A month or three ago i was waiting for a train at hungerford trainstation around 10pm going to newbury.

A 15 year old boy was on his bike also waiting for the train on the platform, this was just following the "hungerford v newbury riot"

The boy was not doing anything wrong, and the rail police from reading pulled up to a screeching hault and approached him and said "Right we need to search you after what happened the other day, we are searching anyone seen waiting for a late train at night etc etc"

They proceeded to search the boy and found nothing on him and told him to clear off away from the trainstation, he replied he lived in newbury and needed to catch this train or he'd be stuck.

Then one of the police officers who had a bit of an attitude problem (was really cocky and loving his power as an officer of the law, being the big man, being cocky, makind snide remarks and thinking he was the mutts) said to the 3 other officers "Look boys hes off his face hes obviously been smokin summin" and told him to clear off again.

he replied "I need to catch this train"

The cocky officer Grabbed the boy up and got in his face and shouted "you want to **** off now before we nick ya" and threw him towards the opposite direction of the platform with force and the boy had no choice but to ride off.

I then got searched And i was found to have nothing on me and was left to go on my way home.

What is wrong with some officers? just because they have been assigned to uphold the law does that really mean they have immunity against said law?

Ive met my fair share of nice, fair police officers, for example, the pcso officers in hungerford and newbury and ive met some right idiots who are obsessed with their power and think they can get away with using it against people to have a bit of fun or to be a complete **** just for the sake of it, or to keep their arrest rates up.

I seriously think some officers need reviewing and action taken as ive seen this happen on more than one occasion.

What are everyone elses views on the police from around this area?? i do agree that around 50% of the police round here are spot on and take action where necessary but i seriously think that should be 100%... as if thats ever going to happen.

This is typical of the police nowadays. I've seen kids stopped in the street and searched. Now, I am not against the police doing strip searches if they feel justified but I've never seen a strip search bear fruit. According to a police officer I know strip searching - most of the time - doesn't yield anything.

Simply report it and keep on until you get a satisfactory response. One word of advice, keep strictly to the facts and don't be tempted to colour what you've said with any emotion. Keep icy cool. Do it like that and you will be heard and something will get done, even if it takes some time. However, and this is why you need to keep totally calm and cool, the 'powers that be' are generally scared witless when what seem like rational human beings push complaints. You must report this for the sake of the community - in any profession there are poor performers, inadequates and individuals who simply can't be trusted with the public. Unless they are weeded out, their effect contaminates the rest.

I agree, and i always do.

A disturbing story that, if true, should be an inspiration for something to be done. A situation like this breeds resentment. This is something that has gone on for a very long time. Newbury once had a notorious Police 'guvnor'. Ironically, some would say that the streets of Newbury have become worse since he 'retired'.

I've seen it happen many times, and I think it's a problem deep within TVP's selection process. Remember the secret policeman TV show? I reckon the issues that program raised are probably more widespread than just Manchester.

Very glad to hear it – that’s what is meant by being public spirited. With the gradual erosion of democratic control at local level, we are increasingly being governed by self styled experts and petty officials responsible to a paid executive. Without for one moment wishing to see servility, they need to be reminded that they are public servants – and there to serve.

I particularly like this quote - Thankfully it appears that the police are yet again doing what they are supposed to do and performing their duties (stop and search being one of these duties). However it appears that they are yet again being criticised for doing so, which way do you want it????? If you have a better way of performing these duties and exercising these powers, then please let the police know. I doubt that is the case though. In the eyes of some (fuelled by the media) Stop and search has become a controversial power. It is actually an excellent and efficient weapon in the police arsenal for dealing with potential crime and disorder and for dealing with crime that has occurred (robberies etc).

I also have to ask how many strip searches have you seen?? These are always performed out of the public gaze and almost always in a cell at the police station. If such a search does not yield anything then so be it but the suspicion to use this power would have been justified by the officer/s concerned. If this is deemed wrong then a formal complaint can be made.

When you mention 'kids', what age range are you referring to? Bearing in mind that weapons, drugs and stolen goods or equipment to carry out crime can be carried by any age these days......

Anon2, I support stop and search, but that isn't the point in this thread. It is the way the boy was allegedly treated that is the issue. You never see this sort of behaviour from the police on 'reality' police shows, even with the criminals.

And they don't swear with the cameras on them either.

I am aware this isn't how the thread started and that's why I quoted the remarks made in my post above my reply to that particular quote.

However getting back to the thread topic itself, none of us will ever be able to say exactly how this incident went from start to finish. It appears from what was written that the 15 yr old was most polite and did not provoke the officers in any way. Then I find the reported behaviour disgusting and those responsible should be brought to book. But I do have to ask why was this not reported as a complaint to the police at the time of the incident, why wait until some months after the event? And I do find it difficult to believe that the whole conversation was overheard without any phrases or words being missed, difficult to do at the best of times.....

Also I do not know the age of 'the truth' but I do know that the people police were searching with reference to the Newbury v Hungerford incidents were from a specific age group and, unless 'the truth' is of this age group or warranted a search for other reasons then he would not have been searched......

