everything at me but the older one gave me the choice of careless driving.... 100 quid and 3 points.... so I took them.

So I think it depends on which copper you get and how you respond to them..
Cheers

[g00ner]

The question I would have to answer is do I trust a police officer? I make that decision when I meet him/her.

Same as when I meet anyone else in any job.

Muppets like those you describe are over represented in the police, because unfortunately it's weakness of human nature that when you put someone in a position of power and give them a uniform, they turn into a prick.

The job is also a tough one where every day you deal with the worst society has to offer, and that can give some people a very jaded view of the world, and a tendency to pre-judge the people they come across, as though they were the same as the criminals they have to deal with every day, and hence make their first approach that way, and talk to everyone as if they are scum.

If you're a traffic cop and you're sweeping up limbs off the road every day, not not surprising if you become a bit over sensitive to risk taking.

The good police officers are the ones that recognise those weakness and don't allow themselves to succumb to it. It's a job that needs a lot of strength of character.

Thanks Ralph, saved me from typing something similar.

Stupid question IMO

[bill_qaz]

They are individuals and should be treated as such, tarring all police with same brush, is what we motorcyclist have suffered in the past and occasionally still have to contend with now.
Treat people as you find (thumbs) regardless of their career choice.

[daytona-supersport]

Hi g00ner,
Stupid question IMO? Why? Please explain.

The reason I asked the question in the first place was that reading the thread regarding attending a court case and it got me thinking about basic honesty or otherwise. I always try to be honest and direct. If you want a straight answer to a question, ask. You may not like the answer, but it will be truthful. For this reason and based upon my own experiences, I think it is interesting to see how others view the honesty of others, especially those in positions of authority. It may well be that others reading this thread have had other far more positive views, however judgements are often made based on past experience. That is why questions like this are important. Not asking the question would be tantamount to accepting that all those in authority are completely honest. I do accept that any pre-conceived opinion may well be completely incorrect, but it is very difficult to overcome prejudices formed from past experiences. The damage done at the time may seem slight, but the effects are far longer lasting.

[Dark Knight]

The law is a blunt instrument, if you speak to the chief constable he will tell you that the police are supposed to interpret the meaning of the law and only take action when necessary.
My machines are fully instrumented (just like your lawyer would have) so that there is no doubt about the facts and if there is a discrepancy I will take legal action.
I believe in the Churchill policy, in that you send in five tanks when only one is required.
To answer the question, most police are reasonable (not an easy job) but the odd one seems to have burned out and should be retired.