We police ourselves...

This is a topic I've been talking about with mates quite a lot lately. My local police constabulary (Devon & Cornwall) is the largest in England and one of the least resourced. At any given time there are only around 700 cops on duty, covering a winter population of 1.5 million people, in a huge rural and city area. Summertime we have millions of tourists so the cops really are just fire fighting serious crime at best.

My best mate texted me last night that he had stopped trouble at his local Chinese takeaway, some prick being all violent to the girl working there. He lives 100 metres away from them and gave them his number to ring if they get any trouble again, he can be there in less than a minute, but cops could be an hour away sometimes. He's a 20+ years kung fu teacher with an impressive lineage.

Couple of weeks ago some thief stole a military veterans charity box from a store, the two women working there chased him shouting 'stop thief' or whatever, then half the pub they ran past came out and chased him. He got caught, the money was recovered, and he got a savage beating by a Falklands war veteran who actually had to be pulled off the thief so he didn't end up going to jail. No police were called.

I bumped into a rare sight (a cop walking) a few weeks ago, I said to her (actual words) "# me you are as rare as rocking horse #" she laughed and said she was the only uniformed presence in town right now. I asked her if it was a bit scary and she agreed it was.
I then told her not to worry because if she was in trouble doing the right thing then I and a multitude of people would defend her, and not because she was female, just our cops only carry sticks doing a brave job.

Our cops don't even care about personal possession of drugs anymore, they are too busy fighting serious crime like rape and murder. That is the only time you'll see cops here, minor crime we police ourselves and the cops appreciate it. Vigilante justice has become an accepted thing in my parts.

A neighbour of mine had a violent stalker so I contacted the cops to ask about reasonable force and a senior cop told me "We know about it but we can't keep an eye on her 24/7 so you are essentially her security. If you catch him in her yard, so long as you don't stamp on his head after you've knocked him out then we won't arrest you" I said "cool" ...I caught him, but that is another story lol

So ATS, do you police yourselves or do you have cops on every corner?
...we look after the cops here, I've assisted 3 in the last few years who were doing the right thing but losing the battle.

a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

We have cops aplenty here where I live. For the most part they tend to target drivers. My daughter lives in East Kilbride where there are cops aplenty too. They mostly target and harass local teenagers regardless of criminality. No chance of drugs being ignored here. If you had more cops then chances are they would not be so friendly.

ETA

S+F because you seem like a decent bloke.

a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

I think the vast majority of the membership here would go to the aid of the police if they were in trouble from some nutter.

I'm down on what the whole organisation is, here it's a money grabbing enterprise with the public being fleeced by aggressive highway patrol cops, but in saying that police are needed and the day to day cops that only deal with domestics and people at their worst are an integral part of society and I would certainly help one if the need was there.

a reply to: midicon
Agreed, our cops know they are outnumbered big time. Friends tell me Police Scotland cops are like stormtroopers, nick you for half a gram of pot ffs.
...I like an under resourced police service, and I like how we get left alone to police ourselves.

I am mixed on cops. Have acouple of family and friends who are cops, and i would say good cops.

And i have dealt with a hole cops...pulled over for doing 31mph in a 30mph zone and getting a ticket.

All in all, i would help a cop out that was in trouble. Just like i would any other human....i think the fact that we help those around us is part of the reason humans are humans.

That being said, dont take advantage of the help.

a reply to: hopenotfeariswhatweneed
Again agreed, if a cop is in trouble doing the right thing then the community will protect the cop with his crap stick.
They don't do the pulling drivers over thing here either, they simply haven't got the time or resources. The constabulary announced a couple of years ago that they will no longer investigate petrol station 'drive offs' anymore unless there is clear evidence of fraud like fake license plates on the car. They treat it as a civil matter now because they simply don't have the officers to deal with stuff like that.

originally posted by: theatreboy
All in all, i would help a cop out that was in trouble. Just like i would any other human....i think the fact that we help those around us is part of the reason humans are humans.

Massively agree
Cops here totally depend on people being decent though, they are well outnumbered and their crap extendable batons only sting at best. The cops know they don't run the place, they just act as referees.

a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

Here the highway patrol cops are used from out of the area and are just nasty, part of the reason is it's a bunch of small country towns and local cops have to be nice simply because everyone knows everyone and you can be screwing over the people that teach your kids, your doctors, mechanicsetc etc etc. And of course the local conspiracy theory that this area is targeted because of it's proactive protesting against the gas companies, it's 99% gas free here, no mines no fracking.

a reply to: hopenotfeariswhatweneed
Ah we have no 'highway patrol' here, we have 'traffic police' who are just part of the local constabulary, they patrol major roads, but you really have to be driving like you are drunk to get pulled over.
If a car is taxed, registered roadworthy from an annual test, and insured to someone (all on the police computer) then you will never get pulled over.
I can't drive because of blackouts now, but I'd drive a mates vehicle without worrying for a minute about getting pulled so long as the vehicle itself was legal on police computers.

If the police were properly funded, you might see them around a lot more and they may have the resources to effectively support your community.

If only there were a way to stop people (on both ends of the spectrum) from stealing public funds.

a reply to: SlowNail
Agreed. The underfunding is shocking down here, and over the last decade or so it has created a 'police ourselves' mentality in the community because we have to. If say someone robs someone's gran, they aren't getting a fine in court they're getting a beating.
I saw a Muslim woman being called a terrorist last summer, she was a tourist with her kids, it is frowned upon to treat tourists bad because they bring the money in. I called them out, shouting at them, I was #ting it a bit to be honest because there were about 15 of them, but 4 or 5 other men walking past backed me up and they dispersed.
I apologised to the Muslim woman and explained they are just feral youths you find in any town.

originally posted by: CornishCeltGuy
So ATS, do you police yourselves or do you have cops on every corner?

