Police control room being obtuse - or was it me?
Discussion
Please bear with me this may be a bit of a long one...
A couple of weeks ago one afternoon I saw a car with three lads in it parked up and checking out the houses, driving round slowly, stopping etc. (BTW we are in a cul-de-sac so they had no reason to be here). So I took the make, model and number of the car.
A neighbour got burgled during that night along with several other houses in the area. I learned about this the next day and reported the car.
This evening my immediate neighbour called round to say the very same car had driven round slowly again without its lights on. He recognised the car from the number plate and description. So I called it in again and spoke to a very nice lady who (although I did not get an incident no for the last time I called) found the details and said that she would put the car 'out for observation' (I think that was how she put it?) She also told me that one person had been arrested for the burglary. Also that the car was the same one that had been dumped on the cul-de-sac some weeks previously and that the council were supposed to come and pick up (I had seen the dumped car but had not made the connection until she mentioned it).
I naturally assumed that the car had been nicked by these lads before the council could collect.
I then went round all the neighbours to let them know to lock everything up tonight and keep an eye out. The neighbour whose house the car had been dumped outside then said they had seen the council pick the car up!!!
So I think to myself, that doesn't add up. Why would 3 scrotes be checking out houses in a car that was supposed to have been safely in a council pound?
So I call and get put through to the control room again, but this time it is a different story. The woman I speak to does not appear to understand why I am calling so I go through the whole story (at least twice) and she still does not understand that these scrotes should not be in a car that had been picked up by the council. She then says to me that maybe my neighbour needs glasses when I insist that he saw the council pick it up!
I then suggest that maybe it has been nicked from the council but she says categorically that the council would definitely know if they had a car stolen and would have reported it!
At this point I give up. However it does lead me to wonder what planet that particular operator lives on where she has such a perfect council who know everything that goes on and everyone is a fine upstanding citizen who does their job efficiently and correctly!
I am no Sherlock Holmes but surely it would make sense for whoever was on the original burglary case to check and see if the council
a. Actually picked up the car.
b. Still actually had the car.
c. Got the name of the bloke who booked in the car to see if he has a scrote son/cousin/nephew who he leant/gave/sold the car to who could just be linked to the flaming burglaries!!!
Maybe a long shot but you never know. However it appears bloody unlikely that this will happen because of Ms Control room lady who lives on Planet Perfect!
AAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGHHH!
Thanks for listening!
Ace-T
A couple of weeks ago one afternoon I saw a car with three lads in it parked up and checking out the houses, driving round slowly, stopping etc. (BTW we are in a cul-de-sac so they had no reason to be here). So I took the make, model and number of the car.
A neighbour got burgled during that night along with several other houses in the area. I learned about this the next day and reported the car.
This evening my immediate neighbour called round to say the very same car had driven round slowly again without its lights on. He recognised the car from the number plate and description. So I called it in again and spoke to a very nice lady who (although I did not get an incident no for the last time I called) found the details and said that she would put the car 'out for observation' (I think that was how she put it?) She also told me that one person had been arrested for the burglary. Also that the car was the same one that had been dumped on the cul-de-sac some weeks previously and that the council were supposed to come and pick up (I had seen the dumped car but had not made the connection until she mentioned it).
I naturally assumed that the car had been nicked by these lads before the council could collect.
I then went round all the neighbours to let them know to lock everything up tonight and keep an eye out. The neighbour whose house the car had been dumped outside then said they had seen the council pick the car up!!!
So I think to myself, that doesn't add up. Why would 3 scrotes be checking out houses in a car that was supposed to have been safely in a council pound?
So I call and get put through to the control room again, but this time it is a different story. The woman I speak to does not appear to understand why I am calling so I go through the whole story (at least twice) and she still does not understand that these scrotes should not be in a car that had been picked up by the council. She then says to me that maybe my neighbour needs glasses when I insist that he saw the council pick it up!
I then suggest that maybe it has been nicked from the council but she says categorically that the council would definitely know if they had a car stolen and would have reported it!
At this point I give up. However it does lead me to wonder what planet that particular operator lives on where she has such a perfect council who know everything that goes on and everyone is a fine upstanding citizen who does their job efficiently and correctly!
I am no Sherlock Holmes but surely it would make sense for whoever was on the original burglary case to check and see if the council
a. Actually picked up the car.
b. Still actually had the car.
c. Got the name of the bloke who booked in the car to see if he has a scrote son/cousin/nephew who he leant/gave/sold the car to who could just be linked to the flaming burglaries!!!
