Your cards are marked, Sunshine.
Your cards are marked, Sunshine.
Author
Discussion

Louis Balfour

Original Poster:

28,176 posts

251 months

Friday 9th October 2020
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One of our tenants was in prison for something or other a while back. He has just received a caution for assaulting someone (who in fairness had just assaulted him). He was telling me that the police know who he is and cut him no slack.

So, when the police speak to someone about a suspected offence, what information is immediately available to them? Do the police "mark people's cards"?

Peter911

593 posts

186 months

Friday 9th October 2020
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I would hope so.

anonymous-user

83 months

Friday 9th October 2020
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Seems odd to get a caution having had a custodial sentence.

Dealing with people with previous criminal records is everyday 'business' for the police. I wouldn't say a person has their cards 'marked' because of that.

If you know the person's name and DOB (or even rough age) you can usually find out about their previous convictions etc beforehand, and would usually choose to do so.

aponting389

750 posts

207 months

Friday 9th October 2020
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I’ve had something similar before where some prat from the rathkleane caravan club who was threatening me with all sorts of stuff, death included. Told the police and they came round and listened to the calls which I’d recorded. The copper went away and then rang me a few days later to say I’ve looked into this guy and you don’t need to worry about him!

Louis Balfour

Original Poster:

28,176 posts

251 months

Friday 9th October 2020
quotequote all
La Liga said:
Seems odd to get a caution having had a custodial sentence.

Dealing with people with previous criminal records is everyday 'business' for the police. I wouldn't say a person has their cards 'marked' because of that.

If you know the person's name and DOB (or even rough age) you can usually find out about their previous convictions etc beforehand, and would usually choose to do so.
I wonder whether the officers wanted to do him a favour, because he thumped the boyfriend of a girl who had just lamped an officer trying to arrest her. It sounded like something of a melee.

So basically you are saying that if you run a check on a car and it comes up "Louis L Balfour" of 94 Acacia Crescent, it won't also flag up "he's a wrong-un"?



anonymous-user

83 months

Friday 9th October 2020
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Louis Balfour said:
La Liga said:
Seems odd to get a caution having had a custodial sentence.

Dealing with people with previous criminal records is everyday 'business' for the police. I wouldn't say a person has their cards 'marked' because of that.

If you know the person's name and DOB (or even rough age) you can usually find out about their previous convictions etc beforehand, and would usually choose to do so.
I wonder whether the officers wanted to do him a favour, because he thumped the boyfriend of a girl who had just lamped an officer trying to arrest her. It sounded like something of a melee.

So basically you are saying that if you run a check on a car and it comes up "Louis L Balfour" of 94 Acacia Crescent, it won't also flag up "he's a wrong-un"?
There are various ways to search / use police IT systems which contain the history of a person.

If a name is mentioned then the police will usually take the first opportunity to check it for their own safety as much as anything else.

fatboy b

9,665 posts

245 months

Friday 9th October 2020
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Absolutely! My brother was done drink driving years ago. He kept his car insured and put my dad on the insurance to keep it moving about. Dad took his car off the road for a few weeks to do some big jobs so used my brother’s car as a daily. He got pulled 3 times in 2 weeks by plod who apologised when they saw my dad at the wheel.

anonymous-user

83 months

Friday 9th October 2020
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fatboy b said:
Absolutely! My brother was done drink driving years ago. He kept his car insured and put my dad on the insurance to keep it moving about. Dad took his car off the road for a few weeks to do some big jobs so used my brother’s car as a daily. He got pulled 3 times in 2 weeks by plod who apologised when they saw my dad at the wheel.
Probably had a marker on the car's registration plate to suggest possible disqualified driver.

fatboy b

9,665 posts

245 months

Friday 9th October 2020
quotequote all
fatboy b said:
Absolutely! My brother was done drink driving years ago. He kept his car insured and put my dad on the insurance to keep it moving about. Dad took his car off the road for a few weeks to do some big jobs so used my brother’s car as a daily. He got pulled 3 times in 2 weeks by plod who apologised when they saw my dad at the wheel.
Yep. So card is marked.