Best reality Police programme I saw was one where a Policewoman moved on a studen in Guildford Town Centre and got a bit of lip for her trouble. So after answering the lad back, he was hauled off and charged. Next day he got a small fine for his trouble. Then, a middle aged Policeman on Paddington Station, dealing with a well pi**ed banker and his mates. He'd just sorted a pretty nasty incident elsewhere, and was now getting another lot of verbals and threats. He never raised his voice, said what he would do and did it. That including laying the lad on the floor and keeping him there. Situation was far far worse than in Guildford. He was then taken down to the station. Next morning his Dad was asked to collect him - they both got a good dressing down and sent on their way. Who got it right?

Sorry OTE it could be me being a little thick but I don't understand what you are saying? What is your point on this thread?

One of the problems is that the police read the histrionics of the tabloid press and , like the rest of us , view the young as drug fueled yobs who are up to no good unless proven otherwise.

Another is the lack of beat duty that used to impart the ability to tell good from bad.

This is not an excuse for their diabolical behavior , more an insight into the country of the future where policing will be done by camera and "rapid response" units who move in , do , and move out ............Unless of course you have a burglar in your bedroom with a knife ,then you are on your own.

Anon2, I realise that this is just an allegation. If things like this happen, I'd like to think that the police, police themselves, so to speak. Like with everything in society, a few tar the rest.

I cannot believe that you think that the Police read the "Tabloids" and believe what they read over the situations that they deal with every hour of their day. they know who the real miscreants are in our little local society and deal with them appropriately. Who's to say that they didn't already know the "15yr old" and felt that he might cause a problem. However if they way that this situation was dealt with was truely bad then it should have been reported and dealt with, not left to fester with no real evidence available! Shame people still watch, leave it to stew and go stale then whinge about it without having ever done anything constructive!

As I have said on a previous post the majority of "beat duty" is done by the PCSO's these days. They support and backup the regular Police Service.

I am sure that they do police themselves and the vast majority of officers would not stand for that behaviour being shown by one of their colleagues. The Police also have a very effective system to deal with any complaints which are brought to their attention by officers and/or the public. But it does need someone to make the complaint in the first place

Did he have a ticket?

If not then he had no right to be there?

Sorry written too quickly. Was trying to say WPC in Guildford with the 'I'll get you' attitude has turned some yongster against the Police for the rest of his life. Whereas the old 'I'm just here to keep the peace' Copper in Central London has probably got a couple of people on side and appreciative. Not saying either didn't do the job, but the one with the better attitude secured a far better result

Couldn't agree more.

Perhaps they should have one of those training videos starring John Cleese showing the right way and the wrong way of dealing with the baddies.

I wonder what these officers looked like ?? :-)

Police dont you just love them! But are you SURE the boy didnt have an attitude, i mean come on he must have done something wrong !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


** in case you don't realise i am being funny - re my post 'police stop / check' as the police were downright rude and unprofessional to us also !!!! **

Anon / ossy etc etc you CANT agree with the way this was carried out, crikey !!!!!!!!!! Admit it, some officers are just total ..... you fill the blanks !!! And NO i am not being NICE.

As I have already mentioned, if this was carried out as reported then I do not agree with it at all. However, I have also said that this may well not be the whole story as my experience tells me that people will tell a tale and leave out, whether intentional or not, certain details which will change the face of the incident completely. Therefore, I reserve judgement on this particular allegation.

Also, I know it's called 'Random Rants' but once again, I must put it to you, are you sure that the ranting attitude that you portray on topics relating to the Police didn't come through on your stop/check?......

I am 100% SURE it didnt come through on our stop check YES !!! As i DIDN'T have an attitude, do you not understand me or something??!! Will you just quit harping on about my so called attitude now, its boring.

And why would the person stood on the train station, with presumably nothing to do with the 'lad in question' 'leave out bits or 'not tell the whole story ' ?? Why do you feel the people on here, when talking about the police, have problems telling the whole story exactly?! You cant / wont accept that actually the police aren't ALL squeaky clean and that actually the 'average joe on the street' MAY ACTUALLY be accurate in their description of events!

Read the article properly please....it says the railway police from Reading that would be BTP NOT TVP.....

As for the rest I think I remember being on duty at the time. There are two sides to the story and there was a reason police were called to the train station and people searched.

Rose8 I am not agreeing with anything or making comment on the action of the officers, I was not there and we have only got the word of the poster!!!!!!!

I doubt you have seen strip searches, they are always done at police stations and require the removal of ALL clothing, pleasant job!!!!

ewwwww now THAT i dont envy the police on !!!!!!

Exactly, but sadly not all of them believe it.

Brilliant... at least I’ve contributed something



Who was criticising? I only reported what I know. I have nothing against stop and search, other than the police should do it in a respectful manner.



Maybe I should have said stop and search; what I meant by strip search was going through the pockets looking through their bags to see if they’ve got anything. On that bases; I am always cycling around Newbury so I see strip searches (sorry, stop and search) quite often.





Anything between 13 and 21.


I hope I've answered your question to your satisfaction? If not please come back at me.

I've already answered this one; see above. I also explained my definition of a strip search... which might be different to yours.

