I have had dealings with the British Transport Police. its not all good. I have seen racism towards staff and passengers. I have been assaulted in my job and I have to say, the process of making a complaint and leaving them to try and catch the assailant was woeful at best. They have a bad attitude, and make me feel like I am wasting their time. Instead of nicking people for assault and affray, they stop people who are drinking or skating on the Underground. I attest that drinking and skating are against the Conditions of Carriage but the priority for that over, say, fare evasion, sticks in my craw.
My husband is a football fan. Regarding various polices forces, he has been kettled, spoken to with disrespect, pushed towards the station to get home (when his Uncle had driven him to the game), and threatened with a baton and a horse (on separate occasions).
Its fair to say that the police do not have much respect within our family. But our daughter has now experienced the way the police operate. After being kettled with her dad and grandad at a match today, she saw an officer lie to a supporter about why they were being held, then when the officer was found out, he just smirked about it. She didn’t like the kettling, and she didn’t like the officer. She is eight, and the experience had left her thinking that such figures of authority are not always right.
I want the Met and the BTP to have good honest polite officers but they keep failing. They have now lost some ground with a child, for heavens sake. I want my daughter to respect the law, and the legal process, but if the police cannot be kind and polite (like she is being told to do constantly) then no wonder her faith has been shaken. What message does it send to a child to lie, then cover it up, then smirk about it? All the good work her family have done regarding manners and respect has the potential to fly out of the window!
The Police from the Met and ohers all need to recruit staff that are approachable, have manners, are honest, and make citizens think they are being looked after. They should make the best use of their time to investigate crime and disorder and close cases. They should keep citizens informed. This is not happening!
In 2014 an Ipsos Mori poll found that 31% of the public do not trust the police to tell the truth*. Considering personal experience, I am not surprised.
*http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-26730705
Tubemole 