Dr Jekyll

23,820 posts

290 months

Friday 9th October 2020
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Years ago when I was living in a block of flats and involved with the management company we had a policeman come round to talk about issues we were having with one resident in particular. He said something like 'there is a duty of confidentiality limiting what I can say, which is a pity because there are things it would be useful for you to know'.
It didn't sound like a general comment but something to do with this particular resident, my guess is something illegal likely to be going on in the flat rather than propensity to violence.

LosingGrip

8,851 posts

188 months

Friday 9th October 2020
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If I'm going to a job I'll tend to know all about their history either on the way their or shortly after getting there.

Doesn't change how I deal with them as such, treat everyone the same. However their history my change how I can deal with them.

surveyor

18,690 posts

213 months

Friday 9th October 2020
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Dr Jekyll said:
Years ago when I was living in a block of flats and involved with the management company we had a policeman come round to talk about issues we were having with one resident in particular. He said something like 'there is a duty of confidentiality limiting what I can say, which is a pity because there are things it would be useful for you to know'.
It didn't sound like a general comment but something to do with this particular resident, my guess is something illegal likely to be going on in the flat rather than propensity to violence.
We managed a hmo (not to be repeated) where we were having crime problems.

Asked the police for advice. They suggested we put a big wall up and kept the tenants inside which would improve the local area no end...



anonymous-user

83 months

Friday 9th October 2020
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fatboy b said:
fatboy b said:
Absolutely! My brother was done drink driving years ago. He kept his car insured and put my dad on the insurance to keep it moving about. Dad took his car off the road for a few weeks to do some big jobs so used my brother’s car as a daily. He got pulled 3 times in 2 weeks by plod who apologised when they saw my dad at the wheel.
Yep. So card is marked.
Intelligence on a vehicle during a disqualification period is different to a standard PNC check on someone where the information won’t necessarily raise immediate suspicion.

Sebring440

3,209 posts

125 months

Friday 9th October 2020
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LosingGrip said:
Doesn't change how I deal with them as such, treat everyone the same.
LosingGrip said:
However their history my change how I can deal with them.
So it does change how you deal with them?

Fatball

645 posts

88 months

Friday 9th October 2020
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You deal with them the same as you would anyone else in terms of outcome but take note of their history and any markers so that you can keep yourself and others safe while dealing. Or it may inform you on if they need further help when without it you may make a different decision.

In 12 years I’ve not marked anyone’s cards. I deal with them as I find them. Can’t be arsed getting in to marking cards or being annoyed if the court result doesn’t go the victims way etc.....Do the job, forget about it and go home and enjoy the family.

Bigends

6,155 posts

157 months

Friday 9th October 2020
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Fatball said:
You deal with them the same as you would anyone else in terms of outcome but take note of their history and any markers so that you can keep yourself and others safe while dealing. Or it may inform you on if they need further help when without it you may make a different decision.

In 12 years I’ve not marked anyone’s cards. I deal with them as I find them. Can’t be arsed getting in to marking cards or being annoyed if the court result doesn’t go the victims way etc.....Do the job, forget about it and go home and enjoy the family.
Exactly.

anonymous-user

83 months

Friday 9th October 2020
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Sebring440 said:
So it does change how you deal with them?
It can change the outcome, for example if somebody has a history of theft, certain disposals such as a community resolution or caution are unavailable and only a charge to court is permitted

It doesn't necessarily change how you engage with a person though.

GC8

19,910 posts

219 months

Friday 9th October 2020
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Sebring440 said:
LosingGrip said:
Doesn't change how I deal with them as such, treat everyone the same.
LosingGrip said:
However their history my change how I can deal with them.
So it does change how you deal with them?
I assumed that he mistakenly used the same expression twice. "The treatment that they receive will be the same, but the way that I approach them, talk to and subsequently interact with them may differ".

anonymous-user

83 months

Friday 9th October 2020
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I watched a YouTube video where a traffic officer checked a guys name on the computer and it came up with something like “watch what you say to him because he records it all, edits it to make Police look bad, and then posts it to YouTube”

The officer actually told the guy he pulled that’s what it said about him.

I guess that’s the definition of having your card marked.

xx99xx

3,000 posts

102 months

Friday 9th October 2020
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A guy who lives near me has some sort of 'flag' against his name and address. Any calls to the police that involve his name or address automatically invokes an 8 person response, regardless of the nature of the call. I assume he has violent tendencies.

So yes, the police use intelligence to inform their response and decisions.