Retired police officer explains why the public are losing faith in police

7 February 2020, 17:18

This retired police officer explained to LBC why the public are losing faith in the police force: "officers spend most of the time with a cup of tea in front of the computer inputting information. That's all they do."

A new report has revealed that public are losing faith in the criminal justice system and are increasingly not bothering to report less serious offences.

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services said officers have been "rumbled" for struggling to investigate crimes.

He said the reason why the police officers are "unable to do anything" is because of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act and everything goes through the CPS.

"A lot of the cases are not being prosecuted by CPS. The police officers themselves spend most of the time with a cup of tea in front of the computer inputting information. That's all they do."

Sean said that if a member of the public reports a crime the officer has to go back to the station and do a full crime report.

"If you stop somebody you have to fill such a huge form and go back to the station for hours," he said, "if you arrest somebody you can actually take your entire shift dealing with one person.

"Police officers are not really police officers, they're form-fillers."

Matt asked what needs to change and the retired officer said the form-filling and policing needs to be separated.

"A lot of police officers would get a cup of tea if it's cold, sit in a warm office, take their time with two fingers punching in a crime report," Sean said, "it'd take hours."

He agreed with Matt's posit that the system is over-elaborate and "everything is bogged down by bureaucracy."