When did the police stop being a Public servant?

jonbeeza

jonbeeza

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Was watching an old clip on youtube a while ago, it was an old public information type film. It followed a police officers daily life on the beat, and the things they are expected to deal with. Unbelievable things such as, helping an old lady catch her escaped budgie who was flying around her living room. Helping another home owner with a leaking sink , as he rolled his sleeves back down and left, the narrator says, just another thing a policeman is expected to do, as a public servant. He carried on walking his beat, things he did while walking the beat, again unbelievable but obviously true. Helping a lady with some heavy shopping, of a night checking shop owners had locked up properly.

I wonder next time my cat climbs on the wall, what would they say if I called them for help? Probably get done for wasting police time, or maybe tell me to call the fire service :)

PS

NOT having a go at the Police, we do need them . . Just a bit of fun
 
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Ah, good old Dixon of Dock Green :D

Everything today is "according to available resources" ... but to be honest, if two accident victims can remain in a crashed car for 3 days after the police have been informed of the accident, everything else pales into insignificance!
 
gramps said:
if two accident victims can remain in a crashed car for 3 days after the police have been informed of the accident, everything else pales into insignificance!
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I heard that on the radio too!
Words fail me TBH!
 
It's very easy to go back and think of the so called good old days,but we're they really that good ?,just look at what Saville was up to for many a year :(
 
simonblue said:
It's very easy to go back and think of the so called good old days,but we're they really that good ?,just look at what Saville was up to for many a year :(
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But if you wanted to know the time, you could always ask a policeman :D
 
gramps said:
Ah, good old Dixon of Dock Green :D

Everything today is "according to available resources" ... but to be honest, if two accident victims can remain in a crashed car for 3 days after the police have been informed of the accident, everything else pales into insignificance!
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They must be very low on resources at the moment. Over the last week or two, I have been out having to do thing for friends and neighbours. This involved driving to their houses, or checking on their places of business. Been out driving form city to city at various times of the night. 11pm 2am 3am and not seen one police vehicle or presence, are they still driving about? In the 80s you could not drive more than a few streets, without bumping into a police vehicle creeping about at night. I suppose they may be in un marked vehicles.
 
Had many experiences of the change - from actual '999' calls for crimes in progress not being responded to, to Panic Alarms (alarms registered for Level 1 Police Response) being responded to by "Are you okay" over the telephone!
 
They were searching for the key to the cash machine in the village when I last saw them (the police that is), for some reason they thought we had them at the shop, told him honestly that if I had keys to the ATM I wouldn't be at work would I!
 
TimmyG said:
To be fair, you can still do that today.
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When did you last have an opportunity to do so ... I simply cannot remember when I last saw a beat policeman!
 
jonbeeza said:
I suppose they may be in un marked vehicles.
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Clearly not in Scotland then John, as one of the first things they did on setting up the new Police Scotland force was to put Police Scotland on the unmarked cars. This was to try and show the public that they were indeed patrolling the streets, which obviously included ALL members of the public! :banghead:
 
Yet I read an article a few days ago where a police Constable saw an elderly gentleman close to tears leaning against a wall with two small bags of shopping at his feet.
The man was feeling unwell, and was afraid he might not make it home with his shopping, so the officer picked up his shopping, took his arm and slowly walked the old fella home.

Once their he made the gentleman a cup of tea, put away the shopping and made sure all was in order before leaving.

Rare, maybe, but it was still heartwarming to read about it.
 
gramps said:
When did you last have an opportunity to do so ... I simply cannot remember when I last saw a beat policeman!
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It was about the same time I got a leaflet through the door explaining all the stats. There were loads around for weeks after. The chief must have been up for election or something...
 
Nowadays their no-ones servant, they couldn't be ersed to investigate a crashed car that was reported and discovered in which the occupants remained in for 3 days, sadly one of them dying.
 
jonbeeza said:
They must be very low on resources at the moment. Over the last week or two, I have been out having to do thing for friends and neighbours. This involved driving to their houses, or checking on their places of business. Been out driving form city to city at various times of the night. 11pm 2am 3am and not seen one police vehicle or presence, are they still driving about? In the 80s you could not drive more than a few streets, without bumping into a police vehicle creeping about at night. I suppose they may be in un marked vehicles.
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Surveillance, automated surveillance and lots of it ;)
 
gramps said:
When did you last have an opportunity to do so ... I simply cannot remember when I last saw a beat policeman!
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I don't think Police walk a beat anymore. I remember the days they used to walk in twos, then walked a beat alone. Then drove around vans full of police, cars in pairs. Then a single police officer in a huge van. Now a sweep with the helicopter once now and again, to deter on a large scale perhaps :thinking:
 
Does anybody remember the days 1970s 1980s, when you heard in the distance, a mini engine being raced. Or the distinct sounds of the Land Rover Jeep, Escort m2 popular being hammered, you knew the police where on their way?

Many a time when we were apple scrumping back in the 70s, when we heard a screaming mini engine getting louder, we all legged it. Yes the police did actually respond to kids nicking apples of trees. Now they ponder should they, or should they not respond to a possible very very high value burglary. ( as in the news not that long ago )
 
gramps said:
When did you last have an opportunity to do so ... I simply cannot remember when I last saw a beat policeman!
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I think the last time I recall seeing a Bobby on the beat, probably the 90s :thinking:


viv1969 said:
Yet I read an article a few days ago where a police Constable saw an elderly gentleman close to tears leaning against a wall with two small bags of shopping at his feet.
The man was feeling unwell, and was afraid he might not make it home with his shopping, so the officer picked up his shopping, took his arm and slowly walked the old fella home.

Once their he made the gentleman a cup of tea, put away the shopping and made sure all was in order before leaving.

