Only conversation I had with our local policeman in Wiltshire was him trying to buy some staddlestones we had cheaply. Did admire a couple who ended an armed robbery by throwing their handcuffs into the Post Office and telling the villains to cuff themselves and come out, which they did.
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Great - we agree on that. I do think that actually being courteous and professional is probably more important than being nosey. Our tiny collection of houses has, to my knowledge, never seen a police officer in a "professional capacity" since we have lived here. Quite a few have attended the parties though - and picked up some very useful "intelligence" by being friendly rather than nosey!
I love our local police officers, we hardly ever see them.
Saying that the ones we do see and speak to are really pleasant folk and are happy to stand and either have a chat or listen to you having a moan about things.
I have very young twin boys(double pushchairs are wide) and have no end of problems with folk parking there cars on the pavement.
This means that on most days we have to walk in the road to pass parked cars. I asked his advice and was told to take pictures of the offending cars and they would look into it, yeah right I thought.
Two days later a row of the cars all had a note on the windscreen advising that they stop doing what they are doing or be
fined for it. It has worked so a big thanks to the officer involved.
Saying that the ones we do see and speak to are really pleasant folk and are happy to stand and either have a chat or listen to you having a moan about things.
I have very young twin boys(double pushchairs are wide) and have no end of problems with folk parking there cars on the pavement.
This means that on most days we have to walk in the road to pass parked cars. I asked his advice and was told to take pictures of the offending cars and they would look into it, yeah right I thought.
Two days later a row of the cars all had a note on the windscreen advising that they stop doing what they are doing or be
fined for it. It has worked so a big thanks to the officer involved.
I assume that there's still a certain percentage of people in every job, that just don't know their **** from their elbow, that chap sounds to be in that percentage.
Don't accept a caution off one of those types cos it can go on your record.
Been challenged by armed police in my own wood because someone thought we were terrorists making camp. The fact we were using chainsaws for most of the day didn't give the game away that we were working up there.
Saw the dayglo jacket coming through the wood so though I would challenge them, axe in hand and knife on belt. Then realised he was sporting an assault rifle. So I decided to drop the axe. Then noticed his oppo was training his weapon on me. We had a short exchange and was asked for ID which I didn't have on me. Had to explain that it was my mother-in-laws land and I had permission to be there, also I don't carry my wallet whilst on my own land. All ended well with a bit of banter and off the went.
but when I found and challenged someone up there who was shooting illegally and called the police I was told I'd gone through to the wrong county and the right one would call me back. That took 30 mins!!!
fortuneatly I was able to control the situation and got the guy to leave.
Saw the dayglo jacket coming through the wood so though I would challenge them, axe in hand and knife on belt. Then realised he was sporting an assault rifle. So I decided to drop the axe. Then noticed his oppo was training his weapon on me. We had a short exchange and was asked for ID which I didn't have on me. Had to explain that it was my mother-in-laws land and I had permission to be there, also I don't carry my wallet whilst on my own land. All ended well with a bit of banter and off the went.
but when I found and challenged someone up there who was shooting illegally and called the police I was told I'd gone through to the wrong county and the right one would call me back. That took 30 mins!!!
fortuneatly I was able to control the situation and got the guy to leave.
Some good stories and advice coming out here. Anyone met any complete pillocks like my experience (see my story of the cop thinking my mate and I were shifty when out for a walk near our village, just because said mate had a hoodie on)?
This is making me smile as I am a rural Police Officer, who as a result of his interests and hobbies often has good reason to be carrying a knife/axe/shotgun. Had a lovely works trip into the mountains in the Landy last week, looking for a potential baddy in the snow.
All I can suggest is that in order to establish 'good reason' it is sometimes necessary to ask questions - if no answer, or the wrong one, is forthcoming then no good reason is likely to be presumed. Strictly speaking the 'just reason' is a matter for the Court but it would be daft to let it get nearly that far.
Sorry if some folk out there have had bad experiences - but that goes for pretty much all walks of life I suppose.
All I can suggest is that in order to establish 'good reason' it is sometimes necessary to ask questions - if no answer, or the wrong one, is forthcoming then no good reason is likely to be presumed. Strictly speaking the 'just reason' is a matter for the Court but it would be daft to let it get nearly that far.
