Public - police relations improving?

[Earthdweller]

I remember clearly many years ago listening to an Assistant Commisioner of the Met addressing new recruits

In essence he said 90% of the public are decent normal law abiding people who should be treated with respect and like members of your family and friends

The job was as simple as protecting them from the 10%

It hasn't changed .., the silent majority support the Police despite politicians and the media trying to demonise the Police

I've spent the last five years running a neighbourhood policing team in inner city North Manchester an area with more than it's fair share of challenges

One thing is clear though when you actually get out and talk to people of all ages/religious and ethnic groups they generally support the cops and understand that hands are tied to some extent

I have plenty of "brew stops" and people are always happy to sit down and chat about local issues

So no .. I don't think it has changed I think we are just seeing the "normal" people for a change being less passive in their support

Edited by Earthdweller on Tuesday 30th May 09:06

[Derek Smith]

Earthdweller said:

I remember clearly many years ago listening to an Assistant Commissioner of the Met addressing new recruits

In essence he said 90% of the public are decent normal law abiding people who should be treated with respect and like members of your family and friends

The job was as simple as protecting them from the 10%

It hasn't changed .., the silent majority support the Police despite politicians and the media trying to demonise the Police

I've spent the last five years running a neighbourhood policing team in inner city North Manchester an area with more than it's fair share of challenges

One thing is clear though when you actually get out and talk to people of all ages/religious and ethnic groups they generally support the cops and understand that hands are tied to some extent

I have plenty of "brew stops" and people are always happy to sit down and chat about local issues

So no .. I don't think it has changed I think we are just seeing the "normal" people for a change being less passive in their support

Edited by Earthdweller on Tuesday 30th May 09:06

30 years in the job convinced me that the overwhelming majority of the population make a positive contribution to society. Some may have stumbled but most get back on board after a while. A CRO is not necessarily a marker for someone who should be rejected from polite society and, more to the point, the lack of one is by no means the definition of an honest person.

I generally found conditional support in dealings with most people. I was gaoler to 'Home Office' prisoners, those unable to return to their places in HM's prisons due to industrial action. Most were very friendly and remarkably helpful. In fact I can't think of one who was obnoxious. I got on well with them. A few of them sent in letters of thanks to our chief super when they returned to their official residence.

I also heard stories from prisoners about treatment they'd had 'in the past' at the hands of the police and yet, remarkably, they treated me without prejudice. I assumed they were pleasant to me because I treated them pleasantly. Obviously we didn't have Cat 1 prisoners, just a selection of the majority.

When I was identification officer in a particularly horrendous series of sexual offences, one of the volunteers for the ID parade was a guy with a number, three I think, of GBH convictions and two spells inside. Something he did showed me that he had more strict morals than the brief representing the offender. I liked the GBH chap. Can't say the same about the brief.

It is not that clear cut where each would go in the 10%/90% split.

The are a number whose attitude was always on the negative side when they were dealt with. I knew the history of some and it was often not the fault of the police. We were being blamed for other officers doing their job.

I reckon that every now and again the silent majority will speak up.

[Pete102]

I was at the Radio 1 big weekend on Sunday, fifty thousand people over two days and understandably there was a heavy police presence.

My opinion is that they were absolutely brilliant. Friendly, professional, engaging and reassuring. I felt very safe having increased armed officer numbers around and whilst I appreciate this level of response won't be maintained, mine and hopefully the wider publics opinion towards the police has been significantly improved.

Importantly my daughter came away from the event knowing that the police are there to help and protect - not an easy task when carrying semi-automatic weapons and on high alert. Bravo.