When did you last see a Policeman on the beat?

[Morningside]

You know, I really cannot remember. Specials and other support but not an actual police officer.

Plenty wizzing about in cars but not on the beat and I hardly live in the sticks either.

And they talk about lack of front line policing.

So is it just me?

[MrB1obby]

I'm guessing you stay in on a saturday night? They're everywhere.

[RobDickinson]

Policemen on the beat are hugely inefficient at fighting crime. How often do you think they walk past a mugging or whatever?

[Morningside]

MrB1obby said:

I'm guessing you stay in on a saturday night? They're everywhere.

Not in our town they are not. Then again, its not full of nightclubs.

RobDickinson said:

Policemen on the beat are hugely inefficient at fighting crime. How often do you think they walk past a mugging or whatever?

I still think people think twice if they KNOW that the police are about. Plus I would rather see the Police connecing and talking to people rather than distancing themselfs.

[turbobloke]

Surely being on the beat is about building relations with the public, reassuring the public, and deterring crime - and yes detecting it if by chance the patrolling officers do keep 'em peeled and looking in the right direction.

Having taken an interest in coverage of the London mayoral eletions I remembered this:

Metro article on 1st May said:

There have been 3.3million recorded crimes since 2008, a drop of more than 400,000 on the previous four years.

Investment in the Met and an increased presence on the streets had ‘led to a big fall in crime’, a spokesman for the Conservative mayor said.

That's the Mayor's office and they would say that but the numbers also say something. The Home Sec says this:

Earlier in May 2010 an article on May said:

Putting police back on the streets and slashing bureaucracy are among the Government's top priorities, Home Secretary Theresa May said today.

The Conservative Cabinet member said the new administration wants to put a clear focus on allowing police to do their job and get out on the beat.

Various groups seem to think it's a good idea to have more BiB on the beat yet there are plans for precisely the opposite.

http://www.policeoracle.com/news/Local+and+Neighbo...

[rohrl]

Not sure whether the ones I saw were real police or PCSO's but I have seen a couple not that long ago. We also have council employed city Rangers in Swansea who wander about moving on the beggars and tackling shoplifters. I see the Rangers a hell of a lot more than I see an ambulant (rather than motorised) police officer.

[MarkRSi]

Saw one on Friday morning in a rural town, which was a bit of a surprise. Was by himself too, is that normal?

[Puggit]

I see them daily, but then again I live very close to AWE. There are the normal armed police associated with the base, but the local plod also put on a constant show of strength.

[superkartracer]

Last time i spotted some ( two ) was in our village, some kids were messing around and when the *police* asked what they were up to the kids told them to fkoff, the *police* walked off.....

[Glassman]

Nope. No Bobby.

But hobby bobbies with their thumbs hooked into their stab vests:

[ExChrispy Porker]

Thankfully I live in an area where if I saw an officer walking along my road, I would assume something nasty had happened.

[Jasandjules]

RobDickinson said:

Policemen on the beat are hugely inefficient at fighting crime. How often do you think they walk past a mugging or whatever?

Tell that to New York?!?!

[scenario8]

I'll add to the disspelling of the Blue Top truth/myth that you never see a Policeman - I see them all the time. On foot, in pairs, on their own, with PCSOs, in cars. I live and work in London and Surrey. I have colleagues and family members who continually complain that "you never see them". I think people like to believe the modern age is somehow worse than previous (probably imagined) eras.

That said, Law and Order seems to be one of the few areas of public spending genuinely hit by sppending restraints so far so it shall prove interesting to see how the circles are squared over the next few years. Many local stations have been shut in recent years.

[Old Merc]

When I was a kid in the 50`s !!??..........That was a time when we had PROPER Policemen on the beat and there was often one at the end of an alley way to catch me riding my bike,big bking!!They also looked like real British Bobbies in traditional uniforms and were treated with respect.In those days if you answered back at Sergeant Amour or PC Wyatt you got a clip round the ear.How many of today's kids will remember a Policeman`s name after 50 years?? and if an officer today DID clip one round the ear or even shout at the kid who has just nicked and burned out someone`s car he would lose his job and the kid would get a pile of "compo". If you do see a Policeman today he can be dressed like a South American Paramilitary or riding a mountain bike wearing a silly coloured skid lid and a high vise jacket,OR he is not a real Policeman at all, just a hobby bobby or a CPO.

[EDLT]

For the people saying "Cannot remember" Do you ever go outside? I see police all the time

[ExChrispy Porker]

Old Merc said:

When I was a kid in the 50`s !!??..........That was a time when we had PROPER Policemen on the beat and there was often one at the end of an alley way to catch me riding my bike,big bking!!They also looked like real British Bobbies in traditional uniforms and were treated with respect.In those days if you answered back at Sergeant Amour or PC Wyatt you got a clip round the ear.How many of today's kids will remember a Policeman`s name after 50 years?? and if an officer today DID clip one round the ear or even shout at the kid who has just nicked and burned out someone`s car he would lose his job and the kid would get a pile of "compo". If you do see a Policeman today he can be dressed like a South American Paramilitary or riding a mountain bike wearing a silly coloured skid lid and a high vise jacket,OR he is not a real Policeman at all, just a hobby bobby or a CPO.

ah the good ( unless you were black, female or gay) old days...

[Otispunkmeyer]

Seen the odd few in the last month. Usually on the busy nights in town with the clubs. There is usually a big transit van that is stationed in town as well. Seen a couple on push bikes as well of late.

Usually they are driving about though. And you can always catch them with their speed scamera vans at places that just aren't dangerous... Pure profiteering.

[Sticks.]

RobDickinson said:

Policemen on the beat are hugely inefficient at fighting crime. How often do you think they walk past a mugging or whatever?

This approach is the crux of the problem - a service which is target driven. Police on the beat engage with people which helps prevent and detect crime. But if there's no stat for it, it doesn't happen.

[davepoth]

RobDickinson said:

Policemen on the beat are hugely inefficient at fighting crime. How often do you think they walk past a mugging or whatever?

Not very often. But a police officer on the beat talks to people. They get to know the community, understand who are the regular trouble makers, figure out where the crime hot-spots are, reassure the residents, and build trust between people and the law enforcement community.

That sort of stuff is as important as "thief-taking" but it's not as glamourous, and certainly can't be measured quantitatively.

[Jasandjules]

Sticks. said:

RobDickinson said:

Policemen on the beat are hugely inefficient at fighting crime. How often do you think they walk past a mugging or whatever?

This approach is the crux of the problem - a service which is target driven. Police on the beat engage with people which helps prevent and detect crime. But if there's no stat for it, it doesn't happen.

Sticks has it, and my recollection of the New York situation is that crime rates fell very quickly, preventing crimes occurring is IMHO far more value than finding the criminal after the event.