When should you report an event to the police?

[traxx]

Ok, something happened to me this morning which got me thinking about when should you call the police to report something suspicious.

So I was driving to work ~ 6.25am along York Road in Wandsworth
On the other side of the road in the dark I see some guy with no shirt on stumble into the road – just missing a car
He then crosses over to my side of the road, I slam of the Lambo brakes
Now I notice that the guy has blood pouring out of his head and the rest of him is also covered in blood. Looks totally spaced out – ffs it’s 6 o’clock on a Monday morning
The guy looks at me and I think brilliant he is obviously going to come over to the car, but all he does is stumble off to the side of the road

So do you think you report such a thing to the police?

[Marf]

Yes, not cos he's spaced out but because he's bleeding.

[kiwisr]

Sounds like you've had a lucky escape.

[Retard]

I would have stopped to ask if he was alright and taken it from there...

[traxx]

Retard said:

I would have stopped to ask if he was alright and taken it from there...

oh yes, forgot to mention he was shouting his head off and waving his arms around --- don't think I would have stopped

[Retard]

traxx said:

Retard said:

I would have stopped to ask if he was alright and taken it from there...

oh yes, forgot to mention he was shouting his head off and waving his arms around --- don't think I would have stopped

Yes, in these circumstances I wouldn't have stopped

Would certainly have considered calling the police about it.

[Mg6b]

This person may have been bad, mad or sad. He may have been all of them. He could possibly have been a victim of a crime or an accident and a head injury can make people act in a very strange and frightening manner.

You SHOULD have called it in. If not to the police, at least to the ambulance service.

They may well have been aware and I expect someone else would probably have done so if they had seen it BUT you failed in your duty as a human being to try and get this person some assistance by doing nothing!

As its Christmas, and a religious time, remember the parable of the Good Samaritan when all the Philistines walked past?

[davidra]

sounds like the first 10 minutes of Shaun of the Dead

[Jasandjules]

I would have called plod, the chap could have been attacked. OR just a loon, but either way, let plod sort him out one way or the other.

[Kozy]

Why bother, if he wasn't doing 32 in a 30 they wouldn't have cared anyway.

[Trueman sparks]

Do unto others?

[Mg6b]

Kozy said:

Why bother, if he wasn't doing 32 in a 30 they wouldn't have cared anyway.

He may well have been and then we would have been a bit more interested!

[wasted years]

call it in - if there are any CCTV cameras in the area they can monitor and if a unit is in the vacinity they can do an area search.

[BertBert]

I can't believe there is a debate here about calling it in. Why on earth wouldn't you? What loss is there? Also you get to legally use your phone in the car to call 999! How cool is that?
Bert

[Flintstone]

You have to ask?!

A fellow human being is staggering around semi-naked and wounded and you wonder if you should report it? I find that bizarre.

Edited by Flintstone on Wednesday 26th December 17:35

[LeoSayer]

Phone it in.

Tell them exactly what you have seen.

Let the police/ambulance decide if it's worth dealing with or not.

[bi9_jk]

Lay off this guy!

I think a dilemma would be that this guy clearly is not seeking help. The o/p intimated only that he was waving his arms around accrazed and obvious from the o/p that he did not consider this guy to be in any treat/seeking help/flagging down cars ect ect. He was obviously high/drunk, hopefully not being too bold to make that assertion. Covered in blood, whos blood? could we ascertain if this was the guy bleeding or blood from someone else. That little fact might cause some ponder as to whether to fetch the police or the ambulance service would it not? Remember when you dial 999 they ask you police, fire, ambulance? theres no ifs or buts.
I think there was a dilemma here but thats diverging.

For the best evidence you will require to record what happened immediatly. Everying on paper. Consider either writing down all that happened or reporting it to the police.

If it turns out to be some serious assault or murder or something then you can call it in. Remember to include all facts. Description of him including clothing, features and anything identifiable, place, area, time, atmospheric conditions, complete description of activities, what he said, what he did, how he behaved, any objects he was carrying, what you were doing, ect ect, just get everything that happened clear to you. Whether you report it to the police or not is entirley up to you.

