Reply to: police service- ineffectual?

[expat]

But they are normal people like the rest of us, with families and loved ones to care for, and they have a job to do.

I repudiate the assertion that they are like me. I do not assault people who displease me with what they say.

[Cyberman]

Well said that man! I have been thinking just that for a long time now...

New Lie is a dumbing down of government full stop !!

[Cyberman]

I am not calling you a coward, I never have, I never would. Just having a wry poke at your judgement.

FWIW, I can see two types of thinking here,
people with a 'systematic approach' (an attitude, an approach)

Always avoid - threaded, platypus
Always intervene - CM , Churchill

people with an 'ad hoc approach' (make a judgement, weigh the risks)

high risk intervener -
low risk intervener - Cyber dicksplat, EternalOptimist

Absolutely !! Intervene at the point of greatest chance of a positive outcome, and also only if you see real danger to another individual..... ie: lower risk. That's pure commonsense IMO.

[Signo_cypher]

Wise words NF.

It's all too easy to see the Police as a faceless organisation ; the anonymous shocktroops of a totalitarian regime.

But they are normal people like the rest of us, with families and loved ones to care for, and they have a job to do.

I know a great deal of them despise the fact that they are used as a political instrument, but that's not their fault.

That's the fault of the politicians and ultimately the people who voted for them in the first place.

I sometimes wonder if the radicalisation and politicalisation of the Police is to serve a deeper purpose.

By casting them in such a light, public ill-will is focussed on the Police instead of their masters. A public scapegoat if you will.

Put it another way...does anyone consider the Police truly apolitical ?

If not, then it follows that they are the instrument of someone's political will.

The question begs ; is that a healthy state to be in ?

The sad thing is, most of the general population don't particularly care about such things. So long as it doesn't interfere with their BB, Soaps, Footie, Booze and Fags.

It does make me wonder if the "dumbing-down" of Education is a deliberately socially-engineered concept in order to produce a more malleable, dependent and subservient population.

If that is so, then it demonstrates the true amount of contempt those in power really have over the rest of us.

Before some of us on the Board get too smug with ourselves, because our educational backgrounds may be higher than the norm, and we don't consider ourselves or our families in the same league as the untersmenchen, remember that regardless of our social, educational and political backgrounds, we are all "managed" one way or the other.

Well said that man! I have been thinking just that for a long time now...

[EternalOptimist]

... and if I had done nothing and the guy had been killed how do you think I would have felt. There were about 30 other people around who also could have intervened but they did not, so perhaps that makes them more of a coward than me. I was quite proud of myself that I did intervene, but afterwards I was shaking uncontrollably with adrenaline at the thought of the possible consequences. Perhaps one day you will find out how brave YOU really are.

I am not calling you a coward, I never have, I never would. Just having a wry poke at your judgement.

FWIW, I can see two types of thinking here,
people with a 'systematic approach' (an attitude, an approach)

Always avoid - threaded, platypus
Always intervene - CM , Churchill

people with an 'ad hoc approach' (make a judgement, weigh the risks)

high risk intervener -
low risk intervener - Cyber dicksplat, EternalOptimist

[Cyberman]

It's not often that you can sink further after being Cyber Cretin.
Cyber Dicksplat he is, from now on.


And please don't quote his stuff. It makes the whole concept of an Ignore List unworkable..

Moron !!

[Xenophon]

The more people who walk away and don't make a stand, the deeper we sink into the mire.

I agree, big fella.

[Cyberman]

er. big guy punches unconcious girl - cyber dicksplat does nothing

big guy punches other big guy - cyber dicksplat intervenes

... and if I had done nothing and the guy had been killed how do you think I would have felt. There were about 30 other people around who also could have intervened but they did not, so perhaps that makes them more of a coward than me. I was quite proud of myself that I did intervene, but afterwards I was shaking uncontrollably with adrenaline at the thought of the possible consequences. Perhaps one day you will find out how brave YOU really are.

[Churchill]

Those who call you a coward should re-read news reports of have-a-go heroes being stabbed and/or killed.

The more people who walk away and don't make a stand, the deeper we sink into the mire.

[sasguru]

cyber dicksplat

It's not often that you can sink further after being Cyber Cretin.
Cyber Dicksplat he is, from now on.


And please don't quote his stuff. It makes the whole concept of an Ignore List unworkable..

[Platypus]

Those who call you a coward should re-read news reports of have-a-go heroes being stabbed and/or killed.

[EternalOptimist]

Actually, I did intervene in a situation two years ago.

There was an argument in a bar between a girl and her British ex while I was on holiday in Phuket. All hell broke loose after the Thai girl threw a pool ball at her ex. He was hit on the forehead and bled heavily, and he was very drunk.

He then retaliated and started punching her and picked up a cue and smashed it over her head knocking her out. He continued to hit her and another guy pulled him off her and a punch-up ensued between the two guys. The ex was quite powerful and had the other guy on the ground and was punching him in the head repeatedly without reply and I could see that he was losing the fight and this could be extremely nasty for his wellbeing . Everybody else was doing nothing but watching just stunned at the extreme violence.

I just could not let this go on so I took a calculated risk and threw myself at the guy on the ground, kicking him hard and screaming at him 'STOP IT !!!'.
I knew that it was possible that he could have turned on me, but luckily he was so stunned that he got up, looked me in the eye, and fortunately staggered away without any further ado !!

So, I suppose this proves that I would intervene if I thought there was real danger to life. Those that call me a coward should perhaps wait until they are confronted with such a situation and then they will realise how brave they really are.

er. big guy punches unconcious girl - cyber dicksplat does nothing

big guy punches other big guy - cyber dicksplat intervenes

[Cyberman]

Actually, I did intervene in a situation two years ago.

There was an argument in a bar between a girl and her British ex while I was on holiday in Phuket. All hell broke loose after the Thai girl threw a pool ball at her ex. He was hit on the forehead and bled heavily, and he was very drunk.

He then retaliated and started punching her and picked up a cue and smashed it over her head knocking her out. He continued to hit her and another guy pulled him off her and a punch-up ensued between the two guys. The ex was quite powerful and had the other guy on the ground and was punching him in the head repeatedly without reply and I could see that he was losing the fight and this could be extremely nasty for his wellbeing . Everybody else was doing nothing but watching just stunned at the extreme violence.

I just could not let this go on so I took a calculated risk and threw myself at the guy on the ground, kicking him hard and screaming at him 'STOP IT !!!'.
I knew that it was possible that he could have turned on me, but luckily he was so stunned that he got up, looked me in the eye, and fortunately staggered away without any further ado !!

So, I suppose this proves that I would intervene if I thought there was real danger to life. Those that call me a coward should perhaps wait until they are confronted with such a situation and then they will realise how brave they really are.

[cailin maith]

No, I wouldn't of treated it as some sort of spectator sport, but wading in all guns blazing in the aid of a complete stranger (not that that really matters)?

Probably not...

Thats my point.

[TheBigD]

Very true.... but would you have simply stood there and watched? Honestly, I don't think many of us could do that. Walk away maybe, but stand there.... no.

No, I wouldn't of treated it as some sort of spectator sport, but wading in all guns blazing in the aid of a complete stranger (not that that really matters)?

Probably not...