Police interaction yesterday - am I being unreasonable?

[vaud]

OK, so it was pretty hot yesterday (for Yorkshire - 25 ish)

Finished shopping in the supermarket, making my way in my car to the exit. There had been a low speed prang ahead of us with a single officer in attendance. No-one seemed to be injured, just some bad scrapes on the cars.

As I got towards the exit I saw a car alarm going off. They often do, due to pets, windows left open, etc. In this case all windows were closed and there was a toddler (12-18 months at a guess) in the front passenger seat, buckled in, in the direct sunlight. He/she was in considerable distress.

I parked up and ran back to the officer to explain and my concern for the child's health (as they can go downhill very quickly in heat).

He said "I'm dealing with this collision"
I said "I know, but unless someone is injured I'm worried about this child"
He said "I'm dealing with this collision for now, I'll get to it"
I said "Can you call someone else or would it help fore me to call 999?"
He said "I'm dealing with this collision for now, I'll get to it"
My response was as direct as I have ever been with a police officer, "Can I suggest that you change your priorities and call for some support?"
He said "I'm dealing with this collision for now, I'll get to it"

I pulled out my phone to call 999 and he finally agreed to take a look.

Maybe I should just have smashed the window and worried about the consequences later.

I'm a parent and have been there with toddlers. At a guess it was probably a tired parent, with a sleeping toddler and they were "just popping in for 2 mins" not realising the car alarm would go off, and failing to leave a window open.

Was I unreasonable? I thought threat to life would have been an immediate prioirity versus investing due car/attention, if no-one was injured in the car park bump?

/end of rant, thanks for reading.

[geeks]

If as written then no I don’t think you are, I’d have reacted much as you did I reckon.

[Hugo Stiglitz]

You did the right thing.

[Getragdogleg]

Not in the slightest, Id have had his badge number to complain to the higher ups and I'd phoned the child/car concern through to 999.

The copper needs retraining or a lesson in how to deal with more than one thing, I suspect he was young, inexperienced and full of the power he had over everyone at the accident scene and had no idea what to do about a hot kid in a locked car.

If you don't push back against public perception stuff like this you end up with st policing, tough on infringements crap with anything that doesn't generate a fine.

I'm not Anti Police, I'm anti crap police and we have loads of crap police at the moment.

[Geffg]

What was the outcome? Can’t give half a story haha

[Hugo Stiglitz]

Getragdogleg said:

Not in the slightest, Id have had his badge number to complain to the higher ups and I'd phoned the child/car concern through to 999.

The copper needs retraining or a lesson in how to deal with more than one thing, I suspect he was young, inexperienced and full of the power he had over everyone at the accident scene and had no idea what to do about a hot kid in a locked car.

If you don't push back against public perception stuff like this you end up with st policing, tough on infringements crap with anything that doesn't generate a fine.

I'm not Anti Police, I'm anti crap police and we have loads of crap police at the moment.

I'll stand up for him, probably run ragged. Tired, stressed, no food and no toilet break. Radio going constantly in his ear. Ever been maxed out?

[Cold]

Geffg said:

What was the outcome? Can’t give half a story haha

£100 fine and three points.

[98elise]

Hugo Stiglitz said:

Getragdogleg said:

Not in the slightest, Id have had his badge number to complain to the higher ups and I'd phoned the child/car concern through to 999.

The copper needs retraining or a lesson in how to deal with more than one thing, I suspect he was young, inexperienced and full of the power he had over everyone at the accident scene and had no idea what to do about a hot kid in a locked car.

If you don't push back against public perception stuff like this you end up with st policing, tough on infringements crap with anything that doesn't generate a fine.

I'm not Anti Police, I'm anti crap police and we have loads of crap police at the moment.

I'll stand up for him, probably run ragged. Tired, stressed, no food and no toilet break. Radio going constantly in his ear. Ever been maxed out?

Plenty of times, but I'd still be able to recognise a potential emergency situation is more important than a minor prang.

If an emergency services worker can't, then they shouldn't be doing the job.

[Dingu]

You did the right thing OP.

