Read the very interesting thread on numbers in Germany......1 per 5000 in the UK, you're having a laugh. My old patch - which had 8563 souls on its electoral role+ under 18s, was Policed by three of us - one on a day off, one on days and one on lates and we covered everything bar fatal TAs and Serious Crime. In one 12 month period I recall, I dealt with an Air Crash - the bodies, and associated enquiries, 13 "other" fatalities. An average of one a week of damage, and injury TAs, a domestic a shift and all the other c***p. And if one car was screwed you had a half dozen to deal with each victim expected a Gold Plated service with a smile.
As an example I will describe my last late turn before I got a new job
1700 on duty, paperwork, catching up with the previous evening's work (all time critical)
1730 Called to a two vehicle injury TA, Traffic not available, more paper, accident book 30 pages, Issue tickets to drivers, breath test both(one in local hospital 1 hour wait.), injury forms.
1900 called to Burglary in progress, on arrival find two persons in a house where they had a reason to be, say that they climbed thru insecure window as owner was out. Search them and vehicle (more paperwork) nothing obvious. Check on one male shows as Disq. Driver.
2000 called to a suspicious youth in a remote location, find youth who is suicidal, detain him under MHA to nearby hosp. 2 hour wait to book him in an associated papers. Whilst there get a call from the occupant of the house to say
that property is missing.
2200 return to patch, to see occupant, on my way see the offender's van, stop it
and disq driver was driving nick them both for the burglary, take them to custody, arrange recovery of van to the nick to be searched properly.
0010 return to patch from custody (13 miles each way) to search their flat, whilst there encounter a wanted person sleeping there, call for back up (20 minute wait) she threatens us with a hypo filled with blood, saying she is HIV+ (what would you do ?) and escapes...search flat find property return to station at 0400, to file report book in seized property in case I,m accused later of nicking it.
05o0 finish
0900 return to duty, record statement from Burglary victim, trace Wanted Person and nick her,1030 return to custody Interview Burglars, also interview them for jobs elsewhere, 1500 finally finish paperwork bail prisoners. Of course the driver said I was a dirty rotten liar and that the other was driving. 1600 Attend interview against three others for my current job. 1730 finish.
Hours Worked in 24 hr period was 20 , no meal breaks, had 3 hrs sleep. Drove over 150 miles, during those miles I kept to every signed speed limit, but admit to breaking it to the 3 "immediates" I was called to the previous evening. Also had to keep eye on the ball as regards powers and other legal angles in case they are dissected by a sharp suited brief in an Air conditioned Courtroom months later. Acts considered were Road Traffic Act, Theft Act, Mental Health Act and PACE all of which needed a good working knowledge in the cases I encountered that night. No doubt I was seen driving by members of the motoring public. I can predict their thoughts as
1. Typical Plod no regard for speed limits as he goes for his Burger/Doughnut.
2. Typical Plod driving around aimlessly wasting taxpayers money,when he should be standing on my street corner guarding my property whilst I'm out in the pub.
3. Typical Plod picking on the motoring public.
And no, after having worked in the front line for 22 yrs, I will, I hope manage to work my 30 and that my health will continue to be good. I will be retired at 50 but only after contributing 11% of my Salary to a Pension scheme for the 30years I will have worked.
mode off.
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