didnt take long to turn into a police bashing thread..
good old OOF.
Nope. Not from me or meant to be but some forces do have a points tally to achieve, that's a fact, which can sometimes explain the observation that some forces don't use discretion ( or appear too)
For what it's worth one of our sites was burgled andthe thieves left behind blood as they cut themselves when they broke the window to get in. DNA took two weeks but they identified the person and found them with goods.
Above - I think it's just a general public misperception that the police do nothing all day except lay in wait for poor motorists to make innocent mistakes...
We don't see what the police actually do, because policing has changed and they aren't as visible as they used to be. But I have a better idea than some, because my studio has a good CCTV system and police often pop round and ask to see my recordings. I'm often surprised at the amount of effort they go to, to solve even very minor crimes, and impressed when they immediately recognise suspects on the CCTV
Would you like to back up your "factual" comment with some evidence because, having served a number of years on both Motorway patrol and divisional traffic departments I never saw or heard of this mythical points tally.
Andy
Was on the TV only the other night, one of the Police programs explaining that the officers had a points system for the various offences and they had targets to meet each month. It was explained that officers found it difficult to use their discretion because of these targets and how the officers on the front line didn't like it.
But, since you don't believe me:
BBC news from 2007: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6656411.stm
2010: http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/crime-courts/police-officers-pressured-over-arrest-targets-1.1022106
How about June 2013, talking about the target driven culture in Kent
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/jun/17/police-crime-figures-inquiry-kent