Now the forum armchair experts will tediously pile in based on their infinite wisdom to batter someone on the basis of an account from one side of a conversation.

[Nickp82]

Cold said:

£100 fine and three points.

For the toddler

[Hugo Stiglitz]

98elise said:

Hugo Stiglitz said:

Getragdogleg said:

Not in the slightest, Id have had his badge number to complain to the higher ups and I'd phoned the child/car concern through to 999.

The copper needs retraining or a lesson in how to deal with more than one thing, I suspect he was young, inexperienced and full of the power he had over everyone at the accident scene and had no idea what to do about a hot kid in a locked car.

If you don't push back against public perception stuff like this you end up with st policing, tough on infringements crap with anything that doesn't generate a fine.

I'm not Anti Police, I'm anti crap police and we have loads of crap police at the moment.

I'll stand up for him, probably run ragged. Tired, stressed, no food and no toilet break. Radio going constantly in his ear. Ever been maxed out?

Plenty of times, but I'd still be able to recognise a potential emergency situation is more important than a minor prang.

If an emergency services worker can't, then they shouldn't be doing the job.

But have you ever worked to those stress levels? You literally max out/sensor/burn out

Bearing in mind I said the OP did the right thing.

[markymarkthree]

Hugo Stiglitz said:

Getragdogleg said:

Not in the slightest, Id have had his badge number to complain to the higher ups and I'd phoned the child/car concern through to 999.

The copper needs retraining or a lesson in how to deal with more than one thing, I suspect he was young, inexperienced and full of the power he had over everyone at the accident scene and had no idea what to do about a hot kid in a locked car.

If you don't push back against public perception stuff like this you end up with st policing, tough on infringements crap with anything that doesn't generate a fine.

I'm not Anti Police, I'm anti crap police and we have loads of crap police at the moment.

I'll stand up for him, probably run ragged. Tired, stressed, no food and no toilet break. Radio going constantly in his ear. Ever been maxed out?

He shouldn't be a copper then if he cant cope with a simple situation like this.

[Getragdogleg]

markymarkthree said:

Hugo Stiglitz said:

Getragdogleg said:

Not in the slightest, Id have had his badge number to complain to the higher ups and I'd phoned the child/car concern through to 999.

The copper needs retraining or a lesson in how to deal with more than one thing, I suspect he was young, inexperienced and full of the power he had over everyone at the accident scene and had no idea what to do about a hot kid in a locked car.

If you don't push back against public perception stuff like this you end up with st policing, tough on infringements crap with anything that doesn't generate a fine.

I'm not Anti Police, I'm anti crap police and we have loads of crap police at the moment.

I'll stand up for him, probably run ragged. Tired, stressed, no food and no toilet break. Radio going constantly in his ear. Ever been maxed out?

He shouldn't be a copper then if he cant cope with a simple situation like this.

Quite, I feel that the training alone should be of a standard that the officer can prioritise on the fly.

Would the response have been the same if a person had a heart attack nearby or someone got attacked ? Both are people in danger like the baby in the OP.

If the person is under stress and cannot cope/needs a wee/hungry then sure, that will influence the way things are handled and perhaps calling the person in charge of said officer may go some way to shining a light on poor practices and training and possibly poor management of the boots on the ground.

Either way Id report and kick up a bit of a fuss. its crap Policing and leads to threads like this and poor public perception of what is supposed to be an organisation that assists, moderates and controls the public by consent. lose the consent and the job is much harder, that's the road we are going down in this country.

[Beanie]

Pay peanuts...

[Evanivitch]

vaud said:

As I got towards the exit I saw a car alarm going off. They often do, due to pets, windows left open, etc. In this case all windows were closed and there was a toddler (12-18 months at a guess) in the front passenger seat, buckled in, in the direct sunlight. He/she was in considerable distress.

I know we're already not dealing with parent of the year but front-facing 12-18m in the front of the car is a big red flag.

[98elise]

Hugo Stiglitz said:

98elise said:

Hugo Stiglitz said:

Getragdogleg said:

Not in the slightest, Id have had his badge number to complain to the higher ups and I'd phoned the child/car concern through to 999.

