When will someone hear?
Hooray, yet more press about the fact that police officers are spending one-eighth of their time "on the beat".
I could rant about this topic for hours, the alternative being that I succumb to the fact that the press, public and government seem totally utterly unable to grasp two crucial facts about policing:
I could rant about this topic for hours, the alternative being that I succumb to the fact that the press, public and government seem totally utterly unable to grasp two crucial facts about policing:
- Being "on the beat" is not some kind of panacaea of all evil. There's more to do than just kick police officers all out of the nick.
- It isn't "paperwork" that is the problem. It is bureaucracy, faux-accountability and endless hours of time wasted carrying out lengthy tasks to tick boxes and cover backs.
On "paperwork", yes, it is lengthy to spend four hours taking a witness statement for a robbery, covering 12 pages with illegible scrawl. Yes, PC Copperfield can tell us about how the process is far swifter in Canada, and yes there are ways we could cut this down. But the fact is, most police officers I know don't mind spending four hours writing out a witness statement for a job with a genuine victim and a good chance of a successful prosecution. Witness statements are seen as the nuts and bolts of a good investigation and we don't mind doing long and detailed ones when they are warranted.
What we DO mind is writing out a 12 page illegible witness statement for a job that is never going to see the inside of a police interview room, let alone a courtroom. We DO mind filling out files for CPS that we know are going to get dropped for lack of evidence, because there just wasn't any evidence to gather. We mind very much spending whole shifts chasing down every last witness to an assault in a crowded pub, when none of the victims want us to bother and no one was badly hurt anyway.
Other things police officers mind include:
When I read articles like the above about how the police spend their time, yet again seeing the phrases "on the beat" and "paperwork" sprayed throughout it, I despair that the message will never really get across. It's almost a plaudit to this government that they've successfully made 21st Century Policing so complicated that nobody can actually understand what's wrong with it.
Good people are going mad trying to do the right thing with the wrong tools. The whole thing is rotten to its core.
What we DO mind is writing out a 12 page illegible witness statement for a job that is never going to see the inside of a police interview room, let alone a courtroom. We DO mind filling out files for CPS that we know are going to get dropped for lack of evidence, because there just wasn't any evidence to gather. We mind very much spending whole shifts chasing down every last witness to an assault in a crowded pub, when none of the victims want us to bother and no one was badly hurt anyway.
Other things police officers mind include:
- spending two hours waiting to book a prisoner into custody whom we only arrested because someone in the Senior Management Team saw a crime with a named suspect and thought we could squeeze a detection out of it, when we know from the start that we can't.
- arresting people for crimes where "racism" or "religious hatred" is involved when if neither had been mentioned we wouldn't have bothered and in either case there is the same chance of ever getting the case to court.
- having to "no-crime" half the incidents we attend because the caller was lying, wasting our time or had changed their mind about reporting it by the time we arrived, with the option of telling them to shut up and go away having been stripped away from us.
- prosecuting kids for being kids because the crime is "on the system" and a named offender is a named offender at any age.
When I read articles like the above about how the police spend their time, yet again seeing the phrases "on the beat" and "paperwork" sprayed throughout it, I despair that the message will never really get across. It's almost a plaudit to this government that they've successfully made 21st Century Policing so complicated that nobody can actually understand what's wrong with it.
Good people are going mad trying to do the right thing with the wrong tools. The whole thing is rotten to its core.
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'Diary of an On-Call Girl' is available in some bookstores and online.
posted by PC Bloggs at 22:35
28 Comments:
HALLELUJAH Bloggsy! You tell 'em, because you too are "the expert".
The whole thing IS rotten to its core, and its core is GOVERNMENT, office dwelling policy makers, and a few rotten apples within the Judiciary [and elsewhere] and the twisted, self serving manipulation of the system that has been an historical problem.
Perhaps "they" will listen if the cops take to the streets again and march on downing street, like they did over the police pay betrayal.
It's NOW or NEVER, to change this insult to the people of this country, which pretends to be the system of Law, Order and "Justice".
MTM
17 February, 2009 01:18
100% correct.
Paperwork is the very least of our worries. Rather it is our organisational mentality that is completely f*cked, which affects everything else. It's like trying to cure a gangrenous arm by amputating a finger.
17 February, 2009 08:14
Ditto. If a hundred yards of paperwork actually gave you a six foot result that would do nicely. But when the results are measured in inches or, as was accurately cited by WPc Bloggs and PC Pinkstone, the CPS don't even bother to get the tape measure out or the `targets` are all wrong, then there really is no point. The silent, law abiding majority of good people the police really really would like to serve reasonably well, are the losers in this farcical situation. Can we start again, please?
