Is respect for the police at an all time low?

Rural crime, knife crime and bullying were on the agenda in Macclesfield as residents met with Cheshire’s police and crime commissioner and chief constable last week to discuss policing issues in their area.

It was the latest in a series of Question Time type events, where local residents across Cheshire were invited to put their questions about local policing to Cheshire Chief Constable Darren Martland and Police & Crime Commissioner David Keane

One of the most powerful moments was a 15-year-old girl in the audience, who spoke about her experience of bullying, which in turn had led to self-harm.

I made several attempts to raise a question myself, without success. I can only think that me submitting my question prior to the event (as requested in the invitation to attend) had put them on their guard – making me and my hand invisible.

The question I’d hoped to ask was this:

Over the past twelve months I’ve had reason to make complaints against three different police officers. I believe all three failed completely in their duty.

The Crime Commissioners office has proved to be unwilling or unable to investigate any complaints – and with the demise of the Police Complaints Commission any complaints are now handled by the same force being complained about.

Cheshire’s in-house complaints department – had no issues with what can only be described as the totally ludicrous responses of all three officers.

More recently I was assisting a friend in an inquest following the suspicious and sudden death of his mother in a local nursing home.

Many of the questions surrounding her death revolved around CCTV footage of a fall – and her abuse at the hands of one of the home’s nurses.

During the inquest the officer responsible for investigation into her death stated he had no recollection of seeing the video – which I, and I guess the coroner, took to mean he hadn’t bothered to watch the critical video.

Despite some horrifying photographs of the resident’s injuries – caused and admitted to by a nurse, the officer stated he was content to leave the issue of abuse for the care home to deal with.

He stated there would no action regarding criminal neglect – as the victim had been seen by a GP on the same day as her fall.

In truth, the doctor wasn’t called for two days and she was eventually seen by a GP two and half days prior after her fall.

For over 60 hours a 97 year-old-lady had been left without water or nutrition, personal or medical care, lying in her own excreta.

Despite the constant excuse of underfunding by the police these examples have nothing whatsoever to do with cuts. It’s down to sheer incompetence.

Oh yes, the question: Can you understand why respect for the police is probably at an all time low?