The cops just can't win.

[Coldkiwi]

Hey spud, i'm with you on feeling sorry for the poor cop who has to go into a dangerous situation without backup. I wouldn't wish that on anyone. Of course, that makes seeing all the highway patrol gibbons with their lasers out the windows and doughnuts in hand all the more irritating, because I'm sure they could be doing much more productive things!! i think most peoples beef is that as dangerous as speeding is in the wrong conditions, the majority of enforcement meated out upon joe schmoe is not in such conditions and they feel dangerous domestic situations etc elsewhere are being left unattended. I've seen LTSA 'stats' on social costs etc on speeding but i wonder if there's any data on the total cost of domestic violence on families and the following generations??

man, just think about what might happen if all our speeding ads on TV where about how badly the cops are going to bust your nuts if you hit your wife? what a great impact that could have on our country!

[MD]

Wenier suggested above offering the Police $100 tip to come to a real crime call out. Here's another idea that might get a response. When you report a violent crime or burglary in progress always end with "and the villian is driving off in excess of the posted speed limit Officer" Or "I don't think his WOF is current" Then watch 3 HP cars sweep within minutes to issue the villian a ticket ! And maybe arrest him for the real crime only so long as another speedster doesn't pass within their quoto radar.
But on the serious side the Officer attacked put himself at danger on our behalf, just doing his job and I sure respect and thank him for that. Now that man deserves a DB.

[spudchucka]

Hey spud, i'm with you on feeling sorry for the poor cop who has to go into a dangerous situation without backup. I wouldn't wish that on anyone. Of course, that makes seeing all the highway patrol gibbons with their lasers out the windows and doughnuts in hand all the more irritating, because I'm sure they could be doing much more productive things!! i think most peoples beef is that as dangerous as speeding is in the wrong conditions, the majority of enforcement meated out upon joe schmoe is not in such conditions and they feel dangerous domestic situations etc elsewhere are being left unattended. I've seen LTSA 'stats' on social costs etc on speeding but i wonder if there's any data on the total cost of domestic violence on families and the following generations??

man, just think about what might happen if all our speeding ads on TV where about how badly the cops are going to bust your nuts if you hit your wife? what a great impact that could have on our country!

Because all cops today wear the same uniform the public expect them to all do / be capable of doing the same job if called upon. Thats not always the case. I know a guy that graduated the RNZPC and was posted to Auckland where he was rostered onto the Traffic Alcohol Group. After six months he needed to move south because of family reasons and the only way he could get the transfer was to go to Highway Patrol. He then spent the next three years on HP. Three years and all he had done was traffic work. He'd never taken a theft complaint or attended a burglary. The poor guy was going mad and he begged for years to be transferred to general duties. Eventually he was and he had the stigma of being the senior man in his group and not knowing the first thing about ordinary policing.

He's worked out to be a great cop and he loves the job but before he got his experience working on the street if he was flagged down by someone whos house had just been burgled, he wouldn't have known where to start.

Thats why I reckon it should be 2 years maximum on HP regardless of how well or how poorly they have performed for the bosses.

As for domestic violence, that is a huge problem in this country, 80% of murders are domestic related. The stats are there, not sure exactly where but you will find them if you look hard enough.

[Coldkiwi]

I can understand vastly different training is required to go from HP to GD but I just wish they'd sort the bloody priorities out! domestic murders and the upheaval to childrens lives have got to be more pressing than drivers going 5 or 10 k over the supposed 'safe' limit.

[marty]

I can understand vastly different training is required to go from HP to GD but I just wish they'd sort the bloody priorities out! domestic murders and the upheaval to childrens lives have got to be more pressing than drivers going 5 or 10 k over the supposed 'safe' limit.

this is one major reason kids are getting murdered by their caregivers. (not diminishing the responsibility of the parent in the first place though).

i'm not sure how the connection to speeding motorists is made...

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2841164a11,00.html

[Macktheknife]

Most of the trouble makers are away on holiday so that side of town is quiet at the mo.
Forget the army I'd rather he joined the Navy instead and follow in his dads footsteps, but the Airforce is the better second

Who are you kidding????? The Airfarce???
Good god man send the boy where he will have a chance to become something, the Navy is ok but then the Army, if not that the next best is Australia!
Airfarce is correct, all they are now is glorified parking wardens and high tech S+R.
just my opinion...

[texmo]

At mangwhai there are tonnes of cops I go there all the time, there is one perment copper there and there are a few in kawika which is like 10mins away and we alwase get highway partol crusing around, but you gotta rember the population isnt even 5000, its a small village...

[justsomeguy]

I can understand vastly different training is required to go from HP to GD but I just wish they'd sort the bloody priorities out! domestic murders and the upheaval to childrens lives have got to be more pressing than drivers going 5 or 10 k over the supposed 'safe' limit.

No it's not -

Think like an accountant not a human being.......

[justsomeguy]

Who are you kidding????? The Airfarce???
Good god man send the boy where he will have a chance to become something, the Navy is ok but then the Army, if not that the next best is Australia!
Airfarce is correct, all they are now is glorified parking wardens and high tech S+R.
just my opinion...

Hmm......

The Army is pretty tough ...... the Airforce or Navy ......hmm I think it takes different qualities to get into them. Was offered a chance as a Navy or Airforce officer when I was told I'm too little of a team player to join the Army.....

Besides all the army fellows like to say the Navy is full of homos and the airforce is full of mechanics.....

Haven't mixed with any from the airforce or navy so don't know what they call the other forces.

[scumdog]

Or they could just do something about it and spend the pr/focus group money on exta officers who will actually attend if someone pulls a knife on joe public.

"spend the pr/focus group money' - THAT'S the problem!

I too would like to see somebody try and prise any more money from the Gov't tight-arsed money holders and spend it wisely - but I guess it ain't goin' to happen.