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Re: Anonymous Gifts To Police

Posted: Wed 05 Feb 2014 4:59 pm
by malcmac
So it seems like people are annoyed with the fact that someone has used their own money to give something to the Police that might help them solve crimes that they may have been subjected to.

So if you and your neighbour are burgled on the same week and you have CCTV cameras installed, should the Police utilise this valuable tool to catch a criminal even though you have been able to afford the CCTV cameras and equipment on your property and your neighbour hasn't been able to afford them...or should they refuse to view the images from your private property because you have paid money to have this equipment installed to reduce crime on your property?

So what if the person who donated has done it because they think it might reduce crime on their property...it can be used by the Police at their discretion!!

Re: Anonymous Gifts To Police

Posted: Wed 05 Feb 2014 8:50 pm
by Matt40
So I'm a bit confused now, is it an outright gift or a 'gift' from the landowner to assist the police in the capture of criminals on the landowner's land? There are clearly many different blurry scenarios you could think of e.g. Football club owners giving police extra resource/equipment whilst they police football matches etc and I think you should judge each of them on its merits and then decide whether it's 'sinister' or not. However, the overriding point surely is that there should be complete transparency in these things?

Re: Anonymous Gifts To Police

Posted: Thu 06 Feb 2014 3:31 pm
by malcmac
Matt40 wrote:So I'm a bit confused now, is it an outright gift or a 'gift' from the landowner to assist the police in the capture of criminals on the landowner's land? There are clearly many different blurry scenarios you could think of e.g. Football club owners giving police extra resource/equipment whilst they police football matches etc and I think you should judge each of them on its merits and then decide whether it's 'sinister' or not. However, the overriding point surely is that there should be complete transparency in these things?
Even if it was a gift from a landowner to the Police to help catch criminals on his/her land, it could be used by the Police as they wish to help others also...seems a good deal for citizens compared to my example of everyone buying their own CCTV for their own protection only!!

If you go looking for a conspiracy, you can always convince yourself there is one.

Re: Anonymous Gifts To Police

Posted: Thu 06 Feb 2014 3:55 pm
by mb1
Would people be happy with a McDonalds-branded Range Rover being donated to sit and watch Rush Green all the time, or if Tesco provided Police support to make sure brookfield Farm got good cover at all times. There is something that makes me very uneasy about wealthy private citizens or companies making this kind of donation to the Police, they clearly would not do it if they did not expect the gift to be used where it would benefit them before it benefits others. Policing must be about equal protection before the law.

Re: Anonymous Gifts To Police

Posted: Thu 06 Feb 2014 4:07 pm
by malcmac
mb1 wrote:Would people be happy with a McDonalds-branded Range Rover being donated to sit and watch Rush Green all the time, or if Tesco provided Police support to make sure brookfield Farm got good cover at all times.
Err no, but this hasn't happened.

I again refer back to my point earlier, if you have CCTV cameras, should this be ignored by the Police as you have used your wealth to expose criminality on your property?

And if so, surely you should lend them to your neighbours...like this person is doing by giving the vehicle.

Re: Anonymous Gifts To Police

Posted: Thu 06 Feb 2014 4:23 pm
by Ian
I don't have a problem with somebody donating to the Police *as long as there are no strings attached* and I see no evidence that any strings have been attached to this?

I know a lot of people, both individuals and companies, that give their time and money to things such as the Dickensian Evening, Ware week, Rock in the Priory and Music & Motors to name just a few, are they treated with deep suspicion too? If not, why not?

Football clubs effectively make a donation to the Police when they pay for the policing on match days, should we be suspicious of that too?

Re: Anonymous Gifts To Police

Posted: Thu 06 Feb 2014 10:09 pm
by The Masked Woler
Ian wrote:I don't have a problem with somebody donating to the Police *as long as there are no strings attached* and I see no evidence that any strings have been attached to this?

I know a lot of people, both individuals and companies, that give their time and money to things such as the Dickensian Evening, Ware week, Rock in the Priory and Music & Motors to name just a few, are they treated with deep suspicion too? If not, why not?

Football clubs effectively make a donation to the Police when they pay for the policing on match days, should we be suspicious of that too?
And as for the offer to renovate the War Memorial for free!!

Re: Anonymous Gifts To Police

Posted: Fri 07 Feb 2014 8:03 am
by Warewolf
The Masked Woler wrote:
Ian wrote:I don't have a problem with somebody donating to the Police *as long as there are no strings attached* and I see no evidence that any strings have been attached to this?

I know a lot of people, both individuals and companies, that give their time and money to things such as the Dickensian Evening, Ware week, Rock in the Priory and Music & Motors to name just a few, are they treated with deep suspicion too? If not, why not?

Football clubs effectively make a donation to the Police when they pay for the policing on match days, should we be suspicious of that too?
And as for the offer to renovate the War Memorial for free!!
Behave! :lol:

Re: Anonymous Gifts To Police

Posted: Fri 07 Feb 2014 10:40 am
by Pat-H
Wealth speaks and has influence. it always has and likely always will and this is just a modern version of that.
Somebody with enough spare cash has been generous and I can't imagine that donation won't in some way benefit them.
So how is that any different to the thousands of other financially motivated donations made all the time?

For me it's more about how useful is this donation to law enforcement. We had the comparison to a lake and boats but this vehicle needs to cover a massive areas.
Should a crime take place off road on a farm is it practical for this vehicle to race across the county to deal with the crime?

If we need these vehicles then why don't we have them? I'm tempted to wander down to the fire station and leave a bucket of water outside. Just in case... as long as they remember it was me that donated it and come to me first should a mass fire break out.

Re: Anonymous Gifts To Police

Posted: Fri 07 Feb 2014 11:08 am
by The Masked Woler
Pat-H wrote:Wealth speaks and has influence. it always has and likely always will and this is just a modern version of that.
Somebody with enough spare cash has been generous and I can't imagine that donation won't in some way benefit them.
So how is that any different to the thousands of other financially motivated donations made all the time?

For me it's more about how useful is this donation to law enforcement. We had the comparison to a lake and boats but this vehicle needs to cover a massive areas.
Should a crime take place off road on a farm is it practical for this vehicle to race across the county to deal with the crime?

If we need these vehicles then why don't we have them? I'm tempted to wander down to the fire station and leave a bucket of water outside. Just in case... as long as they remember it was me that donated it and come to me first should a mass fire break out.

There is nothing to say this person is wealthy or that any influence is involved, you are just making assumptions.
Why? lots of people (including me) make donations from which they derive no benefit at all.

Presumably it will be located in the area where it is most needed - like many other police assets.

As to why we don't have them - clearly cost benefit comes in - no public service can afford to have everything they might need. Your analogy with buckets of water is rather silly.