Rare, maybe, but it was still heartwarming to read about it.
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Now that's being a good public servant :)
 
jonbeeza said:
Does anybody remember the days 1970s 1980s, when you heard in the distance, a mini engine being raced. Or the distinct sounds of the Land Rover Jeep, Escort m2 popular being hammered, you knew the police where on their way?
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I remember nearly totalling one of these on the way to a 999 call ... not very stable for rushing around?

231_1large.jpg
 
Last time I spoke to a copper (actually, a sergeant and a constable) on their beat, I asked them the way to a particular pub that I knew was close by. Neither could tell me where it was so I kept walking. 25 yards down the road up which they had just walked was the pub I was looking for. Good observation, gents! Being helmeted and wearing stab vests would hint to me that they were foot patrol officers rather than vehicle based walking back to their car.
 
Nod said:
Being helmeted and wearing stab vests would hint to me that they were foot patrol officers rather than vehicle based walking back to their car.
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Not necessarily actually :)
 
I know their budgets have been cut. So why don't they put resources to where it matters most - guarding our neighbourhoods against thieves and sorting out radical hate preachers instead of collecting budget on the motorways? It should have been derestricted like in Germany long time ago. I could go at 130mph then and they would have more time to keep my home safe. Win win IMHO.
 
frank said:
Nowadays their no-ones servant, they couldn't be ersed to investigate a crashed car that was reported and discovered in which the occupants remained in for 3 days, sadly one of them dying.
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I don't believe that incident was remotely common and it certainly had nothing to do with being "ersed".
 
arclight said:
I don't believe that incident was remotely common and it certainly had nothing to do with being "ersed".
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Such a serious incident probably not but not responding to calls for assistance is a regular occurrence!
 
gramps said:
I remember nearly totalling one of these on the way to a 999 call ... not very stable for rushing around?

231_1large.jpg
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I am sure I saw a Hillman Imp in that livery, very early 70s I was only a kid way back then :rolleyes: . The Land Rovers were a dark blue with a white top, then white minis came in. I think the traffic cars may have been escort Mexico's, well certainly the escort mk1. Life was so much more sedate back then ..
 
gramps said:
Not necessarily actually :)
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Another clue was that I didn't walk past any marked cars or even see any on my perambulation. Generally, plod are unwilling to walk an inch further than absolutely necessary and will (?ab)use their right to park where and how they like, even when nipping into the shop for a packet of fags (by parking on the pavement and road on double yellow lines on the inside corner of junction...)
 
Nod said:
Last time I spoke to a copper (actually, a sergeant and a constable) on their beat, I asked them the way to a particular pub that I knew was close by. Neither could tell me where it was so I kept walking. 25 yards down the road up which they had just walked was the pub I was looking for. Good observation, gents! Being helmeted and wearing stab vests would hint to me that they were foot patrol officers rather than vehicle based walking back to their car.
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They're also supposed to be tourist information now?
If there was nothing untoward to observe, why would they remember the minutiae of their patrol?
 
Nod said:
Another clue was that I didn't walk past any marked cars or even see any on my perambulation. Generally, plod are unwilling to walk an inch further than absolutely necessary and will (?ab)use their right to park where and how they like, even when nipping into the shop for a packet of fags (by parking on the pavement and road on double yellow lines on the inside corner of junction...)
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No pulling the wool over your eyes :D
 
gramps said:
No pulling the wool over your eyes :D
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It was a warm day so no wool. The hat I was wearing was my (usual) Tilley.

Tourist information? No, but I would expect a sergeant on his beat to know the pubs, even if it was only so he could blag a few free pints... (And that's from personal experience of coppers on duty popping in near closing for a jar or 2.)
 
Oh hold on, I know when there is a Police presence. When there is a Speed Trap on. Just a thought, is it fair to call it a trap ? :thinking:
 
viv1969 said:
Yet I read an article a few days ago where a police Constable saw an elderly gentleman close to tears leaning against a wall with two small bags of shopping at his feet.
The man was feeling unwell, and was afraid he might not make it home with his shopping, so the officer picked up his shopping, took his arm and slowly walked the old fella home.

Once their he made the gentleman a cup of tea, put away the shopping and made sure all was in order before leaving.

Rare, maybe, but it was still heartwarming to read about it.
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They still do a lot of that sort of thing, there are still plenty of individual officers who really care and do their very best to help people,it's just that we don't hear about it.

But the police as a whole have become an arm of government, which is definately not in the public interest, and they have a massive organisation behind them to protect them from unhappy members of the public.

Incidentally, the origin of "If you want to know the time ask a policeman" goes back to the days when watches were expensive and most people couldn't afford them. Police officers however, managed to get hold of them for free.
 
Yep, today I was stuck luckily behind this old dodder crawling along at 20mph in a 30mph zone when a swat squad type copper ran out, yes ran, of a side road, and pointed a speed gun at a car about 50 yds behind me. And yes he pulled him over. ....kerching..!
 
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shreds said:
Yep, today I was stuck luckily behind this old dodder crawling along at 20mph in a 30mph zone when a swat squad type copper ran out, yes ran, of a side road, and pointed a speed gun at a car about 50 yds behind me. And yes he pulled him over. ....kerching..!
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So you noticed the officer leap out.
You took the time to brand him "swat squad type". (Unlikely)
You saw the vehicle get pulled.
I think your attention was in the wrong direction for someone driving!:eek:
 
Cobra said:
ask a policeman :D
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Would love to live in a village were the Sergeant was called Dudfoot ,and his two constable were called Harbottle and Albert Brown. OK not much crime would be solved, but you would have one hell of a laugh :naughty:
 
In the good old days, we had the likes of the Krays to sort villains out, so the boys in blue could concentrate on budgies and such
 
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