Always.
Always Judge yourselves in the eyes of our Lord. Are you doing what He wants you to do ? Follow your heart and see how it affects others around you.

I have lived in Cornwall for most of my life and do so now.

Once walking along the Marazion bypass back in 1996, cop car pulled up; I was dressed in black after a night out at the Twilight Zone, disco; got questioned and thankfully the cop said I did not match the face of the suspect.

However they were naturally curious as to why i was on the bypass at 2:30 AM. So speaking the truth probably saved my bacon because down "ere", dressed in all black is a target waiting for a police cell.

Always speak the truth and accept that Yahushua (God) will always give you the resources on which to survive.

a reply to: Rapha
Cool story man
I don't share the God thing but if you live here then you know what I mean about lack of cops.
You are in Truro though, loads more cops there than here, they seem to be mostly in Truro, Plymouth, Exeter, and Torbay...anywhere outside of that then it is an hour wait if you are lucky.
Phone a friend is the mantra in my parts.

You should try coming to Detroit sometime. Every night I go to the store I have to worry about some ding dong with an IQ of 65 sticking a gun in my face. It can take the cops hours or even days to respond to anything. I've been shot at robbed and I know people that have been stabbed. They pulled a smash and grab at the store at the end of my street. They smashed a car right into the front of it and went in and looted the place. There were 15 smash and grabs in one week. It's unreal around here. I smoke outside and I hear gunshots every single night.

originally posted by: CornishCeltGuy
I don't share the God thing but if you live here then you know what I mean about lack of cops.
You are in Truro though, loads more cops there than here, they seem to be mostly in Truro, Plymouth, Exeter, and Torbay...anywhere outside of that then it is an hour wait if you are lucky.
Phone a friend is the mantra in my parts.

Our lifes our destined to follow a certain path. Mine is with YHWH and so be it. Yours is another path.
Yet deep down, our paths are programmed to be good for humanity.

If only the guys in that Penwith district could chill out and be happy for the week.

If only the SAME guys could realise that Gray cloudy overcast skies in Cornwall, quite days could be so relaxing compared to Rat Race city life.
To be really honest, the possible criminals down there are farm laborers who moan about money and selling prices in Penzance (Longrock) / Truro. Come on guys, chill out, because life THROUGHOUT Cornwall is so much more relaxing than life in London / Johannesburg (crime capital of the world). I have lived in JoBurg and HELL, seen a few things.

You need to tell those locals that they need to enjoy those precocious moments of Cornwall because when they are gone, they are moments that will never be relived ever again.

Cops and ambulances here like wow, so many; yet deep down have your ever pondered the following:--
That you and every spirit on this planet would be destined to be positioned on a certain geographical lat/long that YHWH has positioned you in that place to guide sinners back to Him through the Blood of His Son, Jesus Christ ?

Ever pondered the idea that YHWH has positioned US guys to specific places to Guide sinners back to HIm, like my location would be Basore Point, Marazion. The spiritual importance of that place is exceptional.

a reply to: wantsome
Wow, different worlds!
There are legal and illegally held guns in my parts here but gangsters won't rent or sell them to people at the lower end of the food chain. Hardly any stabbings either, it is really frowned upon to use a weapon in a fight.
Must be crazy living in your area, sounds like Mad Max #.
Stay safe.

a reply to: Rapha
Being kind is my mantra.
My son plays prop forward for our town's rugby team, he is hard as # and could easily do me in a fight, but he is a gentle giant, will help an old lady with her shopping bags or whatever.
Kindness is key, but when there are no cops around sometimes vigilante justice is required to keep the peace.

originally posted by: CornishCeltGuy
a reply to: Rapha
Being kind is my mantra.
My son plays prop forward for our town's rugby team, he is hard as # and could easily do me in a fight, but he is a gentle giant, will help an old lady with her shopping bags or whatever.
Kindness is key, but when there are no cops around sometimes vigilante justice is required to keep the peace.

Then your son sounds like a true Gentleman throughout the Penwith area.

Guiding a old age pensioner across the (current) one way road in Market Jew St, Penzance is a moment that God will gladly take note of as help towards others.

It is my assumption that potential criminals in the Penwith (Cornwall) area would be happy to break into a shop and steal the cigarettes rather than take-down a innocent peasant at the same time.

If only those criminals knew how lucky they are to be in Cornwall when compared to any city beyond Cornwall.

originally posted by: Rapha
It is my assumption that potential criminals in the Penwith (Cornwall) area would be happy to break into a shop and steal the cigarettes rather than take-down a innocent peasant at the same time.

Massively true.
Did you read the post above from the member in Detroit? Sounds like hell on earth there. I can't imagine living in an environment like that.

originally posted by: wantsome
You should try coming to Detroit sometime. Every night I go to the store I have to worry about some ding dong with an IQ .

Alexandra
God puts us all in certain geographical locations where He knows we can handle the sh!t.

Hell, being only metres away from Alexandra in Johannesburg, on the industrial perimeter is memorable to say the least. The shear level of poverty is indescribable.

A lot of those smash-n-grabs are survival like food/milk/bread. Everything happens for a reason, so if your are into that area and an incident occurs then God assumes that you are ready to handle it.

So naturally certain people that follow His Word who are willing to be based in Detroit, then so be it, their fates will take them back to Detroit and Jesus will guide them to give a helping hand to those who need it.

There are certain sinners in Detroit that know they are doing wrong, yet (too survive) they are quite willing to turn back to Yahushua to save their souls.

In Durban, RSA, one guy shot another guy for R50 (£5), just metres away from where I worked in 2011 in city of Durban.

Yet, YHWH has a perfect path for all of us. It is only a matter of following your true heart to know if you are following your true fate. Feal through your honest heart - is it what your fate desires ?