Wishy washy policing

[Chippy_boy]

Not sure where this rant belongs so I am starting a thread.

I am sick and tired of the wishy-washy claptrap coming out of the mouths of our senior police officers in the face of blatant and flagrant law-breaking. Every time we here phrases such as "We urge the public to act responsibly", "Ask people to follow the guidelines" or "We're impressed at how the public have worked with us during this pandemic". Urge? Ask? Worked with??? WTF are they talking about.

Like most of you I am sure, I am tired of the COVID-19 restrictions and the impact its had upon our daily lives. I yearn for a return to the pub, to meeting friends, to holiday, to footy games. But also like most of you, I have followed the rules because I understand its important, not just for my safety but so that I don't inadvertently and unknowingly infect and possibly kill someone else.

So it absolutely makes my blood boils when I see people who don't give a toss, just doing what they like and breaking the rules. Not only is this a 2-finger salute to the rest of us, it increases spread of infection, raises the risks of new variants, prolongs the duration of disruption to all of our lives. It is in short, cuntish behaviour.

The response to such cuntish behaviour should not be "We ask members of the public to act responsibly". It should be "We require", or "We instruct", "We mandate". And not "Follow guidelines" either. "Obey the law".

I'd like to see Chief Constables making it very clear that their forces REQUIRE people to OBEY THE LAW or face arrest and criminal prosecution. Not this "work with us" bollocks. For FAR too many people in this country, the law seems to be a loose set of guidelines to be followed or ignored as you wish, without any consequence. This has to change. Not just with respect to COVID, but generally. We've slumped to dismal level of lack of respect, lack of personal responsibility and we need to get back some semblence of common decency, so we are not leaving tons of litter in parks for example. We need to start spelling out the RULES clearly and start enforcing them more rigorously. No more of this "Have a word" and "educate" bullshit. We need arrests, fines and punishments. And many, many, many more of them. The twats need to begin to realise that the law is not an optional thing they can ignore with impunity.

 

[Nightmare Walking]

Not sure where this rant belongs so I am starting a thread.

I am sick and tired of the wishy-washy claptrap coming out of the mouths of our senior police officers in the face of blatant and flagrant law-breaking. Every time we here phrases such as "We urge the public to act responsibly", "Ask people to follow the guidelines" or "We're impressed at how the public have worked with us during this pandemic". Urge? Ask? Worked with??? WTF are they talking about.

Like most of you I am sure, I am tired of the COVID-19 restrictions and the impact its had upon our daily lives. I yearn for a return to the pub, to meeting friends, to holiday, to footy games. But also like most of you, I have followed the rules because I understand its important, not just for my safety but so that I don't inadvertently and unknowingly infect and possibly kill someone else.

So it absolutely makes my blood boils when I see people who don't give a toss, just doing what they like and breaking the rules. Not only is this a 2-finger salute to the rest of us, it increases spread of infection, raises the risks of new variants, prolongs the duration of disruption to all of our lives. It is in short, cuntish behaviour.

The response to such cuntish behaviour should not be "We ask members of the public to act responsibly". It should be "We require", or "We instruct", "We mandate". And not "Follow guidelines" either. "Obey the law".

I'd like to see Chief Constables making it very clear that their forces REQUIRE people to OBEY THE LAW or face arrest and criminal prosecution. Not this "work with us" bollocks. For FAR too many people in this country, the law seems to be a loose set of guidelines to be followed or ignored as you wish, without any consequence. This has to change. Not just with respect to COVID, but generally. We've slumped to dismal level of lack of respect, lack of personal responsibility and we need to get back some semblence of common decency, so we are not leaving tons of litter in parks for example. We need to start spelling out the RULES clearly and start enforcing them more rigorously. No more of this "Have a word" and "educate" bullshit. We need arrests, fines and punishments.

We don't live in China and it's not a police state.

 

[Chippy_boy]

We don't live in China and it's not a police state.

WTF has China and police states got to do with the price of bread. The law is not a set of optional guidelines. Is it unreasonable to ask the police to uphold it? No, it is not.

It's crap thinking like yours which has got us into this lawless mess.

 

[Nightmare Walking]

WTF has China and police states got to do with the price of bread. The law is not a set of optional guidelines. Is it unreasonable to ask the police to uphold it? No, it is not.

