Are The Police Too Overstretched?

[Andi]

Over the last 15 years or so there have been many cut backs, especially of late.

I have noticed this especially in the last year due to my work and how many times we call the Police.

 

I have good relations with them and they do say they have not got the man power any more, some would say that they are less

efficient.

I know that, these days I would not like to be a victim of ASB as most calls would be ignored and the temptation to "act for yourself" would be

great, and probably illegal.

 

What do you think, especially as this has happened today (though I must point out, its not clear why it was left so long)

 

http://news.stv.tv/stirling-central/1324339-man-and-woman-found-after-car-left-road-confirmed-as-missing-couple/

 

Andi

[tractor]

similar to the one that went into field on soar valley way wasn't found for days I think the driver was dead and that was about half a mile from police HQ

Edited July 9, 2015 by tractor

[Guest peter2b2002]

some thing like that happened some years ago on the m1 near Northampton poorchap died in a dich police said they couldn't fine where he left the road so gave up looking

peter2b

[Andi]

The difference with the one in Sterling is that it was reported days earlier. And was`nt followed up

 

Andi

[Guest Ian & Carole]

My cousin was a traffic Sergeant many years ago in Lincolnshire and attended a motorcycle accident.

 

Rider was taken to hospital in a really bad way, when he came round several days later his 1 st question was "how is my girl friend ????"

 

They went back to the scene of the crash and found her 50 yards into a field, sadly deceased.

[HAWKNORTH]

I was quite shocked to hear about the couple in Scotland. It was on a major road near Sterling. If it turns out the guy died during the 3 days they were waiting then someone is in for the chop, or should be.

[tractor]

why didn't the person who reported it stop and see if they could do anything until the emergency services arrived ?????????

[HAWKNORTH]

Good point. Lots of unanswered questions related to this.

[Landie71]

Thoughts go out to the families, can't imagine how they feel right now.

[Guest 2b cruising]

If one of us were to find a burglar in our house and hit them, the police would be around quicker than you can shout 999

+1 with Landie.

Edited July 10, 2015 by 2b cruising

[kevin the chicken]

Maybe they were on the other carriageway and were unable to gain access. We are told time and time again to not stop on the motorway. The police are very thin on the ground nowadays, sometimes they can't even give an eta time if we go to a car fire of doubtfull origin so tha vehicle is recovered and all evidence is disturbed before they even get there. They always turn up in large numbers if it is an rtc though so there was definitely a breakdown in communications somewhere.

[richardm6994]

Very sad stories above, and I know of a similar instances myself from a few years ago.

 

The emergency services, NHS and hm forces to name just a few of the vital services that should be at the forefront of government funding yet sadly this is not the case and as such I do think they are extremely overstretched..... These are essential services that surely no citizen would want to be underfunded as one day it maybe our nearest and dearest who's life depends upon these people!!!!

 

 

 

 

[Al Milton]

And yet the Government last year ring fenced an additional £12 BILLION in overseas aid!!!

How many Police/Fire/Doctors/Nurses/Ambulance personnel would that pay for - it does make you think where the priorities lie in these times of 'Austerity'???

Rant over.

 

Thoughts with the families - they must be totally distraught

[Big Jim]

If you read all the stories about this incident, it sounds like the call taker that took the initial call either didn't pass it on for deployment of a police patrol, either because they took another important call without first completing this one, then forgetting about it, (pressure, short-staffed, who knows!) or misunderstood what the initial caller meant and that it's something of no real interest. I read the call was something like "there's a car off the motorway" NOT, "There's a car GONE off the motorway" The call taker may have thought (Incorrectly) 'Ah, there's just some youths messing about in a car on land at the side of the motorway' we'll wait for any further calls before deploying a patrol.

OR, The patrol could easily have been deployed to a wrong location initially and found nothing, as the majority of drivers have no idea just where they are on a motorway. (85% of locations that come into the police on 999 for on the motorway are usually incorrect, often by a long way!)

I feel very sorry for the call taker, and obviously for the affected families of the motorists