Do the Police Suck? Share bad (and possible good) Experiences

coinxoperated

Dqvvx wrote: »

The police do a good enough job, but they are overpaid. Most should earn minimum wage, maybe with an annual xmas bonus.

Would you do what they do for minimum wage? Putting yourself in danger?

I know I wouldn't!!!! I would want BIG pay for it! I personally don't think they are paid enough!

SailorSam

When i first started on the Cabs if ever i had a problem with a fare i'd get on the radio for help but soon learnt the Police were useless. But one time i remember a copper going that extra step to help.
I'd picked up a gang of lads who got out one-by-one, the last one left in was drunk and asleep they'd told me the street he lived but not the number and i couldn't wake him. I went the local nick and the desk bobby came out, he kept squeezing the lads nose until he couldn't breath and woke up, then tried to find out where he lived. But the lad was so drunk he just fell asleep again. The copper said he'd lock him up for the night for his own safety. I asked about my money expecting to be told nothing i could do but come back when he's sober, but the copper took £5 out of the fellas pocket and handed it to me. I don't think many would have done that.
Another time a fare i had was in a wheelchair and decided he had no money, obviously he couldn't run, the Police station was only around the corner so i went for help and was told "but he's in a wheelchair". So that means he needn't pay does it. It was about £10 fare so i took him back to where he got in then threw him out, then got on the radio to make sure that nobody else would pick him up.

Nilrem

Dqvvx wrote: »

The police do a good enough job, but they are overpaid. Most should earn minimum wage, maybe with an annual xmas bonus.

I'm not sure if you're being serious there given the utter **** they have to put up with most days.
If anything a lot of them are underpaid and it's going to get worse (apparently under the new proposals if officers spend time in court rather than on their normal shifts it could end up costing them.

I want officers who are paid a decent wage so that we can hopefully get, and keep good police officers and not the dregs (whilst the good ones go off and get paid more for easier jobs).

Most of the officers I've had dealings with have been pretty good, however a lot of the complaints I see people making about them are more to do with policies and staffing than the officers themselves - things like the police not attending non violent/non urrgent stuff is generally because there aren't that many on duty for many areas for long periods of time (IIRC my town has about 4 officers at night, for about 40k people), so anything that isn't life threatening/urgent tends to get low priority.

Nilrem

Dqvvx wrote: »

No, I wouldn't do what they do for minimum wage.

Being a police officer is a vocation, you should not be in it for the money. Why don't we save ourselves some taxes and pay them less?

Even better, why not pay teachers and surgeons minumum wage as well, after all they're vocations.

That is one of the silliest arguments I've heard in a long time, being an officer may be a vocation, but it should also pay a wage that reflects the cost of living, their duties and risks.
I don't know about anyone else, but I'd like the police to be good at their job and have a working knowledge of the law as it applies to the job, and encourages them to stay in the job long enough to gain the experience to be good at it.
Not something that doesn't pay the rent (yay for encouraging corruption because the job doesn't pay ****), and they'll drop at the first time the local Sainsbury's gets an opening as a shelf stacker at night (paying more than minimum wage), or needs a security guard.

Nilrem

Dqvvx wrote: »

So? They choose to do the job, some see it as a calling. Many would happily do it for crap money, so why not let them?

There are plenty of other professions, which are low paid, where the staff put up with !!!!.

Because I want a professional police force?
Not an amateur police farce?

Also your idea would probably see a huge rise in corruption, as is seen in many countries where being a police officer (or other public official) pays ****.

I would also question the number of other professions where the job pays really poorly but you're at risk of getting stabbed, shot, beaten up every time you go on duty, and where you're not allowed to strike, have no legal choice to say "no" when your boss decides that you have to work an extra shift (or have to stay on for hours after your shift should have ended with no notice).
Where you can be ordered into a potentially very violent situation with little or no protective gear (because it gives the wrong image).
Where your holiday plans can be cancelled by your boss at the drop of a hat if he decides he needs you (again with little or no compensation).
Where your legal rights in regards to rest breaks, and time off between working shifts are worthless.
Where you can be disciplined for not attending a call fast enough, but also prosecuted for any thing that goes wrong whilst you attempt to reach the call in time.
Where you can do what your training has told you to do in situations, but be pilloried in the press because it looks bad on camera, or prosecuted if it goes wrong at all.

dacouch

Nilrem wrote: »

Because I want a professional police force?
Not an amateur police farce?

Also your idea would probably see a huge rise in corruption, as is seen in many countries where being a police officer (or other public official) pays ****.

I would also question the number of other professions where the job pays really poorly but you're at risk of getting stabbed, shot, beaten up every time you go on duty, and where you're not allowed to strike, have no legal choice to say "no" when your boss decides that you have to work an extra shift (or have to stay on for hours after your shift should have ended with no notice).
Where you can be ordered into a potentially very violent situation with little or no protective gear (because it gives the wrong image).
Where your holiday plans can be cancelled by your boss at the drop of a hat if he decides he needs you (again with little or no compensation).


Where your legal rights in regards to rest breaks, and time off between working shifts are worthless.
Where you can be disciplined for not attending a call fast enough, but also prosecuted for any thing that goes wrong whilst you attempt to reach the call in time.
Where you can do what your training has told you to do in situations, but be pilloried in the press because it looks bad on camera, or prosecuted if it goes wrong at all.

The second paragraph would apply to lots and lots of other jobs

You forget to include talk down to people.

Anyway Army and they get paid less

rachhh

hippygran wrote: »

Not if you live in Stafford!

I've been getting treated at Stafford Hospital for over 10 years now, with a visit every few months... definitely not as bad as it's made out to be.

antrobus

Dqvvx wrote: »

..., will work in factories.

Only if they're prepared to move to China.:)

oily_rag

dacouch wrote: »

The second paragraph would apply to lots and lots of other jobs

You forget to include talk down to people.

Anyway Army and they get paid less

They do seem to enjoy that part of the job just a bit too much in my opinion.

Gavin83

Dqvvx wrote: »

We'd get the same standard of people and the treasury would be an awful lot better off.

I completely disagree.

While the 'love of the job' does apply people still have to live and have their own reasonable expectations. There is no point doing a job that requires extensive training, long hours or serious danger when you could earn more doing a much easier job. I'm not sure what police earn but I'd say around 30k should be the standard for a qualified police officer, obviously increasing with rank and specialities.

Same applies to doctors, there is no way people would go through the massive costs of university and 7+ years of education were they to only earn minimum wage at the end. However doctors are a slightly different scenario as most don't earn large amounts of money until they enter the private healthcare sector.

Make no mistake if you were to reduce the salary of the police to minimum wage we would have a serious shortage. It's not possible to support a family long term on that kind of wage. Minimum wage has it's place but it should apply to the police force.

I do however think there are many faults in the police force which need rectifying.