Sorry if some folk out there have had bad experiences - but that goes for pretty much all walks of life I suppose.
Elen Sentier
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Devon brogue, eh, Red? Okehampton, Barnstaple, Chittlehampton, South Molton ... any o' thicky ole spots ring a bell ???
Ok'ampton maid and Execeter Tiverton and Bidefurd. Damn revenoo was a verner mind 
Oh and Mary Tavy for a bit too
Was down this week as it goes
Oh and Mary Tavy for a bit too
Was down this week as it goes
Before I moved to NZ I coppered in SE England. There, as here, the police can speak to whoever they want, and of course no one is obliged to answer... But someone walking around in the early hours who is evasive might just tick the "reasonable grounds to suspect" box and get arrested. Of course there are some utter plonkers who get the police a bad name. I explained it like this to my Dad... Just keep in the back of your mind he might have had a really bad day and the last call he was at he was having to have a fight, even at 7 in the morning. You spend your entire life dealing with violence and confrontation that if someone greets you with a smile and a pleasant attitude it makes your day and you do your best to make the most of that encounter.
As far as weapons, knives etc you have to be reasonable. When I was on ARVs we dealt with some guys who were setting up tarps etc wearing camo gear.... But the bit that caught our notice were the rifles, which later turned out to be air soft guns, which you had to handle to know they were replicas. A good way to get the wrong sort of attention. Nice boys, I remember, but could have ended badly.
As far as knives etc goes, same test. Police see some bad stuff involving knives. No idea how many stabbings a I have seen, but I remember my first one, arterial spurting, blood feeling warm under my rubber gloves. Second stabbing in my probation, the guy got it in the chest, missed all the vital organs. The offender was still there, covered in red and I nicked him. I am not "bragging" as most coppers have similar experiences, but these were just two incidents 18 years ago, and every year since has had similar or worse incidents, several each year. That's why the police sometimes get worried about knives.
I would say most coppers would be pretty sensible about bushcraft connected sharps, and the fact that most experiences with the police have been good probably underlines that. I have read posts where people seem to take enough steel to fill the Tower of London, and that always makes me wonder. A lot of people have long and heated posts about EDC knives, and seem to feel there is some sort of right to carry. The law is deliberately vague about all of this, and if you feel you want to push the boundaries the law will be carried out according to process, and a court will make a decision. But there is a shed load of stress in between. A folding knife in your pocket out in the woods is one thing, the same knife in the same pocket in the pub on a Friday night is different. And if that knife is in the pocket of someone under the influence it gets much worse.
However in my experience the biggest danger in using knives out and about comes from the user. I have cut myself a few times, those nasty ones when I should have got stitches but never did in the end. Murphy comes to play whenever you least want him, so the best advice I can give is always carry a kick **** FAK together with any sharp out in the field!
As far as weapons, knives etc you have to be reasonable. When I was on ARVs we dealt with some guys who were setting up tarps etc wearing camo gear.... But the bit that caught our notice were the rifles, which later turned out to be air soft guns, which you had to handle to know they were replicas. A good way to get the wrong sort of attention. Nice boys, I remember, but could have ended badly.
As far as knives etc goes, same test. Police see some bad stuff involving knives. No idea how many stabbings a I have seen, but I remember my first one, arterial spurting, blood feeling warm under my rubber gloves. Second stabbing in my probation, the guy got it in the chest, missed all the vital organs. The offender was still there, covered in red and I nicked him. I am not "bragging" as most coppers have similar experiences, but these were just two incidents 18 years ago, and every year since has had similar or worse incidents, several each year. That's why the police sometimes get worried about knives.
I would say most coppers would be pretty sensible about bushcraft connected sharps, and the fact that most experiences with the police have been good probably underlines that. I have read posts where people seem to take enough steel to fill the Tower of London, and that always makes me wonder. A lot of people have long and heated posts about EDC knives, and seem to feel there is some sort of right to carry. The law is deliberately vague about all of this, and if you feel you want to push the boundaries the law will be carried out according to process, and a court will make a decision. But there is a shed load of stress in between. A folding knife in your pocket out in the woods is one thing, the same knife in the same pocket in the pub on a Friday night is different. And if that knife is in the pocket of someone under the influence it gets much worse.