The copper needs retraining or a lesson in how to deal with more than one thing, I suspect he was young, inexperienced and full of the power he had over everyone at the accident scene and had no idea what to do about a hot kid in a locked car.

If you don't push back against public perception stuff like this you end up with st policing, tough on infringements crap with anything that doesn't generate a fine.

I'm not Anti Police, I'm anti crap police and we have loads of crap police at the moment.

I'll stand up for him, probably run ragged. Tired, stressed, no food and no toilet break. Radio going constantly in his ear. Ever been maxed out?

Plenty of times, but I'd still be able to recognise a potential emergency situation is more important than a minor prang.

If an emergency services worker can't, then they shouldn't be doing the job.

But have you ever worked to those stress levels? You literally max out/sensor/burn out

Bearing in mind I said the OP did the right thing.

Yes. I've done weeks of 12 hour days (6 hours on, 6 off) under tough conditions and no days off, but this isn't about me. It was in the armed forces before anyone says that's illegal!

My sister is a copper and I have zero doubt she would have dealt with the situation differently, especially as a mother herself.

Edited by 98elise on Sunday 11th May 18:24

[E-bmw]

Evanivitch said:

vaud said:

As I got towards the exit I saw a car alarm going off. They often do, due to pets, windows left open, etc. In this case all windows were closed and there was a toddler (12-18 months at a guess) in the front passenger seat, buckled in, in the direct sunlight. He/she was in considerable distress.

I know we're already not dealing with parent of the year but front-facing 12-18m in the front of the car is a big red flag.

He actually hasn't said front facing, so perhaps ask the question rather than make assumptions.

[Evanivitch]

E-bmw said:

Evanivitch said:

vaud said:

As I got towards the exit I saw a car alarm going off. They often do, due to pets, windows left open, etc. In this case all windows were closed and there was a toddler (12-18 months at a guess) in the front passenger seat, buckled in, in the direct sunlight. He/she was in considerable distress.

I know we're already not dealing with parent of the year but front-facing 12-18m in the front of the car is a big red flag.

He actually hasn't said front facing, so perhaps ask the question rather than make assumptions.

Pretty damn hard to see a rear facing child from front or side view of car.

[White-Noise]

Hugo Stiglitz said:

98elise said:

Hugo Stiglitz said:

Getragdogleg said:

Not in the slightest, Id have had his badge number to complain to the higher ups and I'd phoned the child/car concern through to 999.

The copper needs retraining or a lesson in how to deal with more than one thing, I suspect he was young, inexperienced and full of the power he had over everyone at the accident scene and had no idea what to do about a hot kid in a locked car.

If you don't push back against public perception stuff like this you end up with st policing, tough on infringements crap with anything that doesn't generate a fine.

I'm not Anti Police, I'm anti crap police and we have loads of crap police at the moment.

I'll stand up for him, probably run ragged. Tired, stressed, no food and no toilet break. Radio going constantly in his ear. Ever been maxed out?

Plenty of times, but I'd still be able to recognise a potential emergency situation is more important than a minor prang.

If an emergency services worker can't, then they shouldn't be doing the job.

But have you ever worked to those stress levels? You literally max out/sensor/burn out

Bearing in mind I said the OP did the right thing.

Pfff this officer should have been able to recognise a child as a priority. Utter nonsense.

Max burn out and stress would mean you're not standing up and able to speak.

[vaud]

It was front facing which is okay after 15 months IIRC. Not preferred but to be fair I did it with both of our children (esp in the MX5 which they loved)

I left once the officer (and the supermarket supervisor) attended. Partly because I was going to say something that I might regret but also that it was now in the right hands and I wasn’t going to be any use as a bystander.

I’m not going to submit a complaint but I might send a polite and constructive email with my, obviously one sided perspective to the force. I have nothing but respect for the police (our local force seem to be pretty good and even got the thieves who stole my cars a few years ago) and their support was excellent.

Maybe my comment was annoying to him at the time but maybe it helped reset something.

Thanks for the feedback. I appreciate he may have been overloaded - aren’t we all at times….