Police! Thoughts?

[TaBoosh]

What are everyone's thoughts on the police at Glastonbury?

Personally, I think they do a great job. I feel a little more secure about my tent when I see them around the camping areas and they always seem to 'join in' with the festival spirit (smiles/flowers on their hats etc).

(Not to be confused with the hired security, who always stick out like a sore thumb being all macho).

[Thearg]

I don't like the police,I think a certain type of person wants to join the police force,insecure bullies mainly but I understand that they have a purpose unfortunately.

I certainly don't get pally with them.

Edited May 18, 2014 by Thearg

[ghandi]

Yeah i agree, i don't really notice thier presence, i don't think that it should worry anybody, unless they are up to no good obviously. If you are doing drugs , be discreet, walking around with a spliff hanging out is not the way to go with therm around but hey this is 2014 not the 1980's, you'd expect to get nabbed

But as said you should feel more secure that they are about and they don't over Police the site by being too obvious.

[Guest]

I don't like the police,I think a certain type of person wants to join the police force,insecure bullies mainly but I understand that they have a purpose unfortunately.

[TaBoosh]

You get all sorts all in all professions, I don't think the police are any different. That said, I've seen plenty that abuse their "power".

[Abster]

I remember seeing a policeman on a horse with fairy wings on at my first ever Glasto.... Was up by the cash machines/Farm/Medical Centre area....

Was funny and I so wish I took a photo......

I think they do a good job, they are there without being in your face.

Every time I see a policeman I think Mmmm Handcuffs and try chatting them up....

Edited May 18, 2014 by Abster

[Yesiamaduck]

I don't like the police,I think a certain type of person wants to join the police force,insecure bullies mainly but I understand that they have a purpose unfortunately.

I certainly don't get pally with them.

[Thearg]

From my experience, the majority of the police are very good at what they do, I've heard from friends and family who have recently joined the police that modern training is very good at drilling into them the fact that that they need to be fair and compassionate (this is GMP, by the way, one of my friends who is now an officer in Stockport used to live in London, and doesn't think very highly of policing down there at all). But there are some stormtroopers in the police who need to be stamped out.

[giantkatestacks]

I think that because of past history its rank hypocrisy when they ride around the festival with fairy wings on. Maybe an acknowledgement of past brutality and an apology and I wouldnt mind so much.

[Mardy]

what you see at the festival is the smiley happy face of the police, it's PR for them, They'll be under instructions to keep a lowish profile and be all happy.

Outside of the festival, it can be very very different

The fairy wings? think they were wearing them when they did this?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/downs-syndrome-teenager-arrested-and-left-terrified-in-cell-for-nine-hours-after-trying-to-retrieve-favourite-baseball-cap-from-school-on-bank-holiday-monday-9326930.html

or this

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-11967098

and those who are now high up in the police forces down in the west country would have been some of these 'joining in with the festival spirit'

[glasto-worker]

I am old enough to recall when there was no regular Police Presence at Glastonbury and while there was some concern at the time they have really gone out their way to make a positive contribution.

Sure some will think they should not be there and some may think we don't need a Police force at all.

most will not recognise the location of the image below - its the old railway track { West side } and the Police have a canteen just out of shot - that path is only used by various crews - I was walking one night and a idiot started peeing up against the fence ' in clear sight of the Police who were sitting in the Landrover's ' even although he was only minuets away from a crew Toilet

Now do that in London and you will be nicked but the police turned a blind eye.

I got the impression that this joker was only doing it to provoke the Police as everyone knows { who uses that general crew camp } that is one of their muster points.

[ghandi]

Yeah don't get me wrong, i'm not a lover, but, they do a good job ON SITE. Off site and away from that enviroment i'm not so sure. Back in the dark days with the travelers etc is an experience i cannot comment on other than i have seen the Julien Temple film and that that was during the maggie years of policing? Enough said. It was wrong, simple as.

[Guest]

Battle of the Beanfield

Enough said.

[TaBoosh]

Yeah, I'm only talking about their contribution at Glasto. Using examples from a by-gone era seems a little irrelevant now.. different times and all that.

[ghandi]

Why do i get the felling that this thread is going to turn into one of those politial threads that end up with prople slagging each other off and wandering from the point or question the the OP posted ? I hazard a guess at at least 10 pages worth by the middle of next week!

[TaBoosh]

Hmmm hope not. If so, just to clarify I was just wondering what people's thoughts were on them 'in modern times'.

[giantkatestacks]

TaBoosh the past needs acknowledging and moving on from, not just swept under the carpet. Their treatment of the travellers is part of their Glastonbury contribution.

[Thearg]

Why do i get the felling that this thread is going to turn into one of those politial threads that end up with prople slagging each other off and wandering from the point or question the the OP posted ? I hazard a guess at at least 10 pages worth by the middle of next week!

[king of carott flowers]

for many sad reasons ' a necessary evil '

[Mardy]

Hmmm hope not. If so, just to clarify I was just wondering what people's thoughts were on them 'in modern times'.

[TaBoosh]

TaBoosh the past needs acknowledging and moving on from, not just swept under the carpet. Their treatment of the travellers is part of their Glastonbury contribution.

[TaBoosh]

yeah, and that's sort of my point, those ones cracking heads back then are now in high positions within the police force. They're still there and are the ones in charge 'in modern times'

Edited May 18, 2014 by TaBoosh

[russycarps]

I'm not disagreeing, but where is your proof?

Surely there are other police officers, not around on 'that day' that could just as likely be 'at the top'?

Also, the police are doing a job so they would have been under instructions. Those giving the instructions are likely dead or retired now.

[TaBoosh]

lol you almost hurt my feelings. I'm not a 'copper' so I guess I'm the latter?

Edit: Do your issues cause you to hate forums moderators too or just the police because it's the cool thing to do?

Edited May 18, 2014 by TaBoosh

[Purple aki squat]

As long as they go after the tent thieving bastards and leave everyone to enjoy themselves then fair enough.

I got collared a couple of years ago trying to get back in my own tent after having a skin full and he was quite reasonable in the end . I think I had been trying to open the door for about quarter of an hour so I probably did look a bit suspicious.