Police advised: Ignore bad driving complaints, it's too much work

[Exit Stage Left]

It's not just driving videos that the Police wil be inundated with. All the neighbour disputes, and kids dropping litter could come their way too. This US article shows the way ahead. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/04/garden/04surveillance.html?pagewanted=all
It's the triage that's the problem. With everyone filming anything they don't like, it is beyond the capacity of the Police to filter the noise. A business opportunity then arises, as we see here. Eventually a parrallel arbitration system might evolve, Judge Judy for all.
Meanwhile the Police have to manage the expectations of every self appointed vigilante who thinks the law will be interested in his video of someone dropping a crisp packet.

Ok then, how about no-one reports anything to the poor over-worked dears in blue, and nothing ever gets done. That suit you?

They seem to have plenty of time to promote cycle tagging businesses, time to play in their Subaru and Mitsubishi chavmobiles for the TV companies etc. They have time to answer the concerns of the public affected by crime and to take those concerns seriously and not view them as 'too much work'.

I entirely agree with you, and in an ideal world I'd have a personal companion supplied from state funds to smooth my path through life.

Many object to CPSOs, describing them as 'Plastic Plod' or 'Wannabes' who can't cut the mustard as 'Proper Coppers'. They have no powers of arrest, and are peceived as Little Hitler busybodies. I see them as an inevitable development from the evolution of a highly educated and skilled Police force who are increasingly remote from the streets, except in well signposted public order roles, where they are often heavy-handed because they no longer have enough experience at ground level.
The developments we are discussing here are interesting, essentially Policewitness.com want to marshal a private army of informers, and to provide a conduit to access individual Police officers by circumventing formal processes. It might work. Would you support such a plan if it was presented in those terms?

[AndyK]

 I see them as an inevitable development from the evolution of a highly educated

What fantasy world do you live in? Highly educated coppers?

[Wowbagger]

It's not just driving videos that the Police wil be inundated with. All the neighbour disputes, and kids dropping litter could come their way too. This US article shows the way ahead. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/04/garden/04surveillance.html?pagewanted=all
It's the triage that's the problem. With everyone filming anything they don't like, it is beyond the capacity of the Police to filter the noise. A business opportunity then arises, as we see here. Eventually a parrallel arbitration system might evolve, Judge Judy for all.
Meanwhile the Police have to manage the expectations of every self appointed vigilante who thinks the law will be interested in his video of someone dropping a crisp packet.

Ok then, how about no-one reports anything to the poor over-worked dears in blue, and nothing ever gets done. That suit you?

They seem to have plenty of time to promote cycle tagging businesses, time to play in their Subaru and Mitsubishi chavmobiles for the TV companies etc. They have time to answer the concerns of the public affected by crime and to take those concerns seriously and not view them as 'too much work'.

I entirely agree with you, and in an ideal world I'd have a personal companion supplied from state funds to smooth my path through life.

...

You could buy a dog and called him Gaspode.

[AndyK]

 

[Exit Stage Left]

 I see them as an inevitable development from the evolution of a highly educated

What fantasy world do you live in? Highly educated coppers?

Lancashire. It's unlikely that you'd go straight into a job with the force without a degree. The other route is through being a CPSO.

[AndyK]

Lancashire. It's unlikely that you'd go straight into a job with the force without a degree.

In this day and age where degrees are handed out like confetti that isn't saying much. There is a world of difference between qualified and intelligent.

[mattc]

Lancashire. It's unlikely that you'd go straight into a job with the force without a degree.

In this day and age where degrees are handed out like confetti that isn't saying much. There is a world of difference between qualified and intelligent.

Who mentioned "intelligent"?

[Exit Stage Left]

Lancashire. It's unlikely that you'd go straight into a job with the force without a degree.

In this day and age where degrees are handed out like confetti that isn't saying much. There is a world of difference between qualified and intelligent.

I know, it's the problem of the age, public servants unable to provide a satisfactory level of service because they've been systematically flattered by a dumbed-down education system. There's a couple of threads about that over on POBI, but I had you down on the other side of the argument.

[Julian]

That is not at all what Julian suggested.

You're quite right, Julian's business model was weaker, it didn't have the sales element, and it takes the gall of an ex-Assistant Chief Constable to try to imply Police approval.

I was thinking more along the lines of public service than business, although obviously nobody can work for free.

I'm not sure about the policewitness.com thing at all: it implies police approval and there are

a) a minority of lunatics who will actually attack anyone they think is working for the police
b) a minority of lunatics who will use this idea to patrol the streets with an attachment to superhero comics and a hard-on for independent law enforcement

The two combined might not be a great combination.  I can understand the police not wanting to investigate every video from someone who has spent 16 hours a day at the side of the road looking for anybody who doesn't have both hands on the steering wheel. 

However, if the police are using this advice to dismiss out of hand the evidence of cyclists who are not seeking out / aggravating incidents in order to get a thrill from reporting, but riding along minding their own business and have been endangered by shoddy driving, I don't see why private prosecutions wouldn't be the way forward.

[Exit Stage Left]

Very well put Julian. The evidence is less compelling when the camera has been dragged from your hands.
I do some maintenance work on school fields in Skelmersdale, there's usually someone tearing about on a quad bike, I do consider videoing them, as I've got the equipment, but they're on a powered vehicle, with lots of local mates and probably an air rifle at home. So I look at what I'm contracted to do, which is to weed around trees and cut grass, I'd not be paid any more for playing Judge Dredd.

[teethgrinder]

but riding along minding their own business and have been endangered by shoddy driving, I don't see why private prosecutions wouldn't be the way forward.

When I read your idea, I was thinking along the lines of ambulance chasers becoming traffic enforcers. Whether that's a workable idea or not, I have no idea.

[Julian]

I was thinking simply of cyclists who can't get a result, or don't trust the police for a result, getting independent advice on how to bring a private prosecution, with me drafting the "information" for them (which is the statement of stuffs that has to be put before the magistrates court to start a prosecution.)

I think someone with a vested interest in chasing down bad drivers, whether that's local vigilantes, ambulance chasers, or busybodies with nothing better to do, would be a really bad idea.  Mob justice has never worked.  But if someone can't get their complaint taken seriously by the police then they are entitled to do a private prosecution.

[origamist]

Interesting in light of the OP.

RECKLESS motorists filmed illegally driving on the pavement to get around a road closure in Old Town have been condemned by police and Swindon Council.

“The motorists recorded on the You Tube footage can expect contact from Wiltshire Police in the very near future.”

http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/9925616.Shock_as_drivers__take_to_pavement_to_avoid_roadworks/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AnN3yVmpDQ&feature=player_embedded

[davelodwig]

That reminds me of last night in Brum. The cricket match had bunged up motor traffic across the city and people where driving on the pavement to get to the junction to left turn. Thought about sitting on the street name sign and being awkward but alas I had a meeting to get to.