Do you trust the police? (the telegraph)

Now that the metropolitan police has been burdened with the guilt in shooting the innocent Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes, the telegraph is asking whether or not the British public still trusts their police to keep them safe.

Selected comments:

Do I trust the Police to keep me safe?
No.
I do, however, absolutely but positively trust that they will try.
Posted by Don Hughes

No! What police - we never see any.
Posted by Lavandula

I have never seen a policeman patrolling a street at night. I have seen PCSO's patrolling on a bus.

Do i trust the police to keep me safe? No, i trust the police to give my future-killer early parole.
Posted by Luke B

No, as in I do not trust the police, especially armed
ones, having witnessed these cowboys on military
ranges,
The word gung ho comes to mind !! enough said
Posted by Mark

When I was caught exceeding the speed limit in a place where, and at a time, the policeman agreed it wasn't dangerous to do so I was fined and given 3 points on a licence which, until then had been clean for over 30 years.

When a tea leaf broke into my garage and stole circa £5.5k worth of my goods the policeman told me I would never see the goods again (he was correct!) and to expect a repeat visit once the tea leaf had given me time to replace the goods via my insurance. (fortunately not the case....yet!) Roughly 2 weeks later the police sent me a booklet - I forget the exact title, but the gist was "How to be a victim of crime"!!!!

Earlier this year there was a spate of similar thefts in this area and our local newspaper carried an article in which the police advised us to:

1. Remove property to a more secure location.
2. Install alarms and fit robust multiple locks.
3. Use high visibility property marking, ideally with a postcode, complimented (sic) by hidden markings.
4. Anchor plant and equipment like quad bikes and lawn mowers to the ground or building.
5. Thread accreditedsecurity chains or cables through smaller tools like strimmers and chain saws.
6. Build shell re-inforcement like bars, wall and roof cladding, interior or exterior secured gates, anti-prize (sic) strips.
7. Fit strong rooms, cages or boxes.
8. Install proximity detectors in the grounds or immediately outside buildings to detect trespassers, that could also trigger simple alarms.

I wrote to our Chief Constable (Dorset) suggesting that as the police clearly seemed to have abandoned the thief catching solution in favour of residents building themselves fortresses we should all receive a Council Tax rebate.

Guess what? - not even the courtesy of a reply!
Posted by Realist

It goes on like this for eight pages ...