Have been blogging for a few days now but don't seem to have attracted any readers yet. If anyone should happen across this blog and has some advice I would be very grateful.
I see my blog progressing into a forum to lay out my thoughts on how policing and law and order in general have changed over the years since I have been involved in this strange occupation. One thing that I will comment on today is the increase in workload I have noticed over the years. I have always been quite proactive and much preferred to 'look for my own work' rather than rely on things that other people reported to me. I have often had some good results working this way. If I knew that drug dealers often dealt in a particular area I would patrol that area and often catch them. However I seem unable to work this way nowadays because of a large increase in 'nonsense' jobs.
I think some of the increase must come from the use of mobile phones. (Hey, how about we make the mobile phone companies pay towards policing?) However it also seems to come down to peoples ignorance and intolerance of each other.
I am sick to death of dealing with barking dogs, noisy neighbours, sticking door locks (I kid you not) playground arguments, name calling, abusive text messages, kids playing football, etc etc.
Any crimes I actually get to investigate are often delayed because the radio never stops calling your number.
The answer to this may sound simple. Get the call takers to reject the jobs that should not be dealt with by the police. However certainly in my force, the civilian call takers are given little or no training at all into what constitutes an police job and what doesn't. In practice this can mean that a more serious job could be downgraded and not get an adequate response.
I'm sure if you have had to phone the police recently you will have your own stories to tell, I have an example that I will refer to in the near future.
Anyhow Happy New Year and all the best to you and yours!
© Bob Slot 2006
Sunday 31 December 2006
Thursday 28 December 2006
"Respect Zones" My A**E
The Government yesterday announced ‘Respect Zones’ in which there will be no rowdiness, vandalism and hooliganism. Sounds great, where do I sign? I want a house right in the middle of one of those places. We can all be happy and skip and jump and sing all day!
They will issue more money to the Councils that make best use of ASBO’s. Surely the councils that a really struggling with the worst problems are the ones that need the money? Hey, what do I know?
Personally I think that the cash would be better spent on more prisons and on making sure that offenders are sent to them.
Street Robbery? First Offence? 5 Years minimum!
Burglary, with occupants in the house, 5 Years minimum!
Mandatory sentences, and none of this silly halving of sentences either. You serve what you get!
Come on Government Stop the Silly Spin!!!
It’s time that the public got some well earned rest from the criminals!
© Bob Slot 2006
Wednesday 27 December 2006
Shaggy Police Dog Story
Here is a good one to start you off, Now this could well be an urban myth, but I have a mate who swears it happened to a mate of his, so let's take him at his word shall we...
It concerns the mate of a mate (Let's call him "Jim" to make it simple) Jim was a patrol constable on a beat which contained a rather large and not particularly pleasant council estate. On the day in question he gets a call to an address on the estate to deal with a minor incident.
As he arrives and knocks at the front door he is joined by a rather large and scruffy looking Alsatian dog, the dog joins Jim on the door step and waits to be let in.
The owner of the house opens the door and Jim and the dog enter. It soon becomes apparent that the owner is a rather timid man and appears to have little experience in talking to the police, he looks nervously at Jim as Jim makes notes of his complaint. He also appears to glance at the dog several times in a quite strange and enquiring way. Jim thinks the fellow is a little odd but, then so are a lot of his 'customers'.
The dog by this time has sat in the living room paying equal attention to Jim and the house owner, he soon gets bored of this and starts to chew at the furniture. He has a good gnaw on the dining room chairs then a bit of a chomp on the table. It then crouches down on it's back legs and curls out a massive steaming turd in the middle of the fireside rug!
Jim is totally bewildered that the dog is allowed to do this, the owner looks embarrassed and rather sheepish but does nothing to chastise the dog, which takes a sniff at it's masterpiece then goes to curl up under the table.
Anyway, Jim has finished taking the details, and so taking care not to stand in the poop he bids the owner farewell, as he is walking down the garden path the owner shouts to him
"What about your dog officer?"
I think Jims hearing let him down at this stage!
© Bob Slot 2006
It concerns the mate of a mate (Let's call him "Jim" to make it simple) Jim was a patrol constable on a beat which contained a rather large and not particularly pleasant council estate. On the day in question he gets a call to an address on the estate to deal with a minor incident.
As he arrives and knocks at the front door he is joined by a rather large and scruffy looking Alsatian dog, the dog joins Jim on the door step and waits to be let in.
The owner of the house opens the door and Jim and the dog enter. It soon becomes apparent that the owner is a rather timid man and appears to have little experience in talking to the police, he looks nervously at Jim as Jim makes notes of his complaint. He also appears to glance at the dog several times in a quite strange and enquiring way. Jim thinks the fellow is a little odd but, then so are a lot of his 'customers'.
The dog by this time has sat in the living room paying equal attention to Jim and the house owner, he soon gets bored of this and starts to chew at the furniture. He has a good gnaw on the dining room chairs then a bit of a chomp on the table. It then crouches down on it's back legs and curls out a massive steaming turd in the middle of the fireside rug!
Jim is totally bewildered that the dog is allowed to do this, the owner looks embarrassed and rather sheepish but does nothing to chastise the dog, which takes a sniff at it's masterpiece then goes to curl up under the table.
Anyway, Jim has finished taking the details, and so taking care not to stand in the poop he bids the owner farewell, as he is walking down the garden path the owner shouts to him
"What about your dog officer?"
I think Jims hearing let him down at this stage!
© Bob Slot 2006
A Bobby Slot is not a happy one!
Day 1 !!! Extreme Blogging !!
Sorry, Let me introduce myself. I am Bobby Slot, a Police Officer of some considerable service in a English Police Force.
Inspired by the Excellent PC David Copperfield and his Policemans Blog I thought I would make one of my own. I have no idea how it will take off but will see what happens.
If you haven't visited Daves' Blog here is a link.
http://coppersblog.blogspot.com/
Also well worth a look is his book "Wasting Police Time" It sums up the police service in a comical and insightful way.
Hope you can hang around and enjoy my ramblings, as and when I write them. I shan't be holding back. Only the names will be changed to protect the innocent.
© Bob Slot 2006
Sorry, Let me introduce myself. I am Bobby Slot, a Police Officer of some considerable service in a English Police Force.
Inspired by the Excellent PC David Copperfield and his Policemans Blog I thought I would make one of my own. I have no idea how it will take off but will see what happens.
If you haven't visited Daves' Blog here is a link.
http://coppersblog.blogspot.com/
Also well worth a look is his book "Wasting Police Time" It sums up the police service in a comical and insightful way.
Hope you can hang around and enjoy my ramblings, as and when I write them. I shan't be holding back. Only the names will be changed to protect the innocent.
© Bob Slot 2006
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