There's been a lot on the TV today about this, but don't see anything on here!
I wasn't surprised to be honest. A family member has just had 6 weeks off work with quite serious injuries and having their car written off completely. It could have been a whole lot worse though, it could have been another death on Norfolk's roads.
The person who CAUSED the accident through stupidity/carelessness does not even have to go to court, despite driving straight over a crossroads. Norfolk Police wrote and said they think its more effective to make this person go on a driving course to improve their skills. They do have to pay for it themselves (about £180) and as far as I can see that's their only punishment.
I think something of that gravity warrants a hefty fine, points on a licence and a ban for at least six months and THEN pay for and take a driving course. I imagine this person was well pleased when his letter plopped through his letter box.
Oh well, I suppose that will make Norfolk's police figures look much better too.
I was also speaking to someone last week who dialled 999, waited in a queue for 5 minutes and was then asked if it was a hoax call. You couldn't make it up could you??
Well when I spotted my car being broken into, the person at the Norfolk Police call centre asked me to keep an eye out and see if they actually got into it...i guess then, you actually get a response!!
Getting back on topic, the figures row is yet another example of the pitiful way Norfolk Police is run. I don't blame the officers on the ground who are doing their best..and I'm guessing probably anonymously tipped off the media about this memo in the first place..and thank goodness they did.
Interesting that the ever-elusive Chief Constable didn't appear to do any of the media interviews and got one of his minions to do it...with the justification that the memo advising officers how to class some crimes was "clumsily-worded." I wouldn't have thought officers would have taken the risk of contacting the media anonymously about their concerns if that was all it was.
When the revamp of Norfolk Police was announced a few weeks back, we were told it would actually mean a better and more efficient police response with inspectors taking more hands-on control of policing and ultimately, we would see more officers on the beat. Instead we seem to have got a new police uniform and inspectors sitting behind desks sending out memo's that are at best badly worded and at worst encouraging junior officers and staff to lie.It is one of my bug-bears on these forums and I have banged on about it before but when are the upper echelons of Norfolk Police going to get a grip? The precept keeps on going up and the standard of service and the amount of issues the police are dealing with is going down. Other forces can manage to deal with crime effectively. Why does Norfolk get it so wrong?
The force has taken the easy option of shooting the messenger and blaming the media when they should actually be turning the spotlight on their senior officers who frankly should be weeded out and replaced in many cases with people with the drive to actively detect crime, not sit behind their desks finding ways of avoiding the need to detect crime.
not sit behind their desks finding ways of avoiding the need to detect crime.
So very true, but it's grubby work and I suppose they just don't want to do it. You get more kudos - and awards - for saying you are taking care of the problem than for actually doing anything of use.
Another aspect our dear Chief Constable is unaware of, it seems is that his Silver Control stood down during the sea surge of November 9th last year, leaving the whole coast of Norfolk without emergency evacuation cover.
I wrote to Norman Lamb who forwarded my letter on to the Chief Constable
I have had reports, this week, that he has replied saying they were not stood down.
That expressly contradicts the official from North Norfolk District Council who was present in Silver Control who has confirmed twice in open committee and a newspaper article that Silver Control was stood down from 11.00pm - 3.30am.
It is now six months since this sea surge and he still has not been given the correct facts.
With a Chief Constable like that, we do not stand a chance, perhaps it is time for him to get out of his big black car, out of his office and hear what the Norfolk public think of him.
Lionheart wrote: not sit behind their desks finding ways of avoiding the need to detect crime. So very true, but it's grubby work and I suppose they just don't want to do it. You get more kudos - and awards - for saying you are taking care of the problem than for actually doing anything of use.
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