Irresponsible Reporting

[crazylegs]

This story begins with the premise that there are so many overweight police officers that the vehicles used simply cannot cope with more than one passenger in the back.

It moans that if another person is arrested that another vehicle is required to transport them.

It is only further down that they mantion the huge amount of kit that is carried in these vehicles that is more likely to tip them over the edge, yet they only list a tiny amount of kit.

I'm fed up of reading poorly written pieces in papers that look to bash whatever they can for no reason whatsoever

Just in case you were wondering the actual kit list could read as follows
Road cones (up to 6)
Flashing amber lights for cones (x2)
Police 'Slow' Signs (x4)
Extra panels for 'slow' signs (6 types, x2 of each)
Crowbar
Shovel
Broom
Enforcer (kit for breaking down doors, VERY heavy) + Safety gauntlets
First Aid Kit
Cordon Tape x2 rolls
Box of search gloves
Pair of heavy duty rubber gloves
Search tool (for searching of a person)
Fire Extinguisher
Breathalyser
Road Chalk (for marking vehicle positions following Traffic Collision)
Stinger (also heavy)
Water rescue kit (essentially a safety line to throw to someone)

All this is in addition to the radio and the extra electronics for the lights and sirens.

[Boozy]

Lousy reporting is a problem everywhere, it seems.

You should write a letter to the editor, crazylegs.

[crazylegs]

Both the paper in question and the papers published by the same company only publish sycophantic rants about how the paper(s) are wonderful, it won't get published, hell I doubt that it would even get read past the front line.

The real issue is that the vehicles chosen by procurement depts (due to financial constraints) aren't fit for purpose, but that's harder to explain.

[BlaqueKatt]

the vehicles used simply cannot cope with more than one passenger in the back.

It moans that if another person is arrested that another vehicle is required to transport them.

and of course the idea of keeping passengers separate so they don't have a chance to match their stories/harm each other, etc. doesn't occur to them?

examples

stolen car-two apprehended
one person says "oh we borrowed this car from my cousin"
other person says "oh we borrowed this car from my sister"

put them in the same car-
"oh we borrowed this car from person one's cousin"


or if arresting two persons involved in an altercation do you really think it's wise to put them in the same vehicle?

[protege]

I just have to ask...what vehicle can't handle more than one prisoner in it? Does the UK use Citroen 2CVs or something? I don't mean to sound rude--over here in the US, most of our police departments use Ford Crown Vics or Chevy Caprice/Impalas. Both have V6 or V8s in them, and because of the way they're tuned...can turn up some impressive speeds, even with prisoners and a pair of officers in them. You don't usually see more than one prisoner in them though--for that, our department uses "paddy wagons." Those are cargo vans equipped with benches...and anyone in one is cuffed.

[crazylegs]

Generally the Vehicles used are Vauxhall Astra or a Ford Focus (which are normally estates though), some forces have BMWs or Volvos but this is rare for a normal response car.

As you can tell they are not the heftiest of cars but the UKPS don't use these vehicles for pursuits, they will normally use BMW, Mitsubishior Subaru for that. Because Police in the UK don't use the PIT manouver it doesn't matter that they are lighter than other cars, essentially they just keep up until the bad guys run out of fuel or they get on the motorway and they use TPAC where cars surround it and slow down gradually.

*edit

I forgot to add, if more than one person needs transporting more than one vehicle is used, vans of various types, makes and models are used and generally feature a cage in the rear for those who are delicately phrased as 'non-compliant'.

[Seshat]

Also, the UK was largely built before the advent of cars. There are a lot of very, very small streets in many places still - at least, very small by Australian/US/Canadian standards.

A standard US or Canadian or Australian urban police vehicle can afford to be large. A European one can't, not without limiting the places it can go.

[Slytovhand]

Also, the UK was largely built before the advent of cars. There are a lot of very, very small streets in many places still - at least, very small by Australian/US/Canadian standards.

A standard US or Canadian or Australian urban police vehicle can afford to be large. A European one can't, not without limiting the places it can go.

Ah! Good thinking Seshat! I was just discussing the whole car thing here, and when I read your post, it all made sense! (I mean, a Focus or Astra as a police car???)

Otherwise, it wouldnt' call it 'irresponsible' reporting - no more than what I would normally expect from a medium which needs to make money.

Crazy - you should see some of the coppers we've got over here! One guy I knew (who was no longer on the service for fitness reasons) was a very big guy who very quickly puffed out just walking up a hill. He reckoned he should be back in the force (or never taken off it).


Slyt

[daleduke17]

Slytovhand, was it a regular patrol officer?

There was one officer I saw at Union Station in Chicago (not Chicago PD however) that would have been lucky to have down one of the long hallways. He looked worn out just standing at one of the gates. I couldn't imagine him trying to do a foot chase.*

I know a few police officers who aren't in the best of shape, but at least they can still do their jobs, including the physical part (and most are bike officers as well).

* - just remember the old adage though, "Nothing outruns Motorola".

[Slytovhand]

DD17, it's certainly where he wanted to be.

He reckons he was 'fit' (for any given definition of fit) because he could go for ages on a punching bag. But, slugging it out isn't part of being a copper - chasing people is.

Btw - since when has "Nothing outruns Motorola" become an 'old adage'??

Oh - yes - there are a lot of different areas of the force that a person can work. He didn't want to be sitting on a chair in an office, nor did he have what it took for inspector/detective stuff.

[daleduke17]

Around the police and dispatching area, it is. (at least here)