[shrub]

The tragic story of the Auckland woman who rang in fear and was sent a taxi is old news, and she has paid with her life for the failure of our police force, and in today's herald an article about a kid who rang for help, was ignored and then got beaten up.

But I have a story too. Recently I supported a friend to make a complaint to the police. She had been violently raped, and the rapist was at loose and was expressing interest in her daughter's wellbeing (9 years old). She made a complaint, and it took HUGE levels of courage to do that.

The officer she spoke to was in the middle of a big case and said she would call the arsehole in in a couple of weeks once the case was over. The case finished, and the officer then took the school holidays off, but was going to call him in when they were finished.

Meanwhile, the lowlife finds out that she has made a complaint and goes to ground. My friend is living in terror at the moment waiting for him to come back and have another go, or worse still visit her daughter. the cops get told that he has done a runner, they find out he is in Wellington (2 hours drive away) and proceed to write out speeding tickets and bust people for smoking pot.

Several months later, she has heard nothing. She has rung and left messages, and is still living in fear. If she gets raped again, or killed, and/or her daughter gets raped, the police will express sorrow and launch an inquiry where officers will lose their jobs at worst.

Aren't they supposed to protect us?

[Raine]

worse they often only investigate their own stuff ups if someone has been pushed to the brink and kicked up a huge fuss. otherwise these matters are never resolved.

even then the victim often ends up worse off for having to deal with her perp AND the police.

[kall]

This may not help, but has she considered taking it to the Police Complaints Authority or the media?

Seems like it's only after something like this goes public that something is done...which utterly sucks balls.

[shrub]

It took a hell of a lot of courage for her to get to the point where she was able to tell the police what happened, she doesn't think she has it in her to take it any further. Which means the cops fail her, a violent and dangerous rapist learns that it's OK to rape women and that the police won't do anything about it even when the woman complains and she lives in fear and goes nuts.

Cracker.

[Raine]

Originally Posted by shrub

It took a hell of a lot of courage for her to get to the point where she was able to tell the police what happened, she doesn't think she has it in her to take it any further. Which means the cops fail her, a violent and dangerous rapist learns that it's OK to rape women and that the police won't do anything about it even when the woman complains and she lives in fear and goes nuts.

Cracker.

i don't think anyone would disagree that the police fail people too. (unless of course we have a few coppers lurking round) though it would be good to hear what they have to say for themselves or an opposing point of view.

that said as long as your friend has supportive friends and family around to encourage her to rebuild her confidence and self esteem she will cope one day.

[kall]

But all the dangerous pot smokers are concentrated on.

Not really an acceptable tradeoff.

It leaves people with very few alternatives. I imagine if someone was to give this scumbag a good beating, that person would be charged with assault pretty quick-smart.

[shrub]

Indeed. A friend of mine's son spat at a cop when the cop tried to arrest him after HE was assaulted and had only just come to, and was before the courts in about 3.5 seconds. Mind you, he is a Maori, 22 and covered in tats. A real good guy who wants to make a go of life after a fucked up start, but that doesn't matter.

[Penny]

You know what, I do think it sounds like your friend has not been treated fairly, and the taxi thing, I don't think I know all the details of that and sounds like it was blown out of porpotion a wee bit.

But you know, they have to concentrate their efforts somewhere... if they didn't concentrate their efforts of the big dope growers(which I was under the impression thats what they go for not joe bloggs that has a smoke sometimes) then they would be out there doign that, and causing other issues with wepons and stuff, because the dope growers aren't in it just for growing hte dope.

And so I just beleive they can't do everything, and its a shame people just go and say they are failing at everything.

However in this situation has you friend contacted other people at the police station? or another one, it sounds like she needs to do something to ensure the safety of herself and her child.

Also I did feel it was perhaps overboard to have 26 police cars (that I saw!) on the way up the island, 6 of those within 1/2 hour of taupo. Plus speed cameras (about 6) and that doesn't count any mufty cars I didn't see.

[shrub]

the whole drug prohibition issue warrants discussion, but not necessarily here, however I will say that prohibition has had little or no effect on drug consumption; an experience common worldwide. Prohibition failed with alcohol in the 20's, and it has failed today with drugs. Which I guess is the reason we are sticking with it; consistent results are important when implementing policies.