17 February, 2009 10:20
It is difficult to share the unconvincing view that police are "rotten to the core". Immediately confounding the statement is community knowledge of very able, committed and hard working officers. Unfortunately (and here comes the brick), these high quality officers share the same uniform and pay with foul mouthed gadflies wreaking havoc through misuse of power, incompetence or indifference. This raises fundamental issues concerned with quality recruitment and ongoing management.
An equal number of shirkers pursue second incomes, enjoying the highest rates of absenteeism whilst causing internal dissent. It all adds to the growing weight of public dissatisfaction. Such influences corrupt any large organisation. In the case of police and CPS, lack of accountability inhibits normal public counter challenge, so a real prospect of en masse resistance simmers in the background.
It is not hard to envisage that internal bureaucracy, created by remote malignant sources, also strangles the honest cop whilst serving little public benefit. On the other hand, Freemasonry within police and CPS has more to answer for the freefall in public confidence than any paperwork or Blunkett proposal.
"Rotten to the core" is unduly harsh. I prefer to think of poor detection and conviction rates, police misconduct and police absence from the streets, as a drunken party in twilight hours. My prediction is that angry hosts will demand the departure of many 'guests' and inevitable restructuring of the invitation list.
17 February, 2009 11:09
As long as the drunken party blacklist will include the banking fraternity. Having had the equivalent of this country's entire defence budget injected into their lacklustre veins, they then use that very money to pay out `bonuses`. When you read this sort of thing on the same day as another of our young soldiers leaves this earth on a foreign parched field, these banker types seem more like a host of chronic alcoholics being given liver transplants so they can continue to go out on the piss. PS I am not a freemason, but then again this post is `anon`.
17 February, 2009 12:06
About 10 years ago, I had to make a statement in regard to a fraud being committed against my flatmate of the time. That involved sitting with a PC whilst she slowly typed it into an aged PC with two fingers. After an agonising 10 minutes, and figuring it would take 3 hours to complete it at that rate, I convinced her to move aside and I bashed out a statement at 80 words a minute in no time flat. She made sure it was written in "police-ese" and that was it - all I had to do was copy the syle and wording that she'd used in the first 2 paragraphs. All over in 20 minutes.
Two years ago, I had to make another statement after a crash. The rules had changed, and this time, it had to be labouriously written out in long hand in the PC's notebook, even though we were sitting in a station surrounded by computers. She then had to type that up, which took forever, and she was so angry at the whole thing, she rebuffed my offer of performing as her secretary in order to get it over and done with more quickly.
Result - a shorter statement took 6 times as long to produce, and drove both of us nuts.
As a civvie, I can completely understand where you are coming from.
17 February, 2009 13:48
How many police officers are even "beat" officers to start with. I get the impression many have got themselves 9-5 desks and don't actually respond to crime at all.
A friend of mine claims to be snuggled up in a "cosy little intelligence unit" in the Met. I don't know what he actually does but I suspect he's a keyboard warrior.
The real problem may be too officers in non-response positions rather than response officers having too much paperwork.
17 February, 2009 16:26
Nice one, Ellie. We reckon that there can't be more than 500 of us on the street at any one time (MPS - 32 boroughs, 15 bods max - you do the maths). Having said that, it takes us no more than an hour once the prisoner is booked in (which isn't usually too bad where I am) to put a file together for CPU (case progression unit)(that's if there's one on!). We have an Evidence & Actions Book (EAB, natch) that all the evidence goes in. It's pretty good. A couple of MG's and a custody front sheet and Bob's your uncle. Does it take our county friends longer? Be interested to know.
Oh - and I see that "Ms" Berry smoothed her way into a cushy number. Not bad on top of a CI's pension. Let's hope that she can do at least a modicum of good.
Oh, again - nice one Melv! She ddin't mean that we were rotten to the core (at least I hope she didn't! :o)
17 February, 2009 16:43
Ever since the introduction of the CPS and the take over of the job by civvies we have seen a horrendous in bureacracy for its own sake.No one minds spending hours and hours putting together a good file for a good job but most of it now is just number crunching.
Ellie-thank you for the "words of advice" re "Lynne"-I am always willing to get feedback.
17 February, 2009 16:54
So eloquently put Ellie, excellent stuff.
On the paperwork front we have a bureacracy reduction task force thingy on at work at the moment. There's some guff going on about longer MG5s = less paperwork or summat??!! I was delighted to see that we had a gloal email the other day stating that if we are dealing with acquisitive crime then we will not get any CPS advice unless there is an MG17 on the file. Less paperwork anyone?
17 February, 2009 18:38
The only way to get coppers out of offices and onto the street is to introduce a shift allowance, shift worker to get 25% more and [pc] office workers 25% less. And think of the money saved on less shiny arsed trousers.