Maybe a long shot but you never know. However it appears bloody unlikely that this will happen because of Ms Control room lady who lives on Planet Perfect!
AAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGHHH!
Thanks for listening!
Ace-T
Dwight VanDriver said:
Firstly a round of applause to Ace-t for his actions. Pity there at not more that take such an interest.
Secondly Control Rooms are mainly staffed by Civilians, amongst which are good and bad and the majority do not have the nous of a true Plod to work things out.
DVD
Yes I think Ace-t was quite right to persevere if he felt concerned. All too often people just can't be bothered.
I really don't know all the pros and cons about the Police Control Room systems, but I'm not happy about the way it works in North Yorkshire. While it will no doubt be claimed to have merits in terms of efficiency and economy, I much prefer the idea of being able to ring up a local police station and speak to someone who knows the area, rather than be trying to explain things to a civilian based maybe fifty miles away.
Best wishes all,
Dave.
Slightly off topic but... As a kid one of the local schools was called "Woodside" by the locals and something like st'marys officially. Anyway it starts to burn one night so phone calls go to the control room (One for the entire county), saying that "Woodside school" is on fire. So the controler sends fire engines to the totally wrong school in the wrong 1/2 of the county. The best bit being the school that burnt to the ground was 500yds from the local fire station....
Controlers either need to listen (i'm sure people gave the correct town), or have local knowledge!
Controlers either need to listen (i'm sure people gave the correct town), or have local knowledge!
Dwight VanDriver said:
Firstly a round of applause to Ace-t for his actions. Pity there at not more that take such an interest.
Secondly Control Rooms are mainly staffed by Civilians, amongst which are good and bad and the majority do not have the nous of a true Plod to work things out.
DVD
But you don't need a fully trained Plod to take calls from the public. There wil be good and bad control room operators, and good and bad plod. If that is the case, they need to be sorted or sacked.
We have some very good and some very bad control staff - a mixture of both Police officers and "civilian" staff, and being a PC or Civ doesn't make you bad or good.
My biggest gripe is when you ask the radio despatcher (who is usually separate from the call atker)for some detail about the incident, only to be told "The caller didn't say..."
NO, THE BLOODY CALL TAKER DIDN'T ASK!!!
[/rant]... think swan gliding on water, cool wet grass, swan on water, cool wet grass...
My biggest gripe is when you ask the radio despatcher (who is usually separate from the call atker)for some detail about the incident, only to be told "The caller didn't say..."
NO, THE BLOODY CALL TAKER DIDN'T ASK!!!
[/rant]... think swan gliding on water, cool wet grass, swan on water, cool wet grass...
Dwight VanDriver said:
Firstly a round of applause to Ace-t for his actions. Pity there at not more that take such an interest.
Secondly Control Rooms are mainly staffed by Civilians, amongst which are good and bad and the majority do not have the nous of a true Plod to work things out.
DVD
Yes well done Ace-t I would be glad to have you as a neighbour!
>> Edited by oldred on Friday 8th October 18:10
Thanks for all the support guys.
I keep an eye out because I am utterly fed up with hearing about people being victims of scrotes like the ones who broke into my neighbours house (when he, his wife and kids were upstairs asleep in bed BTW).
Being a woman (thanks for the correction Wedge Girl and no offence taken anyone else
) I would be unable to beat any sense into people like that even if I got the opportunity (I know, you blokes couldn't really either with the nanny state we have now) but it made me feel better knowing that I had done something about it. All the neighbours were really surprised and appreciative too, which was really nice.
So next time anyone is round here and you see curtains twitching it is ME! Big Sister is keeping an eye on YOU!
Ace-T
I keep an eye out because I am utterly fed up with hearing about people being victims of scrotes like the ones who broke into my neighbours house (when he, his wife and kids were upstairs asleep in bed BTW).
Being a woman (thanks for the correction Wedge Girl and no offence taken anyone else
) I would be unable to beat any sense into people like that even if I got the opportunity (I know, you blokes couldn't really either with the nanny state we have now) but it made me feel better knowing that I had done something about it. All the neighbours were really surprised and appreciative too, which was really nice. So next time anyone is round here and you see curtains twitching it is ME! Big Sister is keeping an eye on YOU!
Ace-T
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