Have the police lost control of the streets?

On the way home from work this evening i narrowly missed walking into the middle of a violent carjacking, after leaving work i had planned to visit the local shop but when i arrived there was a group of people outside including a very shaken looking kid. He had been jumped by two men who stole his car and when he fought back one of them pulled out a machete and tried to stab him, fortunately the attacker missed. Had my work colleague not been late and delayed me 10 minutes i would have been there when it happened ( and probably shit myself ). I live in a fairly decent area close to Solihull but this is the second local car jacking in recent weeks, so the question is have the police finally lost control and what can be done about it?

The only thing that has exacerbated the problem is the fact that the Government thought it was a wise move to cut police numbers, and too many are sitting behind desks when they should be patrolling the streets. In turn the police have decreed which type of crimes they follow up on and investigate and what is decreed as emergency call. I wonder how many of us have suffered a break - in and the police have never responded? I shudder to think that in the event of another major terrorist incident in this country, there will not be the police numbers to quickly respond. In turn I firmly believe that the those who are committing these stabbing incidents and yet walk free should not be allowed back on our streets thy have committed murder and each murder charge should carry a whole life term sentence and LIFE SHOULD MEAN WHIOLE LIFE. carrying ANY kind of weapon should be an instant 25 year jail sentence with no parole consideration until sentence is complete.

If I may I’d like to say that I think this is the wrong question but an important topic. The way the question is posed is as if it is the failure of policing that has resulted in the criminality that plagues our society whereas I think the problems are much deeper and therefore so much more difficult to address. Why is petty crime so “acceptable” Why is carrying a knife so prevalent? Why is drug taking out of control. Why can’t people have an argument without it turning to violence? If we want to debate these things then count me in because reasoned intelligent debate on these things is in my opinion sadly lacking in our society.

Theresa says it has nothing to do with the police force losing 20,000 officers under her rain as home secretary and prime minister. This care about only the rich government is ruining this country, plain and simple fact.

(09-03-2019 09:39 )SecretAgent Wrote:  If I may I’d like to say that I think this is the wrong question but an important topic. The way the question is posed is as if it is the failure of policing that has resulted in the criminality that plagues our society whereas I think the problems are much deeper and therefore so much more difficult to address. Why is petty crime so “acceptable” Why is carrying a knife so prevalent? Why is drug taking out of control. Why can’t people have an argument without it turning to violence? If we want to debate these things then count me in because reasoned intelligent debate on these things is in my opinion sadly lacking in our society.

Put more cops on streets. and legalise certain drugs but only get them in certain locations. it would put the majority of gangs out of business in months

Stop and Search has to be brought back in the short term. the fact that most cops now have bodycams means that hopefully any abuse by cops will be recorded and dealt with full weight of law

Asda banning Selling single knives just mean your hoodie will have to be a full set

No

There have been two incidents in the last few weeks that highlight the problems faced by the police, both incidents happened in birmingham. Firstly police were called to an altercation near the city centre where they arrested four youths who had been fighting, when searched all four of them were found to be carrying zombie knifes. Despite two of them being admitted to hospital this incident did not even make the local newspapers as it was not deemed to be serious enough. Secondly this week a man who was found to be in possession of a knife was given a suspended jail despite having a previous conviction for the same offence.

What is the point of arresting these people if the courts are simply going to let them off with a slap on the wrist?

Roughly about 10-11 years ago a friend of the family left the police force after 15 years of service because he became completely disillusioned that more emphasis was placed on driving offences like speeding than more serious crimes like street crimes,assault,burglary etc.And he cited that it was far easier to catch a driver doing a few miles over the speed limit with a speed gun & photographic evidence than trying to catch a burglar that has looted somewhere with a reliance on DNA or word & mouth to find a culprit.He claims that easier crimes to solve like speeding, litter dropping etc was a sly way of massaging crime figures & confidence in Police when often more serious crimes where there is very little chance of finding the person(s) responsible often get dropped.And when the Police or the Home Office often announce overall crime figures usually telling everybody crime is falling as an overall number it is often manipulating the true figure because whilst less serious crimes may see a sharp decrease it usually masks that more serious crimes like violents crimes,assault, manslaughter & homicide cases can see dramatic increases but adding them all together gives a false impression that crime is falling.And the figures never show crimes that have been committed & were dropped or not even reported by Police.The false impression that falling crime figures was one of the false prophecies that led to large cuts in policing mumbers largely under May's time as Home Office Secretary.

Would adding police numbers reduce serious crimes being committed it's hard to say other than being a physical presence but I firmly believe even if 500,000 more police officers were recruited it wouldn't make a scrap of difference when sentences often dished out by the judiciary are nothing short of a joke.Recent reports have shown 4 out of 10 people caught in possession of a knife was effectively let off with a slap on the wrist.Often when reading court cases I do tend to find many judges seem tin-eared & completely out of touch with reality when such lenient sentences are often dished out where many of them get sent back to review the sentence leniency.Certain jobs or professions may require carrying certain knives like chefs or tradesmen like me (craft knives are kept in my tool-bag) but there is no excuse or reason for carrying machetes,hatchets,zombie or bowie knives (like Lancelot790 mentioned) without expecting sentences of 4+ years.If a person carrying bomb-making equipment can expect a stiff custodial sentence if caught in possession then why not someone carrrying a knife like a machete,zombie or bowie knife expect the same?.

Have the police lost control of the streets is reasonable question ask certainly when Criminal Gangs in certain areas & estates can pretty much do as they please with impunity where many police prefer sitting in their £60k souped up BMWs parked up waiting to catch a speeding driver doing 32mph in a 30mph zone instead breaking up these gangs.

(09-03-2019 10:12 )HannahsPet Wrote:  

(09-03-2019 09:39 )SecretAgent Wrote:  If I may I’d like to say that I think this is the wrong question but an important topic. The way the question is posed is as if it is the failure of policing that has resulted in the criminality that plagues our society whereas I think the problems are much deeper and therefore so much more difficult to address. Why is petty crime so “acceptable” Why is carrying a knife so prevalent? Why is drug taking out of control. Why can’t people have an argument without it turning to violence? If we want to debate these things then count me in because reasoned intelligent debate on these things is in my opinion sadly lacking in our society.

Put more cops on streets. and legalise certain drugs but only get them in certain locations. it would put the majority of gangs out of business in months

Stop and Search has to be brought back in the short term. the fact that most cops now have bodycams means that hopefully any abuse by cops will be recorded and dealt with full weight of law

I've never believed legalizing drugs would kill off financial support for these gangs because should drugs (God forbid) be legalized & regulated Government would have to set pricing (like tobacco pricing).Whatever that price maybe you can bet these gangs will undercutting it & still make a profit plus certain drugs would be impossible to legalize on health grounds & there would still be a desirable need for them on the black market that these gangs would provide.

(09-03-2019 10:54 )HannahsPet Wrote:  Asda banning Selling single knives just mean your hoodie will have to be a full set

Dianne Abbott mentioned several months ago banning all sharp knives & replace them with blunt ones but scientific study always shows that whilst a sharp knife pierces the skin a blunt knife tears the skin & also causes sever damage.Why not ban all sale of knives to anyone under 21 & if buying a knife provide full ID where the prospective owner has to sign for it the knife be chipped for future reference.But Abbott wouldd be far better to sanction all knives be only made by Fisher Price & made of sponge.