Almost Canadian

Hi

It seems to me that Canadian police are much more enthusiastic about enforcing laws that most Brits would consider petty in the UK - traffic violations for example.

I assume the average british bobby would just turn a blind eye to such.

Question is: do you consider this a good or bad thing ? Is it that, because the minor infringements are jumped on it prevents people treating the police with contempt as they seem to in the UK.

Just interested to hear your views

windward

I'd have thought being busted for the petty stuff - jaywalking (the fact we have to use an American term for it says it all), parking your car in the wrong direction, etc - would give people less respect for Police over there, the 'Why aren't you out catching real criminals' attitude more acute...

But I think you're right and Canadians generally have more respect for their thin blue line than we do. Personally I reckon thats more to do with people's upbringing than the way coppers comport themselves.

The fact that despite there being thousands more bobbies on the payroll (many of my friends from school have become constables in the past few years) you're apparently still 6 x more likely to be a victim of street robbery in London than in NYC, and Britons suffer more crime per head of population than the vast majority of other developed nations might point to Brits simply being fed up with an inneffective police force...

This site : http://www.reform.co.uk/filestore/pd...hapter%204.pdf says that about half a UK bobby's day is spent in the station.. Maybe we would have more respect for our guys if they did (or were allowed to do) their jobs and spent their time protecting people rather than filling out paperwork.

Almost Canadian

I agree - maybe it's less to do with "respect" and more to do with "fear" (of being nicked )!!

I also agree with all you say about upbringing

Calgal

I can only speak locally, and from experience of course; but I think people here generally despise traffic cops; they're only doing their job and trying to meet 'quotas'; but I get really pissed off at obvious 'traps' they set for motorists like setting up just before a reduction in speed limit. And I get really pissed off at them driving as if they're above the law.

I think it's more to do with the fact that the cops treat the public with more respect in the first place - you reap what you sow!

In my experience (not that I have a lot myself, I hasten to add...lol), even if you're in trouble, they are far more respectful and polite whilst dealing with you...lol ) Having said that - they were slammed on the news recently for racism whilst working privately after hours (in full uniform) for certain nightclubs in town; for barring entry based on race.

windward

That's as common as muck here too. Find themselves a nice hidey hole and try to catch you cresting a ridge when you've got no chance of seeing them beforehand. Plenty of them are driving round in Range Rovers, Volvos, Jeeps, and Saabs too which makes no sense to me.


LMAO. Yeah, I think the absolute power corrupts absolutely maxim applies equally wherever you go.

I think you're right though. I've been stopped and searched a few times by police here and they were far from friendly. Shouting about 'Sharps' and whether I had any on me etc. (had to ask him what he was on about!!) whereas the OH and I were caught speeding (her at the wheel for the record ) and the Quebecois guy that ticketed her was calm, polite, friendly... a little too friendly IMHO but whether he fancied her or not he reduced her fine, told us to set the cruise control to 120kmph (which is still 20 klicks over the speed limit!!) and waved us on our way.

rae

Hello, i was interested to read the comments here and perhaps i can help with the original question posed. I have been a police officer in the UK for 10yrs and am currently serving as a patrol sgt. I am due to leave the UK shortly on PNP to a police position in Alberta. On my trips to Canada, speaking to colleagues here and my experience within the police service there is much disparity. I believe this is mostly down to two things.
Firstly. Standards of recruiting have dropped sharply. This has lead to resentment due to poor service and results.
Secondly. The current government seems intent on running the police service as a business, but without any business acumen. Targets are set for officers, but not in every area. No recognition will be given for finding a lost child, taking a statement, consoling a victim of crime, recording and investigating a traffic collision or arresting for numerous offences such as drink driving and breaching bail/court orders.
Consequently, officers have no choice but to target certain offences to evidence performance. It may interest you to note that an arrest for someone, who is drunk and belligerent in the street, counts the same as a burglar. Who do you think officers go looking for?! They are only humans and put under the intense pressure and scrutiny they are, they have little choice.
These are just the tip of the ice burg and i don't want to monopolise the thread. The Canadian forces are keeping standards high, recruiting suitable applicants. They have 'quota's', but they are in proportion and properly monitored, no one wants lazy cops, certainly not hard working ones.

mjanovitz

Hi, sent you some Kama for your comments............I was police officer for over six years in the UK, don't miss the Home Office clear ups, and only getting credit for somethings while others were ignored. Currently lounging around in Toronto with a view to getting hired by one of the local forces.

Good luck with the PNP.

