General Discussion
The named examples provided in that story are a tad misleading though aren't they, as they all relate to ex-officers.
It may be that a lot of those who haven't been sacked were convicted of trivial offences such as, oh I don't know, parking crimes (tongue in cheek again). It's a shame though that the offences for those that are still officers aren't all individually listed so that we can make a more informed understanding of the scale. Did the story state how many police / PCSOs there are in total? Far less than there used to be but again it would be interesting to know in order to get a sense of proportion.
I'm quite surprised that some officers were actually sacked. I thought the usual procedure was to let them quietly resign or take medical retirement, whilst retaining their pensions rights.
You really live up to your name oursoul, click the link and read the story and then make you comments.
The cops pounding the beat who are convicted criminals: More than 300 who have committed offences including sex attacks and violence are still serving
- More than 300 police officers are still walking the beat despite convictions
- Offences include sex attacks, violence, drug possession and child porn
Among them are several senior officers, including a chief inspector, a detective chief superintendent and two sergeants.
Separate figures show at least 295 police officers and PCSOs with convictions are serving with forces, potentially at odds with guidelines that insist on ‘proven integrity’.
The statistics may be the tip of the iceberg as only 25 out of 45 forces responded to requests for details under freedom of information laws.
User4539, why are you being so aggressive? There's really no need for it.
I did read the story before I posted, which is why I made the comments that I did. Your copy and paste doesn't answer those points, maybe it's another one of your "misunderstandings"?
1. I stated that it would be interesting to see the full list of offences (and how many of each one).
2. I asked how many police and PCSOs there are IN TOTAL. Altogether. Throughout the country.
You asked ------ 2) how many police and PCSOs there are IN TOTAL. Altogether. Throughout the country.
The article states------ The statistics may be the tip of the iceberg as only 25 out of 45 forces responded to requests for details under freedom of information laws.
Your copy and paste doesn't answer those points, maybe it's another one of your "misunderstandings"
How can I answer number 1) if it is not included in the article
I give up. I didn't expect you personally to know, hence me failing to understand the need for your aggression and why you posted the subsequent irrelevant copy and paste. I was pointing out that it would be interesting to know in order to gain a sense of perspective/proportion. Thank you anyway.
A quick Google has satisfied my curiosity re police numbers at least. Apparently there are 43 police forces in England & Wales (not sure who the additional two are that the article suggests), with a total of approx 158,000 officers, PCSOs and Special Constables. That info provides me with the sense of perspective that I needed. And the reassurance too.
There are dodgy people in all walks of life, perhaps we've been too trusting of human nature in expecting more from certain professions.
That's very true Netiquette. The percentage is 0.189, and we don't know what the full list of offences is, and how many were convicted of each offence. As I pondered earlier, it could be that the vast majority are trivial and that the extreme ones are an even smaller percentage. Or it could be the other way round, who knows?
Doesn't surprise me.
PTSD is now recognised in the military.
How many Police Officers see/experience similar trauma on a weekly basis?
Offences get dealt with but this is usually taken into account.
I wouldn't want to be an officer these days.
The Police Service still has my full support and I can't see anything changing that.
So we are expected to excuse out-an-out crimininality in the police force because of supposed PTSD? Doesn't wash with me.
Have you ever:
Been to a fatal traffic accident and then walked up the path to tell the next of kin that their loved one is dead?
Have you been confronted by someone with a knife who wants to stab you and you have a gun but your orders prevent you from using it?
Have you ever been to the scene of a murder where a machete was used to look for a murder weapon and whilst doing so have to pick up chunks of flesh, fingers, ears, parts of lips that have been hacked off during the attack and still continue your job until you find the murder weapon?
Have you been to the post-mortem of a child that was your next door neighbour and then within a week had to do the same for another child?
Have you attended a traffic accident where two people have been killed but you know that they went out as a threesome? You try to confirm the whereabouts of the 3rd person without success - but you keep trying. Then as the sun comes up you see him; 10 feet above the ground in a tree; dead; 25 feet from the car?
Have you ever looked for a missing child after your shift finished until you are sent home because you are no longer an asset?
Have you ever crawled under a vehicle that has fallen off a motorway bridge and killed one person. The other is still in there; upside down; with broken shoulders and possibly neck. But because that person is scared and there is diesel and fluids all around them you have to go in?
Have you ever dealt with someone so unstable that they believe that they killed General Franco with a spin dryer?
Have you ever gone to work in the morning not knowing what is going to happen but knowing that some of it is going to affect you for the rest of your life?
Do you really believe that this kind of stuff is not going to affect your behaviour in the future?
If I was you I'd thank God - if you have one (I don't!) - or thank the people who do this....and also thank your lucky stars that there are people who do so that you don't have to.
I don't think any of us doubt for a second the difficult job some police officers do some of the time and I am sure we would all hope that proper support is put in place. However, it is the seriousness of some of the offences committed and the fact that those officers are still employed in trusted positions that should be of concern to all of us.
What about Doctors, Nurses, Firemen,Postman,Priest's all people we trust there are bad apples in every profession we have nurses who have killed patients and doctors who have committed sexual offences and priests who are still in post after causing untold misery to children do i need to go on.
What has the owners of the Daily Mail got to do with criminal coppers getting off lightly, or not even prosecuted at all?
Oh hello Burnside. My comment was an addendum to Leatash's post about there being bad apples in every profession. Have a nice day.
I agree leatash and the law should apply equally whatever the job or profession. If prosecuted, doctors, nurses , teachers etc are struck off their professional registers so they cannot work in that profession again. This does not appear to be the case when it comes to police prosecuting their own.
Are there not Doctors, Teachers, Priests, etc still in post after commiting offences that have been dealt with internally of course there are, and yes other professions look after there own we may not like it and i don't but that's the world we live in.
@leatash, don't want to argue just putting forward a viewpoint but..........how do you know there are doctors, teachers etc who have committed serious offences that have been dealt with internally? the only area i don't refer to is that of the clergy as that area is well documented.
Just a small but pertinent correction to Margaret's (and plenty of other people's) misunderstanding about how these things work. The police don't prosecute anybody - that's the role of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
So, Mrs C, are you accusing the past and present owners of the Daily Mail of committing serious crimes which have gone unpunished, because I am struggling to see the link between the newspaper and this thread.
Of course I'm not accusing them of committing serious crimes which have gone unpunished! The thread isn't about unpunished crimes! They are guilty though of committing crimes that have been punished.
That said, going back to the rise of fascism in Germany and the Daily Mail's support of Hitler and Oswald Moseley might be considered by some as being an unpunished crime.
I'm still not clear what crimes you are referring to. But then this was always about the Mail and it's support of Mosley wasn't it?
It wasn't a misunderstanding just didn't think going into such precise detail on this site was essential! I'm sure we all know what the CPS do!