It's crap thinking like yours which has got us into this lawless mess.

What lawless mess? You sound like an old man shouting at a cloud.

What's courts do you want us to put all these criminals through, which prisons are they going in. What laws have actually been broken?

 

[Chippy_boy]

What lawless mess? You sound like an old man shouting at a cloud.

What's courts do you want us to put all these criminals through, which prisons are they going in. What laws have actually been broken?

I'll reply courteously and sensibly although the temptation to rant further is enormous, given the er "surprising lack of awareness" you demonstrate.

It is illegal to meet in groups of more than 6. It is illegal for members of 3 or more households to meet. It is illegal to drop litter in a public place. These are not guidelines, they are laws of the land.

We do not need to put people through courts, we can issue on the spot fines. Something we do not do anything like enough.

As an aside, lack of courtroom or prison bandwidth can not be an excuse for allowing lawlessness. If we need to spend more on police, the judicial system and prisons then we should do so.

And it's about the messaging. Police should not be "encouraging" and "asking nicely". They should be reminding the public of the laws that must be followed.

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

If the police were at the top of the 'law enforcement' pyramid I would join in with any rant about the piss-poor approach to the law, but we have a few more layers over the top who consistently decide that the best approach is 'not to bother'! - CPS, lawyers, 'n our guardians of public security, the politicos!

 

[bluemoon32]

If we need to spend more on police, the judicial system and prisons then we should do so.

There's your problem

 

[Chippy_boy]

If the police were at the top of the 'law enforcement' pyramid I would join in with any rant about the piss-poor approach to the law, but we have a few more layers over the top who consistently decide that the best approach is 'not to bother'! - CPS, lawyers, 'n our guardians of public security, the politicos!

Fair enough. Get them in the firing line as well.

We clearly value personal freedoms greatly in this country, which is admirable. But with personal freedom comes responsibility and if people refuse to act responsibly, then the personal freedoms need to be reigned in until they do. We've become far, far too soft for fear of offending possible voters.

 

[Chippy_boy]

There's your problem

Needs sorting doesn't it. I mentioned in another thread, if it needs another 1p or 2p on income tax, so be it. But as I say, it's also about the messages being put out. The police constantly position things as a polite request. This is not appropriate, IMO, when we should be requiring people to obey the law.

 

[Nightmare Walking]

I'll reply courteously and sensibly although the temptation to rant further is enormous, given the er "surprising lack of awareness" you demonstrate.

It is illegal to meet in groups of more than 6. It is illegal for members of 3 or more households to meet. It is illegal to drop litter in a public place. These are not guidelines, they are laws of the land.

We do not need to put people through courts, we can issue on the spot fines. As an aside, lack of courtroom or prison bandwidth can not be an excuse for allowing lawlessness. If we need to spend more on police, the judicial system and prisons then we should do so.

You keep ranting if it makes you feel better, get it all out.

Have you never done anything wrong in your life? Are you totally perfect? Your first rant was suggesting criminal prosecution for what amounts to kids, sitting in the park, having a few beers, after being locked away for 12 months. There is zero scientific evidence to suggest what most of these kids have done, will exacerbate the spread of the virus to any serious degree. So you want to ruin these kids for the rest of their lives, stop them getting good jobs, just because they sat on the grass and had a beer.
Yes there has been a few pissed up dickheads and they deserve apprehending. But you have absolutely no idea whether all these people are adhering to the rule of 6. There may be not much social distancing going on, but A) there is none in Asda, B) I would not believe any picture in the paper.

Now I realise everyone is at the end of their tether and getting a bit agitated. I say this as someone who has spent 6 of the last 12 months, sat on my own at home, as I am clinically vulnerable. Try doing that and being really ill as well, which I have been. Believe me, it's not great for your faculties.

What I do not want to see is us making criminals out of young kids and ruining their entire lives. Most of them are not even behaving badly, it's a few pissed up goons.

You need to get down off your high horse and have a think. Situations like these are not black and white.

The rubbish issue, I do actually agree with you, fine them if they are caught. Your other Draconian ideas are not only stupid, but totally unrealistic. The police marching in with heavy handed tactics would just escalate the problem. What you need is calm and sensible policing, not coppers dispersing the crowds with batons and C's gas.