Inconsiderate Drivers

[Arjimlad]

I was pleased to note this news from a cyclist in Brighton this morning, on Twitter...




Alexander Louis Sallons

@sallonsax
·
16h

To the Taxi Driver on New Church Rd that though he could drive at me leaving an cms to spare and beep aggressively, and when asked whether he thought he could intimidate me and other road users, replied yes... Your car keys are at John Street Police station in Central Brighton.

 

[Drago]

Reminds me of a tale I was told of by the handyman where I used to work, he was out on a Sunday club run many years ago and the group were pulled over by 2 plods in a panda car, who proceeded to berate them for riding two abreast, holding up traffic etc, one of the riders told them they were wrong and should find out the law before stating incorrect facts, apparently they got even more stroppy and threatening and didn’t get the hint when first asked which station do you work at, followed by whose your sergeant, so the bloke got his warrant card out and told them to report to his office first thing Monday to discuss it further, he was a high ranking police officer himself apparently

Oooh, flashing his warrant card off duty without genuine necessity. Id have him in front of PSD hed barely hav time to itter the word "demotion".

 

[steve292]

Avon & Somerset's officers driving this scheme think third party reporting is the biggest thing to happen to roads policing in a generation and stands to make a substantial difference to how people drive in my area. I am fortunate.

The admittedly few times i've reported online I must say I have been pleasantly suprised with how they have reacted.

 

[DRM]

Oooh, flashing his warrant card off duty without genuine necessity. Id have him in front of PSD hed barely hav time to itter the word "demotion".

Can only say what I was told, but when someone doesn’t pick up on hints, what can you do

 

[Drago]

There are quite strict rules on waving a warrant card about off duty unless there is genuine operational neccessity to do so, eg, an off duty arrest, etc. People have been sacked for flashing their warrant card at road users and the like even when they were, technically, correct in what they were saying and weren't gobbing off or being threatening. I'd suggest the story is likely apocryphal.

Operational policing necessity is the test for justification. If it can wait until the officer is back on duty, or can be resolved by calling 101/999 then they should do so.

The only times I let mine loose when not at work was when claiming free rail travel, which was authirised, and ata motorway services - the lad on the till saw it in my wallet (I never used the sheety issue warrant card holders) and asked if I was a copper. I said yes, and he said "oh, 20% reduction for you guy" (again, an authorised diacount arranged via the local Federation, encourages coppers to pop in for lunch while on duty), and asked to see the card so he could note the details for the till log.

If I encountered any officers junior to myself (I retired as a DS, but had my Inspectors exam and had temped at that rank for a few months before deciding it was the sheety end of a stick, a slight drop in salary for a lot of grief) acting like bellends when then it would be a call to 101 to report it to the duty Inspector, as we were all told to do.

All the years and years and hundreds of thousands of pounds of specialist training isn't teaching you how to be a copper. No, its teaching you how not to stitch youself up!