Police Code Zero - Ch5

[Frenchda]

Watched this last night.

All about assaults on police officers and all of the "assualters" found guilty. The one thing that I was shocked about was the sentencing. Not one of the convicted assualters was given a custodial sentence, generally a small fine and some form of community service.

I know assault is assault but my old school sensibilities still feel that whacking a copper is crossing a line, one guy actually bit a few officers!

Interestingly the officers that were interviewed expressed some dismay about the sentencing and there being no deterrent.

[GeneralSinn]

This is where the US gets it right imo as they do tend to impose small custodial sentences for attacking police officers (mostly under 14days) but it’s still a good deterrent

[Red 4]

You should watch the previous episodes.

Scum fighting with a police dog and being encouraged to bite the dog's ear off ...

Scum assaulting an officer and nicking the police car ...

Angry scum on a GSX-R stopped for no MOT (very minor offence) and ends up rolling around in the road with the officer ...

2 officers assaulted by a Freeman on the Land type scum ( who was immune to PAVA) in the middle of nowhere ...

I thought the last episode was weak in comparison.

Lots of scum out there ...

[Seight_Returns]

I saw the one Red 4 refers too.

I couldn't believe the biker who viciously attacked and had to be dragged off the traffic cop by MOPs only got a suspended sentence.

I always thought that hitting a police officer got you an automatic custodial - obviously not.

[TheRainMaker]

I'm not often shocked by what I see on TV, but this is a real eye-opener.

Must be demoralizing as a Police Officer to know your life (in financial terms) is worth less than someone doing 25 in a 20.

I think the largest fine last night was only £125.00 the lowest was nothing, it seems crazy to me.

[Red 4]

Seight_Returns said:

I saw the one Red 4 refers too.

I couldn't believe the biker who viciously attacked and had to be dragged off the traffic cop by MOPs only got a suspended sentence.

I always thought that hitting a police officer got you an automatic custodial - obviously not.

I think out of all of the incidents in the programme the only one that resulted in a (short) custodial was the one where the officer was overpowered and the suspect drove off in his car;

Routine stop check, driver arrested sus OPL for drugs, officer assaulted by driver and his brother, arrested driver climbs into front seat of police car and drives off with the officer half hanging out of the passenger door !

Angy GSX-R man was very, er, angy though ( and a complete Muppet ).
He also appealed against his ( non custodial ) sentence. Can you imagine the cheek ?!
He lost.

Edited by Red 4 on Tuesday 14th May 11:00

[un1corn]

TheRainMaker said:

I'm not often shocked by what I see on TV, but this is a real eye-opener.

Must be demoralizing as a Police Officer to know your life (in financial terms) is worth less than someone doing 25 in a 20.

I think the largest fine last night was only £125.00 the lowest was nothing, it seems crazy to me.

And people wonder why a lot of cops don't give a st anymore.

[Coilspring]

Agree with all the points.

Once obstructing, let alone assaulting the police becomes a minor offence, the more it will happen. It needs to be a major offence, more so than most of the reasons the police stop anybody for.

The other comment, do Police not carry batons any more?

[GeneralSinn]

Coilspring said:

Agree with all the points.

Once obstructing, let alone assaulting the police becomes a minor offence, the more it will happen. It needs to be a major offence, more so than most of the reasons the police stop anybody for.

The other comment, do Police not carry batons any more?

I don’t believe they have for a while now

[Tomo1971]

One gets a £400 fine for speeding down an empty motorway (literally no cars for a mile in front), so no danger to anyone except the driver but assault a plod and get a slapped wrist and £125 fine.

[andy118run]

Think that was the third episode of Code Zero. It's an interesting programme and does highlight the dangers of the job - next week looks another interesting one, where 3 or 4 Met officers are stabbed responding to an address.


In November 2018 a new Act of Parliament was passed doubling the maximum jail term for assaults on emergency workers (to one year) but I can't see how this makes any difference when offenders are not getting jail terms anyway.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-46192539

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/circula...

The definition of emergency worker is pretty broad to say the least and I have noticed the occasional prosecution pop up in the local paper but I can't recall any custodial sentences being handed down.

I must admit this is a topic I always follow with interest as I've suffered various assaults in my role (mental health nurse) and the only time one of my assailants has got as far as court he walked away with a conditional discharge/no costs, nothing basically. So I have every sympathy for those officers getting lumped and battered and seeing the perpetrators getting poxy fines/£50 compo etc.

[carinaman]

Tomo1971 said:

One gets a £400 fine for speeding down an empty motorway (literally no cars for a mile in front), so no danger to anyone except the driver but assault a plod and get a slapped wrist and £125 fine.

Yeah. It's bks isn't it.

