Thanks for your support Jim - whilst I agree with Adam to a small degree I would like to make the point that I would rarely trouble the police with any sort of a complaint because frankly I do not have a particularly high regard for them in the first place. I once witnessed an incident at the gates of St. Paul's Park about 8 years ago when a young man who was not known to me was being pursued by several police officers. I presumed he had shoplifted from Somerfield as there was also a security guard from there in chase. He was brought to the ground and was face down on the floor and was being held there by at least 2 police when, 2 police vans and a car arrived. I can't remember how many police were involved but something like about 11. Out of a van jumped a policeman who ran full pelt towards the boy on the ground and then dropped on top of the boy by ramming his knee into the back of the boy's knee (I don't know how better to describe the incident). I was incensed by this and remonstrated with the police I was concerned enough to take the trouble to write a letter of complaint. Sadly because I did not know this boy I have no idea how hurt he was but, even though I was in no way condoning whatever he had done he did not deserve to be attacked in this way by a police officer let alone by a mob of them particular bearing in mind he was already face down and being held by more than one!It seems to me the police are only interested in soft targets. If you report a crime and it goes unsolved they don't achieve their targets therefore the public are dissuaded or prohibited from reporting crime, as in this case where they just can't be bothered, or so it seems, to even come and speak to victim or anything else really, just a pre-printed unsigned letter. That in itself suggests that it is a standard response when crimes are reported.Years ago very early in the morning I witnessed someone breaking into a car by smashing the window and then stealing whatever was in the car (very large boxes of something). I called Brentford police immediately but the thief was long gone before anyone turned up at least 30 mins later. I watched the police (man & woman) arrive, get out of their car, walk up to the damaged car, have a look, get back in their car and go, I never heard another word from anyone about that incident. No police came to ask me for any sort of description or anything else. I reported a crime and as far as I know the police had no interest in that crime either. We pay a high price for the police force. They are, in my opinion, well paid and well looked after with pensions etc. We pay for them in our taxes and council taxes and I think we have the right to expect the police to take incidents like this more seriously. I know tyre slashing is not the crime of the century but it is unpleasant, inconvenient and expensive to be on the receiving end of such a crime and the bottom line is I am very disappointed in their attitude towards it.
Bernadette Paul ● 5355d