Author Topic: Would you help a policeman being attacked.  (Read 1596 times)

xetog

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Would you help a policeman being attacked.
« on: Nov 20, 2018, 09:47:49 AM »

Following a recent event when a policewoman was nearly knocked under a bus by a thug a statement has been issued to the effect that if the public continue to walk on by without helping they may stop attempting to prevent thuggery.  Although I find these events despicable and think I would attempt to intervene, I have never so far witnessed such a thing and wonder what I would do if tested.  Getting old and knowing that because of medical conditions would likely to mean my death, I still hope that my courage and outrage would not fail me.


However, since we, the public have been told that we must accept less and less assistance from police, I wonder whether these are 'Chickens coming home to roost'?  As events have shown, in the case of a recent Westminster terror attack a senior police officer 'followed the rules' and remained in his car during a fatal attack on a colleague when (to my mind) the decent thing to do was to forget the rules and intervene no matter what the danger.


Any thoughts?


Mike.X
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Michael Rolls

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Re: Would you help a policeman being attacked.
« Reply #1 on: Nov 20, 2018, 10:15:59 AM »
Well, in the unlikely event of actually seeing a police officer, let alone one being attacked, I would hop that I would display a bit more courage than Sir Craig MacKey who locked himself in his car.
Mike
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fortyone

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Re: Would you help a policeman being attacked.
« Reply #2 on: Nov 20, 2018, 10:56:17 AM »
I expect Brian has already assisted one...

Michael Rolls

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Re: Would you help a policeman being attacked.
« Reply #3 on: Nov 20, 2018, 12:04:17 PM »
I suppose being a bit picky, is it reasonable for police officers, presumably trained (at least, I sincerely hope so) in self defence and who seem nowadays to automatically patrol in stab vests armed at least with a baton, to expect unarmed, untrained, unprotected members of the public to succeed where they have failed?
Mike
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xetog

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Re: Would you help a policeman being attacked.
« Reply #4 on: Nov 20, 2018, 12:33:51 PM »

No, not at all picky Mike.  For years the public has been told by police not to take the law into their own hands and that is basically what they are being urges to do.


Mike.X
If you want to control peoples thoughts, first control their words.

Michael Rolls

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Re: Would you help a policeman being attacked.
« Reply #5 on: Nov 20, 2018, 01:16:40 PM »
Good point
Mike
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Michael Rolls

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Re: Would you help a policeman being attacked.
« Reply #6 on: Nov 20, 2018, 01:19:47 PM »
Come to think of it - look at the number of times one reads of concerned citizens trying to sort out some yob and being put in the wrong for 'taking the law into their own hands'. OK, seeing a uniformed officer being attacked is a simpler situation that Rugby tackling a shop lifter fleeing the scene, but it is the sort of thing that loses sympathy for the police.
Mike
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The older I get, the better I was!

fortyone

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Re: Would you help a policeman being attacked.
« Reply #7 on: Nov 20, 2018, 01:28:08 PM »
One thing worth mentioning which was omitted from the opening post is that the statement came from the police federation (coppers union).

Scrumpy

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Re: Would you help a policeman being attacked.
« Reply #8 on: Nov 20, 2018, 02:17:26 PM »



I’m quite a laid back sort of person but I can be a bit fiery if I think someone is being bullied or getting a raw deal..
As a mum I would fight to the death for my children if they were in harms way.. Because of this I know that I would jump in to help someone else’s child...
I think my insticts would kick in if I saw a policeman being beaten up by some yobs.. My bag would swing and my foot would kick out.. Not because I am brave, because I’m a mum..
It is very scary out there though and I know I would come of worse.But at the time all common sense goes out the window.
Everything will be alright in the end, and if it’s not alright, its not the end.

Alex22

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Re: Would you help a policeman being attacked.
« Reply #9 on: Nov 20, 2018, 02:21:16 PM »
I'd have a swing of my handbag - and my hangbag is really REALLY heavy  8)   
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Scrumpy

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Re: Would you help a policeman being attacked.
« Reply #10 on: Nov 20, 2018, 02:24:06 PM »
So is my foot Alex,so is my foot.
Everything will be alright in the end, and if it’s not alright, its not the end.

fortyone

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Re: Would you help a policeman being attacked.
« Reply #11 on: Nov 20, 2018, 02:25:39 PM »
Did either of you visit Northampton about 3 years ago?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bEk8BofSIY0

Alex22

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Re: Would you help a policeman being attacked.
« Reply #12 on: Nov 20, 2018, 02:29:28 PM »
Nah not me,  I wouldn't swing me bag to stop a robbery Forty  ;D
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fortyone

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Re: Would you help a policeman being attacked.
« Reply #13 on: Nov 20, 2018, 02:32:04 PM »
Apparently she thought they were attacking another youth rather than busting the jewellers window.

Scrumpy

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Re: Would you help a policeman being attacked.
« Reply #14 on: Nov 20, 2018, 02:33:01 PM »
Wasn’t she wonderful.!!. And she ran towards them ready for battle..
Would I be as brave in the same situation.?  I don’t think I would because no-one is on the deck being kicked.
Everything will be alright in the end, and if it’s not alright, its not the end.