Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

I’ve dealt with the AFP twice this month, due to a car accident in which I was at fault. Firstly they came to the Emergency department to see me on the day of the accident, where they not only were very kind and more interested in my wellbeing than making me go through the details of the accident. They also went to the effort of bringing some of my personal effects which I’d left in my car.
Then when making my statement and doing the paperwork, the office I dealt with was very pleasant and helpful.
There happened to be an interesting character in the station at the time who wanted to make a complaint about the NSW police, and the officer dealing with her was very polite and courteous to her, despite it being obvious she had a drug problem and wasn’t the most eloquent of people…
There are bad eggs in every industry, and I’m sure that being a police officer and dealing with the people they do, day in and day out, would lead to many frustrations. There are absolutely people in the police force who are there for the wrong reason or have become jaded or lack ethics – but tarring the whole lot with the same brush is fairly unfair.
It’s a shame policing has become more about filling in paperwork than it is about actual on the beat policing…

Do all the complaints about the watch house staff classify as 3 complaints each time or just one against 3 officers – then when they are substantiated is it one or three for the stats? Bear in mind a substantiated complaint may well be “The officer told me to F%#K OFF” as well as major misconduct as mentioned in the article.

I always try to judge local plod on recent experience because there have been many changes over time. Needed to ring them to deal with an emergency. Got through. Cops came. Situation dealt with quickly. Plod OK with me this month.

Nah, good solid data on the police force is hard to come by, as is getting a genuine response to a complaint or even a criminal incident (at least in my recent experience). Even the ombudsman has had issues with the AFP. Go figure.

DJ said :

Beginning to get air time? Please, it always has been available except the knockers and anti-police folk out there always whinge that it isn’t because it is easier to complain than do a little searching for public information.

Deadmandrinking said :

How many officers are in the AFP?

I think about 6000 members (from memory).

^^ Agreed.

caf said :

We all well know that the cops, being in close contact with the dregs of society, are likely to attract a number of made-up complaints.

We also well know that the temptation to dish out a bit of rough justice is sometimes too much for some, and we also well know that not all legitimate complaints can be proved.

A fair summary.

We all well know that the cops, being in close contact with the dregs of society, are likely to attract a number of made-up complaints.

We also well know that the temptation to dish out a bit of rough justice is sometimes too much for some, and we also well know that not all legitimate complaints can be proved.

farq said :

jakez said :

If people make 10000 complaints and only 100 are substantiated, that doesn’t diminish the importance of the 100.

And what percentage of the 10000 complaints are valid, but can not be proved? Too many.

Based on what? Nothing.

DJ said

DJ said :

A favorite topic from JB…

In fact, posting anything about the AFP here is clearly trolling the police and therefore JB should be instantly put into Moderation.

And if he happens to suffer a few bumps there, well, there’s a complaints process.