Police Officers denied use of a toilet (with inevitable outcome)

[Tefal]

Yes, it's spineless putting others lives at risk because your boss told you to do something stupid.

And if the **** hits the fan as in he crashes then he's 100% liable not his boss.

"so you thought you were too tired to drive safely yet you did it anyway?"

yeah saying "but my boss said i had to" isn't going to go down well with the judge.

You're a policeman for Christs sake stand up for yourself.

 

[Von Smallhausen]

I dare say you have to be in the job to understand.

 

[doofer]

Someone stole the toilet seats from the local station and Police have had nothing to go on for days now.

 

[Burnsy2023]

I dare say you have to be in the job to understand.

Dare I say that this is the case for many police matters.

 

[Von Smallhausen]

If not all mate.

 

[Waters]

Forgive my genuine ignorance here but in all honesty, what on earth would be achieved by an investigation or indeed a complaint being made?

It happened and no doubt shouldn't have happened but what's done is done. It's not as if anyone was hurt or members of the public were involved or even as if there were any lasting effects.

So, really - what's the point?

 

[Burnsy2023]

Forgive my genuine ignorance here but in all honesty, what on earth would be achieved by an investigation or indeed a complaint being made?

It happened and no doubt shouldn't have happened but what's done is done. It's not as if anyone was hurt or members of the public were involved or even as if there were any lasting effects.

So, really - what's the point?

I wish I knew. Generally though, if a complaint is made it must be peroply investigated. I've heard of some very trivial complaints made by supervisors, but the ones that are most bizarre are the ones made by some of the public we deal with.

 

[Kenai]

I dare say you have to be in the job to understand.

I expect most people who get pressured into doing things they don't want to do because they can't/won't stand up for themselves would say the same thing.

 

[Nitefly]

If not all mate.

Sounds like any service when there's zero accountability for the actions or incompetence of seniors.

 

[mattyg]

Could you imagine the backlash the poor booby would have got if something had happened whilst he was on an toilet break.

I think some people up the chain need a rollocking

 

[Burnsy2023]

I expect most people who get pressured into doing things they don't want to do because they can't/won't stand up for themselves would say the same thing.

The Police have an interesting culture that I've not really seen anywhere else. Police officers will make the best of most circumstances. They'll battle against the odds and get the best result they can even if they are under resourced, tired and in the middle of nowhere. Whilst this can be a strength, it's also a flaw in the fact that through all the changes and cuts that most services are going through, there aren't the complaints that perhaps there should be.

This isn't new and it's difficult to change the culture without changing how effective the service is when operational pressures exist. Even in a well resourced and funded force (if they exist any more), the wheels can come off and the staff need to give that extra bit for the public, themselves and their colleagues. The job requires flexibility but it does have some less than ideal side effects.

 

[Waters]

The Police have an interesting culture that I've not really seen anywhere else. Police officers will make the best of most circumstances. They'll battle against the odds and get the best result they can even if they are under resourced, tired and in the middle of nowhere. Whilst this can be a strength, it's also a flaw in the fact that through all the changes and cuts that most services are going through, there aren't the complaints that perhaps there should be.

This isn't new and it's difficult to change the culture without changing how effective the service is when operational pressures exist. Even in a well resourced and funded force (if they exist any more), the wheels can come off and the staff need to give that extra bit for the public, themselves and their colleagues. The job requires flexibility but it does have some less than ideal side effects.

That's a really well-written and insightful viewpoint.

 

[Burnsy2023]

That's a really well-written and insightful viewpoint.

I can't tell if my sarcasm detector is broken or not.

 

[scorza]

Could you imagine the backlash the poor booby would have got if something had happened whilst he was on an toilet break.

I think some people up the chain need a rollocking

Exactly - it's extremely poor leadership if you don't even take into account bodily functions in your plan.

 

[mejinks]

During the G8, SWP officers were regularly doing 18 hours with no breaks. All leave was cancelled and while people were happily having a summer holiday, they couldn't.

I imagine its great having the overtime, but how have their families suffered?

 

[Waters]

I can't tell if my sarcasm detector is broken or not.

I don't do sarcasm. I meant what I said.

 

[Von Smallhausen]

I expect most people who get pressured into doing things they don't want to do because they can't/won't stand up for themselves would say the same thing.

I don't get pressured into doing things I don't want to do per se. If I was told to do something that was illegal then I wouldn't do it. Simple as.

I have been in the job for over 14 years and I have never known morale to be so low. The Government says cuts to police budgets us not affecting frontline numbers. I take issue with that. As a result of less cops, there is a knock on effect on workload. Until a recent effort to get my jobs down, I had around 20 ongoing investigations and that has to be balanced with working the panda, working the diary car ( which generates more work ) and abstractions for PSU jobs etc. Around 90% of the time I work alone. Also, the all seeing hindsight brigade sent inevitable snot o grams such as why hasn't this been done, do that etc. More work to be balanced in between the above.

Truth be told though, I'm happy with my lot and wouldn't change it. I don't want sympathy and I don't want medals. I investigate all my jobs fully, I look after my victims and I submit timely and thorough files and often get thank yous from both victims and other departments for file quality. Not an opportunity to boast ...... I just don't like people who come to us for help getting a bad service. I make mistakes like anybody and I sometimes feel that low morale but I and others get on with it. No matter what the Government or public throw at us, we get on with it.

Working on a cracking shift helps and my team is cracking. We have an unofficial nickname. The Expendables.

 

[BuffetSlayer]

I would have dropped my kecks and crimped one off while nobody was looking. If anyone asked I would say it was one of the dogs!!

 

[russell664]

That's a cruel way to treat others, especially the guy with the turtle head engaged.

He slipped right out of there, flippers and everything.

 

[Burnsy2023]

I don't get pressured into doing things I don't want to do per se. If I was told to do something that was illegal then I wouldn't do it. Simple as.

It's funny. If someone told a Police Officer to do something that directly adversely affected a colleague or a member of the public they'd be very quick and firm to say no. When it affects just them, they are much less willing to take a strong stance.

It's quite telling how the resourcing is causing safety issues. Each day the control room publishes a list of the more notable jobs from the previous day and stats on how many sexual assaults, burglaries etc were reported county wide. The control room Inspectors have started including assaults on police as a separate category and always list them even if they're minor to give visibility to management above. It's quite worrying when you see quite how many officers get assaulted on duty.