News1 min ago
Police with convictions
13 Answers
Does it really matter to you whether serving police officers have spent convictions,would this change the way that they do their job?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7936041.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7936041.stm
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To be fair most of those where minor motoring offences but I am concerned at the 70 odd for violence and 90 odd for dishonesty. Generally people should be given a second chance but not a 3th 4th etc. However it does demonstrate the mind set but often we think of things differently when young and can easily end up with a conviction.
I am not particularly bothered about the1,063 convictions relate to speeding or other motoring offences.
However, the 77 officers that have convictions for violence and the 96 for dishonesty should not be serving Police officers. I consider a police officer with convictions for violence and dishonesty to be untrustworthy and unable to do their jobs properly because any evidence they might present would be in itself suspicious.
However, the 77 officers that have convictions for violence and the 96 for dishonesty should not be serving Police officers. I consider a police officer with convictions for violence and dishonesty to be untrustworthy and unable to do their jobs properly because any evidence they might present would be in itself suspicious.
CAJ1 - they are noticeable by their absence in my town centre especially where the daily drinkers congregate. They drive around in carsoften speeding without blue lights. I have seen police drivers drinking out of bottles whilst driving and one using a mobile in her left hand and pressed to her right ear. They park on pavements blocking them. They find time to investigate cut hedges but ignore reports of burglary.
Incidentally, I have never been in trouble with the law and in 40 odd years of driving I have been stopped once - for a routine check. I've never had so much as a speeding ticket.
I once reported a card fraud - several transactions, different cards, all one address. They were not interested.
It may be the system at fault rather than the individual but my contempt goes to both.
Incidentally, I have never been in trouble with the law and in 40 odd years of driving I have been stopped once - for a routine check. I've never had so much as a speeding ticket.
I once reported a card fraud - several transactions, different cards, all one address. They were not interested.
It may be the system at fault rather than the individual but my contempt goes to both.
sandmaster
A friend of mine works in one of those Cash Converter places. A few weeks ago they apprehended a shoplifter and called the Police. They took two hours to arrive. After being shown CCTV they took charge of the criminal. They had charge of him for about 2 seconds. In the 3 yard distance from the shop door to the police car they managed to let him escape. A police officer persued him for about 5 yards and then gave up. My friend, who is fifty, then took up the chase it and apprehended the young lad for a second time and marched him back to the cops. Foolishly, he said to the fat copper sarcastically "You ought to keep off the chip butties" where upon he got a 15 minute stern lecture off plod who threatened to arrest him (for what, it was never made clear).
A friend of mine works in one of those Cash Converter places. A few weeks ago they apprehended a shoplifter and called the Police. They took two hours to arrive. After being shown CCTV they took charge of the criminal. They had charge of him for about 2 seconds. In the 3 yard distance from the shop door to the police car they managed to let him escape. A police officer persued him for about 5 yards and then gave up. My friend, who is fifty, then took up the chase it and apprehended the young lad for a second time and marched him back to the cops. Foolishly, he said to the fat copper sarcastically "You ought to keep off the chip butties" where upon he got a 15 minute stern lecture off plod who threatened to arrest him (for what, it was never made clear).
Let's get this in perspective: Police Officers would never be kept in the Force had they committed serious criminal offences - rightly so.
What's being referred to in the article and question is the matter of "spent convictions" which would relate to minor misdemeanours. Nobody is talking about murder, rape, paedophilia, armed robbery etc etc.
Police Officers are as human as anyone else in society and just as prone to temptation and error. These human frailties may not necessarily prevent them from carrying out their duties fairly, impartially and honestly even if they themselves have tripped up along the way.
Besides, when all is said and done, the Police are merely servants of society which is itself made up of many disparate individuals, some of whom not only hold down far loftier jobs than that of a Police Officer, but who have been convicted of some despicable offences without prejudice to their livelihood.
What's being referred to in the article and question is the matter of "spent convictions" which would relate to minor misdemeanours. Nobody is talking about murder, rape, paedophilia, armed robbery etc etc.
Police Officers are as human as anyone else in society and just as prone to temptation and error. These human frailties may not necessarily prevent them from carrying out their duties fairly, impartially and honestly even if they themselves have tripped up along the way.
Besides, when all is said and done, the Police are merely servants of society which is itself made up of many disparate individuals, some of whom not only hold down far loftier jobs than that of a Police Officer, but who have been convicted of some despicable offences without prejudice to their livelihood.
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I know, and you know, that coppers are only human. However Law is seen to be totally impartial, coppers are the enforcers of it, and one of the major factors in this is an enforcing line that is seen as having to be impartial. As soon as coppers are seen to be human beings the whole process gets undermined. How do you live and be a copper then? In this day and age, nothing is unnoticed by the papers, quite rightly so, and coppers' 'human' qualities end up being commented upon (normaly misdemeanours) and then seen as proof that the police force is unable to work properly anymore.
Bad coppers need rooting out of the force because if they�re not then we may as well not have a police force. They make us not trust the force as a whole. Unless they are seen as sorting out their own shop they cannot possibly be respected, or trusted to sort out anybody else�s.
Bad coppers need rooting out of the force because if they�re not then we may as well not have a police force. They make us not trust the force as a whole. Unless they are seen as sorting out their own shop they cannot possibly be respected, or trusted to sort out anybody else�s.
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