17 February, 2009 19:58
Bloggsy - Very, very well said.
17 February, 2009 20:34
Dr Mel T Gray....I really cannot see how you managed to misunderstand the meaning of Ellie's post! It is quite clear that Ellie didn't mean that the police were "rotten to the core". No need to be so defensive Mel....
take deep, deep breaths...and CHILL
18 February, 2009 01:05
The trouble with policing, is that in every aspect of it now, we have to be accountable, which means more paperwork for scrutiny, targets to be met and boxes to be ticked.
Until this target led mentality changes and common sense prevails, we are all going to hell in a handcart.
BULLSEYE
WESTYORKSHIREPOLICE.BLOGSPOT.COM
18 February, 2009 11:23
"Dr" Melvin enjoys deliberately misunderstanding things and commenting as it suits him...
I'll say more or less the same thing i said on gadgets blog the other day: Do you really, honestly expect a return to common sense policing now? We're in a deep hole and nobody's stopped digging yet, let alone looked around for a ladder!
18 February, 2009 21:44
I started in the job about the same week that the CPS was created. The mantra being quoted then was a 'reduction in police paperwork'. It been trotted out about every two years ever since but nothing changes. Bloggsy et al have it exactly right. It's not the paperwork associated with a decent prisoner that's the problem, it's the vast mountain of beaurocracy that exists for no other reason than to 'cover the Force's (AKA Senior Officers')arse'.Because if there's no paperwork trail they might actually have to make an effort to know what's going on.
We have an HMIC inspection coming up and suddenly we are having to create reams and reams of paperwork to 'evidence' the few bits left that aren't already recorded because it's not acceptable for them to take our word for it. HMIC won't be recommending any reduction in the beaurocracy because otherwise what would they have to inspect? And so it goes on.
My message to the next politician to bring up the 'less police paperwork' soundbite would be to forget paperwork associated with prisoners, it's the rest of the crap (primarliy associated with NCRS) that is where it's rotten to the core.
18 February, 2009 22:40
Dr Mel T Gray....I have just read through your post again and come to the conclusion, that you have put into print ALL that is wrong with the system, and what is at the root of the problem.....In resonse to Ellie's comment, that "everything had been made so complicated in the police, that no one could understand what was wrong with it".
Well it looks like you saw and undestood what was/is wrong with it, and thank you for pointing this out on the world wide web....as the government might even take it on board as a rescue plan!
From experience I can say that abuses of power by those in authority, who are also freemasons has been a case of a few bad apples spoiling the whole barrel.
I think that Dr Melv has got it sussed.
19 February, 2009 01:12
Dr Mel said..."Freemasonry within police and CPS has more to answer for the freefall in public confidence".... You are not wrong!
It's the same old story of negative people and their evil influences coming along and spoiling what was once [a very long time ago] a society dedicated to do good works and help humanity.
I heard a story a long time ago, that after the second world war, the Freemasons were INFILTRATED by thugs, mafia, who corrupted the organisation, using their code of silence about fellow "brothers" to escape justice from serious crimes. Not only that, should a non Freemason cause offence to one [or more] of them, they would enlist other Freemasons to make life very difficult for the one who "crossed" a Mason. Gang culture at its worst and no better than the street gangs who cause grief, just more organised through "professional" circles.
No doubt all this came about because women have historically, generally, always been excluded from joining the Freemasons and whatever goes on "behind closed doors" in this men only, mutual backside covering club.
The very fact that some who are Freemasons, within the police, judiciary and other professions, have done wrong, committed crimes and been protected by fellow Freemasons, has brought and brings their organisation into disrepute.
21 February, 2009 02:33
CC Barbara Wilding was on the TV not so long ago, pointing out that her force needs more funding to operate properly. Then she was on TV again, saying that there was a shortage of money to pay for policing a busy S.Wales motorway, and she may well have to refuse to allocate officers for that task, unless she gets more funding from local government, or the Welsh Assembly. Fair comment, I thought.
Common knowledge, that local council taxes pay for local policing. So WHY doesn't the cost of policing the ROADS come from the taxes raised via fuel etc, and from speeding fines?
It's not rocket science, is it?
If the government can bail out the banks to the tune of billions of pounds to keep the country "running", then perhaps they need to get the PRIORITY of public safety and protection sorted out with adequate funding.
WHY, when people are struggling to pay council taxes anyway, should the cost of ROAD policing come out of council taxes? The Treasury makes a mint out of road users, and not all council tax payers drive or own cars. Or is this too simple and fair for the government to take on board as a solution?
22 February, 2009 11:11
I see Commander Ali Dilly Daly up the ACPO pole , has been writin about that there racism ting again.
