Police are we receiving value for money

Question

Speed detector vans are manned by Police Officers Currently earning in excess of £35,000 a year. Given the technology available you could train a chimpanzee to operate these camera vans. Roadside cameras don't need anyone to operate them so why so expensive for the vans. Aren't we just providing soft touch jobs for lazy cops that cannot hack the criminal end element of the job

Answer 1

Certainly not all speed camera vans are manned by cops. My force started using cops on days off. They were paid from the proceeds of the tickets.Nowadays most forces have full time camera van operators that are specifically trained for that role.

Although in part I am against the targetting of those that do a few miles an hour above the limit, I am against those that blatantly ignore speed limits. Unsurprisingly there are many of those drivers on todays roads. I have seen many serious and fatal collisions as a result of these people.

So you can blame the real speeders for speed camera's not the cops.

Likewise most cops I know are happy to be on the front line and are not lazy.    

Answer 2

Tell you what, the next time you're in trouble, phone a chimpanzee!

Answer 3

I agree with you a chimp would do a better job.

Answer 4

people are so quick to put  the police down....but i know who id phone if i was being burgled etc.... £35000 a year is nowhere near enough for what they do....especially as footballers are on about £100.000 a week.,..do they put their lives in danger every time they go to work??... i think not

Answer 5

Actually the law states that a van camera needs an officer to view the images.

The officer is paid for by the money generated from the tickets.

Check your facts before waffling on.

Answer 6

Don't worry the government is already well into the process of replacing police officers with next to powerless and lesser paid PCSOs.

Everything will be alright then won't it?

The traffic cops you disgracefully label as lazy will also be the same ones that attend at the scene of fatal crashes with body parts and brains spread all over the road and have to deal with that and get everyone else waiting impatiently moving again as quick as possible. They are also the ones most likely to be first at the scene (before paramedics) of other crashes and give life saving first aid.

The job of a traffic police officer is wide and varied.

When you know what you are talking about, which you clearly don't right now, you'll know who can hack it or not. Police work is one of those that many are prepared to point the finger of criticism but don't have the balls to call the recruitment office themselves. Maybe they couldn't hack it?

Answer 7

I don't think it's good value for money, but I think if it was less you would get more muppets doing it.  You have to pay over the odds to acquire a minimal level of ability otherwise people who are only fit to be PCSO's, Parking ticket attendants and cash in transit guards ( who can't keep their shirts tucked in) will become candidates.

Answer 8

If people didn't break the law by speeding then they wouldn't be needed, but I suppose this is too much to expect. Rural areas are getting a bad deal as the tax we pay is usually above that of the cities and we never see a Police Officer although crime is just as bad.  

Answer 9

I'm with Allen B as well.  Also, there is this concept called the criminal court system; in that no matter how good the technology is, the officer has to document the arrest and testify in court.  Even self explanatory video tapes cannot testify in court.  So, complain all you want.  If you want chimpanzees, then do us all a favor and move to Africa....

Answer 10

No !

Answer 11

I'm with Allen B on this one.  

I sometimes wonder why I risk my life on a daily basis for some of the people out there.