However in my experience the biggest danger in using knives out and about comes from the user. I have cut myself a few times, those nasty ones when I should have got stitches but never did in the end. Murphy comes to play whenever you least want him, so the best advice I can give is always carry a kick **** FAK together with any sharp out in the field!
See proof of my theory!:yelrotflm
The only real pillock I met was an ex-cop turned driving instructor who bragged of having "nicked" people for drink driving when he was also over the limit. That was the last lesson I had with him! ( does that count? )
Rob
I had a very pleasent interaction with the police almost two years ago.
Myself and lisa had taken jake camping for his first trip.
Around half four five am I spot a car pulling up near where we park near my permission.
I amble over rolling a cigarette and they flash their lights. Keep walking and light up.
Walk upto car. Morning officer how can I help you?
After a wee chat and explaining to them that no we arent hippies. Yes this car does belong to my other half. Yes we are camping. Yes brougbtmmyson. Yes you heard correctly 9wks old they went on their way.
The loom when it registered I'd given an age below three months was quite amusing
Myself and lisa had taken jake camping for his first trip.
Around half four five am I spot a car pulling up near where we park near my permission.
I amble over rolling a cigarette and they flash their lights. Keep walking and light up.
Walk upto car. Morning officer how can I help you?
After a wee chat and explaining to them that no we arent hippies. Yes this car does belong to my other half. Yes we are camping. Yes brougbtmmyson. Yes you heard correctly 9wks old they went on their way.
The loom when it registered I'd given an age below three months was quite amusing
Now this is a different question. I would, and have, taken offence at being acosted by a constable in such a fashion. I dealt with said constable in a calm and professional manner, took his details (collar number in this instance) and reported his behaviour to his superior. Getting into an argument at the time about due process and his behaviour may have ended up in a rather embarrasing situation
Sadly the Birch has now been outlawed and with it a rise in petty crime, always knew the tree had more uses than we thought.and they still use the birch i believe
Once saw the tallest policeman i've ever seen in a pub in Port St. Mary, he must have been 7 foot tall and carried a great big stick / baton ! i came whizzing round a corner and bumped into his belt buckle !!
I had a funny experience once .
Some years ago I went to the midnight premier of attack of the clones in a cinema in Bristol . Being a bit of a starwars fan boy at the time I brought a light sabre along with me .
When I was walking home in the early hours in the general direction of southmead , a police car pulled up next to me and wound down the window a couple of inches and said "what have you got there ".( or something along those lines) .
I then realised that as the plastic blade bit was detracted and I was holding that bit then it looked like I was walking along with a bit of metal bar in my hand .
I quickly explained my self to the relived looking policmen and the drove away laughing .
Not sure if that counts as being stopped with a blade
Some years ago I went to the midnight premier of attack of the clones in a cinema in Bristol . Being a bit of a starwars fan boy at the time I brought a light sabre along with me .
When I was walking home in the early hours in the general direction of southmead , a police car pulled up next to me and wound down the window a couple of inches and said "what have you got there ".( or something along those lines) .
I then realised that as the plastic blade bit was detracted and I was holding that bit then it looked like I was walking along with a bit of metal bar in my hand .
I quickly explained my self to the relived looking policmen and the drove away laughing .
Not sure if that counts as being stopped with a blade
Jackdaw, a police officer being rude - and inappropriate - is what I have been talking about throughout this thread - read back to my opening post.
Some things do matter - for example if I am "taken to the station", because a constable "feels it appropriate" he'd better have a very, very good reason to arrest me - and me not talking to him is not an arrestable offense.
Bad manners are never excusable in any walk of life. No difference for an officer of the law.
Never yet met a copper who was anything other than great, just one very lazy one who turned up 8 months late to criminal damage so his boss would let him move jobs.
Never yet met a copper who was anything other than great, just one very lazy one who turned up 8 months late to criminal damage so his boss would let him move jobs.