He has invented postmodern racism , he rather coveniently sees this as an outgrowth of simple plod canteen culture (what canteen ? )where his senior colleagues are using special advanced Bramshill type predjucice.
Is he complaining that he never got to choose a pink wafer biscuit when sitting through interminable meetings ?
Not surprisingly, Dizaeei, wants ,no ! needs there to be a different spin on the racism industry , he requires that this particular strand of prejudice is "out there " so he can lead with it at his upcomming discipline panel.
Its the OJ defence , no one can judge me cause you all is against me ..innit ?
I've typed it out before and I'll typed it agin.
Have you ever heard of a mere minion, SUSPENDED ,bobby ,facing discipline ,who can have his own
Graudian colum to propgate his own advertising camapaign ?
no, thought not.
Rather like Paul Daniels, one suspects that the senior management team at the Met wish he would just go away .
Don't we all
24 February, 2009 14:47
It is no less than the dictatorship of the ordinary by the liberal. We have a society that apportions blameto social services, the nhs and police for the death of a child at the hands of its scumbag parents - yet never accurately or rightly apportions the majority of the blame to those who's dream of society enabled those scumbags to live thier life of drug fuelled debauchery.
We have Police forces talking of "stealth racism" - that is, you haven't said it but you're thinking it (I kid you not this has been trotted out in my force.)
We enforce illiberal anti-terror laws that damage and impose on human rights whilst at the same time freeing convicted criminals early, stating it is their right. The fact that they immediately commit further crimes, invading innocents' rights seems to be ignored.
Drugs and alcohol - big problems - neither are even remotely addressed. The alcohol industry pours more poison into our kids and young adults with the overt support of our government, who have made it easier an easier for them to sell this crap. Our young Royals are pictured plastered and staggering around in hte tabloids. Great example.
Drugs policies? What a joke. Give a heroin addict methodone, reclassify cannabis, send conflicting messages, ban smoking, re-reclassify cannabis. Ridiculous. Cocaine is everywhere and cheap as chips. We don't address it because it fuels the BBC and the backbenches. How else can they manage to fill out those immense expense forms.
The issues with UK Policing are so much larger than Police forces or officers themselves. They are deep rooted and begin over 40 years ago.
Social freedoms established nearly half a century ago have been upgraded to social rights, but at the same time obligations seem to have eroded.
Education, Health, Society, Crime all of these are intrinsically linked. Without an overarching vision of what society should be, we'll never address the problem. Piece meal, knee jerk reaction is all we seem to get. I'll work my pension and then go soemwhere warm.
Good night
P.
25 February, 2009 17:18
Get off your backsides and stop earning a wage for form filling whilst scoffing donuts. The taxpayer pays you - why are you not on the beat? Fill in the bloody forms in your own time but at least be seen to do the job that you are paid to do - like patrol streets, stop crime and actually solve a lot of them.
26 February, 2009 12:39
And the award for completely missing the point of not only this post but of the blog entirely goes to...... anon 12.39!!! congratulations Sir!
The forms were thrust on us by Government after members of the public wanted to know what we did for "their taxes" and how we can prove we aren't going to let bad things happen again, so guess what, you've got what you wanted and now have the Police force - sorry, Service - that excessive bureaucracy creates.
If you want us to arrest people and have EVERY SINGLE case thrown out of court because there is no chain of evidence or witness statements etc, or leave defence able to plead abuse of process because of no evidence of accountability or adherence to PACE or any number of other legislative processes that we have to abide by (brought in because "the taxpayer" wanted to make sure all those nasty bent coppers weren't taking the piss and stitching people up) then crack on with you suggestion, just don't forget to blame us for your idea when it gets worse.
26 February, 2009 18:00
As an officer in the States...
My time is spent like this
Roll Call: 20 minutes
Car Prep and Logging on to the MDC: 12 minutes
Driving to my district: 20 minutes
Lunch and Coffee Break: 45 minutes when I get it.
Paper work: 2-3 hours a night.
Driving back from my district: 12 minutes
Putting the car in the barn and gear away: 30 Minutes
Leaving 4-5 hours for patrol and take calls.
02 March, 2009 19:30
I have been stopped and searched twice by the police. Fair enough;
(I think of myself as the silent majority).
Both times, after them being satisfied that I was going about my lawful business, they have departed, with my parting shot being something along the lines of 'On your way', surely this is a direct result of prospect of the tedious amount of paperwork they would have had to complete if I chose to be 'difficult'. I hope this helps you lot- we are not all against you - just the few idiots.
08 March, 2009 13:20
Bloggsy - spot on.
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15 April, 2009 15:54
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