Mark

Butch Cassidy

Is the wearing of leather chaps obligatory in Ontario Police Forces then?

mjanovitz

Obligatory......no you have to earn them, only the best cops get the leather chaps, I'm hoping I don't have to wait too long and in the mean time I will have to make do with my toy pvc ones!!

Liana

I still spend a few months every year in the UK and the first thing that is obvious is that there appear to be more police patrol vehicles on the roads in the Uk than there are here. I see more police cars lining up at Tim Horton's here, than on the road- at first I thought it was a joke when I heard that being said, but it certainly appears to have some truth Serious cases I have no idea but certainly traffic problems are not dealt with very well here. I get fed up with drivers going through red lights - why don't we have video cameras that can monitor traffic situations. I also see bikers regularly doing wheelies on my street and though the police are informed of the situation and are given the bike numbers, they come to check the area at lunchtime.DUH! The bikers are around after supper and we have had one bike spinning around and landing in someone's frontyard and one car did exactly the same - no exaggeration - I have never seen a car on 2 wheels before and the amount of tire rubber that was left on the driveway it hit!! I have never seen anything like this happen in the UK, so I do believe the police there do a better job regarding traffic, which is a significant situation for all of us daily, than the police in Canada.

rae

Thanks to mark.
Curious after reading the comments made by liana, where in Canada are you and anyway is this fairly typical across all provinces. A few other things too, perhaps others could help with.
1. what sort of service is given to victims of low level crime, break into cars for instance.
2. what crime effects you most in your neighbourhood and what is being done about it.
3. is the general impression positive, or, are there lots of scandals, don't like the sound of bobbies working after hours privately then even worse discriminating on race
thanks rae

Gezza

If you live in Vancouver you will also know that they do a very poor job of controling the East Hasting Street - I am afraid I do not have words to describe this area because I had not seen anything like this in U.K. in the 20 years I have been here.

However having been pulled up 3 times for various minor offences in BC I had consitently managed to get out of paying any fines. I found that Canadian road police are more prepared to HEAR what one has to say and respond well to polite persuasion. And that the policewomen appear more "female" or are in fact attractive at times.

If you bring in your British cocky attitude you will get fined. Like one of my friends who in reply to the policeman's question wheather the automobile he was pulled up in was his own said: Why? Isn't the one you drive yours?
He paid some $400 for the enjoyment!

rae

I'd like to think that firstly you're not inferring all British have a cocky attitude as I'd say that's a bit harsh, secondly surely the issue of guilt should be decided by the officer at the time of the offence, not on how eloquent the offender is in terms of persuading the officer not to report, or conversely, if a poor attitude is exhibited then that person gets hit for everything. if that was the case everyone i stopped who has had a bad day and needed a moment to cool off before i spoke and then was absolutely fine, would have received a ticket unnecessarily and wrongly.

bsb

I prefer the Canadian cops over the UK any day !

Having dealt with them from two fronts I think they are more polite, more open to discussion, and if you dont get offhand with them they can even turn a blind eye to some things.

Yes they also have the odd a-hole but tell me any force anywhere that does not have a few of those. The Tim Horton comment is so true. I would think nothing of stopping an officer out here for help. I cant say the same back home (thats if I could get one to stop and help) :scared:

At least they (for the most part) tell you when they are going to have a speeding blitz and WHERE, over here. They also tend to park in very regular spots. The community spirit of Canadians as is mentions elsewhere is a large part of the attitude.

St. Thomas has a yearly street drag where the police block off streets so people can race up the main street (pretty much any car or bike)
Can't see em doing that in Liverpool or Leeds

The fact that police officers tend to live in the many smaller areas in canada may also play a part. Our friends (Brit ex pat of 4 yrs) live next door to an OPP officer and he has only ever drawn his gun once and that was in self defense against a stray emu from an emu farm

He has also promised to take us out on the police power boat when the crowds die down a bit. Try that one back home.

And if you think I am a bit one sided then I did get nicked twice for speeding in the first year. one dropped the amount from 140 to 120 (100 area), and the other dropped it from 100 to 90 (80 area). And I was still happy it was a Canadian cop not a Brit !

rae

good points made and taken.
i think this further evidences what i said previously,in as much the Canadian force of today is what it was 10yrs ago here, when you had discretion in what and who you did, and the other officers had suitable life experience, manners, intelligence and a little class. i don't wish to deride all new recruits, but to put it into context the last person i tutored was 19 and had done nothing since leaving school apart from working in a chip shop!, no offence to the local fryers but i'm sure you'd agree there is a bit of difference in the 2 job specs.