It might be worth just asking plod if there were any crimes in that area that night at that time.

If you report it to the police then a multitude of things could happen. Witness statement, court ect ect.

[Mg6b]

bi9_jk said:

Lay off this guy!

I think a dilemma would be that this guy clearly is not seeking help.

He was in need of some assistance from someone as he was clearly not behaving normally and appeared to be covered in blood.

bi9_jk said:

The o/p intimated only that he was waving his arms around accrazed and obvious from the o/p that he did not consider this guy to be in any treat/seeking help/flagging down cars ect ect. He was obviously high/drunk, hopefully not being too bold to make that assertion. Covered in blood, whos blood? could we ascertain if this was the guy bleeding or blood from someone else. That little fact might cause some ponder as to whether to fetch the police or the ambulance service would it not? Remember when you dial 999 they ask you police, fire, ambulance? theres no ifs or buts.
I think there was a dilemma here but thats diverging.

Then call all three services if you are not sure!
Some clues:-
1. A man apparently covered in blood is likely to need an ambulance. That is the first step!
2. A man on fire will need the fire service to put him out
3. Both the above will need investigating by the police.

Strangely, both the ambulance and fire services in the above circumstances call the police.

bi9_jk said:

For the best evidence you will require to record what happened immediatly. Everying on paper. Consider either writing down all that happened or reporting it to the police.

Why not just call the police and tell them exactly what you can see? The call taker will take down your 'best evidence' whilst you tell it to them!
Then go home and make some notes on paper

bi9_jk said:

If it turns out to be some serious assault or murder or something then you can call it in. Remember to include all facts. Description of him including clothing, features and anything identifiable, place, area, time, atmospheric conditions, complete description of activities, what he said, what he did, how he behaved, any objects he was carrying, what you were doing, ect ect, just get everything that happened clear to you. Whether you report it to the police or not is entirley up to you.

The above advice is useless and dangerous
How will he know what has happened until it appears on the news or in the papers hours or even days later?

Calling it in at the time will give someone experienced in crime investigation and other public disorder incidents the opportunity to decide if it needs investigating further and if there is a serious crime, have an opportunity to apprehend the perpetrator close to the scene and therefore obtain 'best evidence' before the perpetrator has chance to get rid of evidence! That would include forensic evidence that would be lost days later after your call to police when you found out about the problem in the news.

bi9_jk said:

It might be worth just asking plod if there were any crimes in that area that night at that time.

See an incident and do nothing but call in and ask were there any crimes reported in XXXX area? I expect you will be told yes. Plenty!

bi9_jk said:

If you report it to the police then a multitude of things could happen. Witness statement, court ect ect.

Oh deary deary me! How sad that you might have to do some public duty actually contribute to a better society by giving evidence in court!

How would you feel if you or one of your family were seriously assaulted and someone with an attitude like yours decided to call the police a few days later with important information that could have helped to resolve the incident there and then but because they 'remembered' that they might have to suffer a 'multitude of things' or give a statement,court ect ect (its actually etc etc ), they withheld that information?

This might have been nothing. It could have been a victim of crime needing help. It could have been an offender. It could have been someone who was suffering mental health problems. It could have been one of your family or friends and could be in the future.

You attitude stinks.

I hope this situation never happens to someone you know or your family. A simple call to police in this situation is the least that another responsible human being should do! Let the police investigate it and then come and find you for your best evidence later if it turns out to be so serious that they require your 'best evidence'

Edited by Mg6b on Thursday 27th December 13:55

[TheCarpetCleaner]

BertBert said:

I can't believe there is a debate here about calling it in. Why on earth wouldn't you? What loss is there? Also you get to legally use your phone in the car to call 999! How cool is that?
Bert

According to some of the posters, such a feat (using a mobile phone while driving) is a physical impossibility so I dont see how those people would manage it.

Normal people in the real world however can, so I would most certainly at the very least phone it in.