Yeah, come to A&E when one of these little "harmless" races ends up with multiple casualties. Being the middle of the night makes no difference, there are still members of the public driving. Roads are not a race track, period. If you want to race your car, take it to a track.
Lets just say I don't hate them par se, they just don't endear themselves very much. Policing is very complicated here and not a job I envy but alot has changed since the days of the RUC but not necessarily the right things. For example I don't care how close an officers are together, I care about response and how its held. A few years ago the next door neighbor of my aunt was stabbed multiple time to death in a frenzied attack by her husband. Her head was only just attached it was that brutal. She received threats from her husband on her life and her children and when she told the police their response was "so what". That night she sent her kids to her mothers house and it's only that, that saved them. Another example, the amount for drunken fights that start round my way, (I was the victim of one, and have been witness of several others) and everytime the police response has been less than stellar. The quickest was 3hours yet the nearest police station is 3mins away by car, the next furthest (main one for newtownabbey) is about 10mins. Police have a visible presence yet seem reluctant to actually do anything. In my case they had the guys name and address (I knew him form the area) and yet they waited so long and relied on him " coming down under good will" that enough time had elapsed they couldn't arrest him (or some BS like that). The guy pleaded guilty yet the signed statement taken, which I checked and took a copy of before signing was later typed up incorrectly. Small rewording of something yet I had the choice, if it came to it, to admit the statement was changed or lie and say it was correct. Basically a technicality that would of dismissed my statement. Final example is another assault. The victim was pretty much treated with scorn that it was her fault she was attacked. The police new enough about her background and the person who attacked her, lets just say her eyes where too close together for them to take the assault seriously. The amount of times I've seen police cars stop someone for "speeding" or tail lights not working yet if they looked at their own car they would see the same faults. Heck, they sit on private property with the speed gun and target cars, the guy who owns the land has often chased them away since its the lane to his business yet they return and do their own thing. Law doesn't apply to them it seems, on duty or off. Again a pointless exercise since without permission to be there the ruling is overturned. Small stupid things but its not as if theyre unknown and they rely on trickery and bullying to get a conviction. People often cave since they "don't want to rock the boat" incase there are repercussions. You tar one officer and the community is small enough that next time the whole force is out to get you. Its an old mentality that nothing has been done to dismiss. This is part of the reason why punishment beatings happen too. Not accounting the ones between drug dealers (no honor among thieves) Why wait for the police to take a year and screw up when you can sort it within a day yourself? Alot of Victims around here don't feel the police are on their side and often feel police intervention makes things worse. "I know where you live" and not knowing who's connected to who, can lead to harassment that the police won't/can't do anything to stop. My opinion of the police is of general support, but their not approachable (if you do find one) and often pick on easy targets rather than solving real problem crimes (gangs wandering about destroying things is massive round here). Rioting is something I believe they handle exceptionally well. Policing in England scared me who much of a failure it was in London last year. I would trust them even less than NI police after than. Looking at the images of NI policing in rioting does look brutal but its really a controlled move where they move into a crowd and grab specially selected (key targets) and pull them behind the line. Targets are usually especially violent members or people seen to be leading the crowd. The swing with the batton on the leg looks brutal too but is a single controlled strike. You do get a few who swing wildly but with media and appeals the police are excellent at staying cool under a very difficult situation where they're often the targets "just for fun". Yea they still use land rovers, better than cars since they carry just as many people with the added bonus if something does kick off, more effective roadbloacks can be set up (would you run through one?). Cost of replacing them when they don't actually need replaced apart from visual appeals doesn't make it worth while. Militant threat has moved to mafia style carving of territory. Drugs, protection etc. There has been a rise in police targets mainly in specific areas. The army are just as likely to be targeted. Raoul Moat has probably killed more than the paramilitaries have in the last 4 years. Overall it comes down to fairness and approachability. The police are often neither. And finally..... I saw it Evidence is still a key part and obviously the two officers are gonna say the same thing. Regardless of the offense they need roof hence the reason so many cars have devices to monitor speed etc. Law is black and white, no evidence no case regardless.
Your statement is untrue. I'm not going to argue with you any more as you seem to ignore what I say. Unicorn - I hope things work out for the better Should the case go to court the IDR data might be useful to your defence.
