Posted by 5605 on 09/07/05 22:21

On 2005-09-07 14:14:56 +0100, "Richard Dewsbery"
<richard@dewsbery.freeserve.co.uk> said:

>> I think that is the public relations problem the police have with many
> folk.
>> The balance appears wrong. Plenty of time for traffic offences, little
> time
>> for crime.
>
> The police have had "statistics" and "targets" foisted on them by the
> politicians (a class which includes not only the Government but most Chief
> Constables IMO).
>
> So a police force which "detects" the crime of having an illegal number
> plate AND "clears" the crime by telling the motorist off scores higher than
> the force which responds to a burglary with blue lights blazing - unless
> they actually catch the burglar, they'd rather you hadn't reported it in the
> first place TBH.

Two points. Traffic offences are non-notifiable and therefore not
"detectable crime", they may form part of some statistic but it
certainly isn't the crime figures.
Secondly - you never use blues and twos to a burglary.

>
> Hence speed cameras are so popular with Chief Constables - they "detect"
> every single instance of speeding (except the speeding just before and just
> after the camera, but as no-one conclusively saw that happening we'd best
> ignore it and pretend that it didn't happen), and the clear-up rate is high
> thanks to the DVLAs records. Better to process a fixed penalty ticket,
> because then you've "caught a criminal", as opposed to taking down a report
> of a car radio theft.


Traffic offences are not crimes and form no part of the National Crime
Statisitics
--
5605 your Trendy Uncle

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