Essentially what prohibition has done (at a cost of over $100 million a year) is place distribution and marketing of drugs in the hands of the gangs. Now, a starter for 10:

Gangs are known for being:
(a) Principalled members of society with a desire for the overall good
(b) Merciless and exploitative

[Sparklechick]

The problem with this story is that the police are not taking care of a victim. They spout out figures they obtain about the amount of people who have been raped and that there are many more that are unfortunately never reported.

They then go on to say that if people don't report them then there's nothing they can do.

But if they don't do anything about the ones that are reported how are victims of rape going to have the confidence to report them if they know they're not being treated as a priority?

It's hard enough for someone to tell anyone about being raped let alone getting up the courage to report it and then find out that nothing is being done.

Hugs to your friend shrub, I hope she makes it through okay.

[Raine]

obviously this problem isn't unique to nz though. i once reported an attempted rape in perth.

i didn't know this dude from a bar of soap, he'd simply found my window open one nite while i was sleeping and decided to have a go. lucky for me he wasn't overly violent and i fought him off and convinced him to piss off.

but the police were really dubious about my story. i'd remembered something about the incident i'd forgot previously and added that later...and they made a huge issue out of it. in the end i got fcuked off at them and told them well look...i don't give a shit if you believe me or not but don't come crying to me for witnesses if he pulls this shit on someone else. jerks!

[shrub]

She's an amazing woman, but she has lost all faith in the police.

Mind you, so have I.

[Raine]

Originally Posted by shrub

She's an amazing woman, but she has lost all faith in the police.

Mind you, so have I.

so have i too but not from just my own experiences. they have their uses and place but ultimately i wouldn't want to be reliant on them.

[busyness53]

the police is comming under fire yet again this time with 300 police computers viewing or saving porno, do we really need to pay these dudes money, most times i have encountered the law, the police are more corupt then a criminal.

[trogg]

Originally Posted by busyness53

the police is comming under fire yet again this time with 300 police computers viewing or saving porno

Hang on a moment. Has anybody actually defined this porn?

Some reports have said that some are on the extreme end of the scale but how many of the 330 cops were looking at nothing more than you would see on a girlie or fireman calender?
Then the next question that has to be asked is how many were unsolicited emails? Because I am sure that most people here have received porn spam at some time in their lives or clicked on the wrong link in a Google search or pop up.

How about we prosecute the ones that have actually done wrong with hard core porn (the type that the Chief Censor would have issues with) and find a wet bus ticket to slap the rest of them with before sending them out on the streets to do their job.

[kall]

Bro.

My thoughts exactly.

Should it be 'objectionable', then yes, it is very very bad. (Tho, I would imagine there is a percentage of the force that *should* have such conent on their PCs, due to being the ones attempting to stop it.)

But those people who have stuff in their cache due to not knowing that everything they happen to see is stored there, they could be given the benefit of the doubt, surely.

you cant get a cop to cover a real crime cause they're tooo busy revenue collecting with tickets

[busyness53]

I agree with what everyone is sying about the Police. sometimes their priorities are up the shoot, then it depends on what you look like, if you have been in trouble before, but still you are a good friend to have around, at this time stay and be that good friend.

[Diane]

I despise them.. my son just got mugged AGAIN tonight by the same kids that did it the last 5 freaking times.. and what did the cops do when I called them.. NOTHING! :angry:

All the fat bastard had to say was.. "Yeah.. we know those kids.. they are little shits.. but hey.. what can you do.." DO? freaking ARREST the pricks and send them to Juvey is what you can do you idiots!

Sorry.. I'm just really pissed off now.. my son keeps on getting mugged.. and the cops keep on doing NOTHING.

[Sparklechick]

I've had mixed experiences with the Police. One time I got attacked and they were amazing. They had plainclothes cops on the streets and managed to find the guy (with the help of the Eagle helicopter) after a really bad description I gave them. They were wicked.

I got mugged (well the guy tried but didn't get away with much) and the police were pretty prompt to arrive but they didn't catch the guy and I spent most of the night in Avondale police station having photos taken and skin samples taken from under my nails. Well I assume they never caught him because I never heard back from the police. I did appreciate the officer though who took me to the station for turning the siren and lights on when I asked him (even though they're not supposed to turn them on for no reason!!!).

Overall though, they've been pretty good to me.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that they're not all bad. The ones I've dealt with have been very good and caring (in my opinion)