[gtidriver]

I cant understand how beating the st out of a copper brings in less of a fine than speeding in a car. Id love to chat to the law makers that allow this to happen. The dog biting episode was very sad to watch, the out come would have been very very different in the states.

[Paynewright]

Sentencing is a disgrace - these professionals (police, doctors, nurses et al) put their lives on the line to help society and they deserve more.

The one I saw the scum had cut his hand badly and managed to get blood in the officers mouth then refused to give a blood sample so the officer could rule out catching anything.

[Ken Figenus]

Christ! This increased the heartrate. Felt very sorry for the cops.

None of the cops were arsey or heavy handed - they were professional and measured. Well the Llangefni beefcake jumping on the bonnet was a probably a poor decison and an avoidable injury - all happened a bit quick I guess.

I am incensed by the lack of punishment or any real discouragement via the super lite prosecutions though. Absolutely shocking. The coppers must feel so undervalued and unsupported. Terrible way to treat people who protect us and put themselves in harms way. They seriously need to kick off with this government - well overdue. Its a duty.

Two things still trouble me - I keep thinking that they should be armed. None of this st would happen then - or would it all get worse? I also think that if I had a police dog chewing at the muscle, bones, sinews and ligaments in my right hand I would do everything I could to disable it - gouge its eyes out or wrench its hips outwards. Thats rough for a dog lover and animal rights campaigner to say but my limbs count too. How are they permitted to set animals on people like that?

[Eddieslofart]

Being older, and not always living on the right side of the law, there was an unwritten rule, it was either a ‘fair cop’ where you gave the boys in blue full marks and put your hands up, or they had missed the detail, and you knew you were on a winner. At which point, boys in blue would accept it, with the words ringing, “ we’ll see you soon”

At no point would you consider harming a ‘bobby’ , he was just a man from the other side of the coin feeding his family.

These absolute scumtards that do assault the bib need towing up the road by their bks.

Society needs law and order, these lads and lasses do the sttiest of jobs with minimal appreciation.

I hold them in the highest regard, and consider those that don’t as dogs. In fact, lower than dogs.

[r1flyguy1]

Eddieslofart said:

Being older, and not always living on the right side of the law, there was an unwritten rule, it was either a ‘fair cop’ where you gave the boys in blue full marks and put your hands up, or they had missed the detail, and you knew you were on a winner. At which point, boys in blue would accept it, with the words ringing, “ we’ll see you soon”

At no point would you consider harming a ‘bobby’ , he was just a man from the other side of the coin feeding his family.

These absolute scumtards that do assault the bib need towing up the road by their bks.

Society needs law and order, these lads and lasses do the sttiest of jobs with minimal appreciation.

I hold them in the highest regard, and consider those that don’t as dogs. In fact, lower than dogs.

I applaud your post. Respect where respect is due.

[Greendubber]

GeneralSinn said:

Coilspring said:

Agree with all the points.

Once obstructing, let alone assaulting the police becomes a minor offence, the more it will happen. It needs to be a major offence, more so than most of the reasons the police stop anybody for.

The other comment, do Police not carry batons any more?

I don’t believe they have for a while now

Batons are carried. Most cops have a baton, cuffs and PAVA or some kind of incapacitant spray. Tasers are being rolled out more and more now too.

[Uppy89]

I have been truly shocked by some of the "punishments" handed out for some of these assaults. Some of these officers have been quite rightly very shaken up by these events and left with some pretty nasty injuries and they are fined what is a fairly pathetic amount. When you sign up for the job, you know at times you are going to be putting yourself into danger but you would then also expect the judiciary system to act accordingly when an incident does occur.

When those people who chose to assault those who are there to protect us get away with their crime so lightly, it sets a dangerous precedent...

Ken Figenus said:

I also think that if I had a police dog chewing at the muscle, bones, sinews and ligaments in my right hand I would do everything I could to disable it - gouge its eyes out or wrench its hips outwards. Thats rough for a dog lover and animal rights campaigner to say but my limbs count too. How are they permitted to set animals on people like that?

Police dogs are trained so that if you stand/lie still and are compliant then they will make an awful lot of noise but not bite. These are the same dogs that will help find missing people etc. Also, if their handler tells them to release then they will do. As he was still fighting, he is going to carry on being bitten.

Stand still and do what you are told and you will be fine.

[Greendubber]

You start fighting with a police dog and you'll have a police dog handler kicking the st out of you as well as his/her dog.

Probably best not to ignore the numerous commands to stop running, stop fighting or show yourself. Being bitten by a police dog is optional and entirely avoidable.

As for the comment asking how the police can be allowed to set dogs on people, it's no different to any other use of force. The dog is just another tool.