I wonder what the outcome would of been if the 15 yr old had made the police arrest him? If he could prove he was an innocent traveller, there is no way the police could charge him with anything. Unless of course the policeman was just making an empty threat.

If the 15yr old had made the Police arrest him then he would have done something to warrant an arrest. The Police have to have a reason for an arrest as it is not just a matter of "fed up with him let's nick him". There is loads of paperwork that goes with an arrest as the Police have so many guidlines to follow these days especially since the Stephen Lawrence enquiry and the McPherson Report. If they had made the arrest and then found that the 15yr old was innocent then they quite simply could "De-Arrest" him.

As most people don't want to be arrested and wear those uncomfortable handcuffs and be taken to a police station and have all their belongings taken away from them (temporarily) and be put into a cold nasty cell and have their parents called to the station.......just the threat is usually enough to make them comply.

I'm sorry, but having read your skatepark topic, I have a problem believing a lot of this especially this part,

Then one of the police officers who had a bit of an attitude problem (was really cocky and loving his power as an officer of the law, being the big man, being cocky, makind snide remarks and thinking he was the mutts) said to the 3 other officers "Look boys hes off his face hes obviously been smokin summin" and told him to clear off again..

Sarah, I congratulate you on your strength of character for saying exactly what all the more intelligent people on this forum were thinking but didn't have the guts to say (me included). He does sound a little off the wall doesn't he?

Definitely.

I'm just amazed that the BTP (British Transport Police - or Be There, Perhaps as they are often known) had so many officers to send - and how do we know they came from Reading anyway? Thetruth may be what used to be described as an unreliable witness. Had I been a witness to anything like this, a letter to the Chief Constable, copied to God knows how many other people - including my MP, would have been on its way within a day or so, never mind waiting a 'month or three' to bring it into the public domain. Some people must think we came up on the down train....

I've noticed on several local forums that when discussions get spirited, there is a tendancy to suggest that others who are disagree with your view point are less intelligent. Less smug maybe, but that isn't a measure of intelligence.

You don't need to be intelligent to tell the truth - or do you?

I have to admit the whole post didn't rest easy with me, same with the skateboard thread, I don't like debating points from a story I feel is grossly exaggerated to say the least. As you say, if his story was true he could have written a letter of complaint at the time, although if he'd been as explicit and offensive in a letter I doubt it would have carried a lot of weight.

That's exactly what some people have been trying to tell him. Please understand many people for many different reasons have trouble expressing themselves. Equally 'expanding the truth' isn't wholly uncommon by those who have somne claim to be our betters. Nothing wrong with telling someone you think they are being economic with the facts but not to insult their and others intelligence. That is just as offensive.

And probably different to everybody else's.

Why are you having a go at me, I merely said, that in light of his post on the skatepark thread, I had a problem believing his story on this thread. How have I insulted anyones intelligence?

Not having a go at you personally, simply the continuance of this post, which appear to have coloured the subsequent responses.

True.... but is it always good to be the same? If I hadn't made such an error they'd never have picked it up and would probably have moved onto something else. At least I did my bit for Queen and country.

I can't see that it has, in fact probably less so than your post about spirited discussions. Maybe we'll have to agree to disagree on this one and move on.

Two quick things, 1, it's pointless complaining to the pigs, they look after their own and will never admit mistakes, let alone faults. Secondly if I am wrong I apologise but it looks to me like Ossy1 and Anon123, and anon2 are all the same person, why do you keep changing your persona? It seems to be a dishonest way of trying to back yourself up and falsely claim that your points are more valid than they actually are.

To be honest we don't even know if they are actual policemen/ women. They just might be fans of the Bill. They might even daydream of being policemen/ women and being on here it gives them the perfect opportunity to act out their fantasies... Or they could be pretending to be police people, but are in fact MFI (sorry, MI5) agents infiltrating themselves onto this site as ordinary Bobbies............. or they've escaped from a secure wing of one of the most famous institutions in the world: Parliament and want to observe how their subjects behaved after the recent Parliamentary cash for fiddles scandal... then again they could be who they pretend to be.

It seems that you are not having a go at Sarah personally but at Sarah and I personally. I was merely congratulating Sarah for saying what I felt many people were thinking. If you read my post again you will see that it's not Thetruth's intelligence that I refer to but the intelligence of other posters on this site. Someone who can remember so much detail several months later surely can't lack intelligence . In my qote I also do not refer to intelligence in a negative way.

I DO however have to re-itterate my suspicions that Thetruth's posts are rather 'highly charged' and not in the acceptable debating vein that is usual for this forum. Most people hint at their frustrations but they thankfully do not get so explicit. It is not 'nice' to read!

I have no problem at all with your views on Thetruth's rather emotive account. As you say, clearly the language and tenor significantly detract from the points he's trying to make. That then achieves the exact reverse of what he's trying to do. I suppose my biggest problem was with the use of the word intelligence to differentiate those participating in this debate. I suspect I'm being overtly sensitive and splitting hairs, because as to the root of the issue in question, we seem to be in violent agreement.

I admitted being anon123, and I gave a reason why but I am NOT anon2. Strafin you just keep on prooving to me that you are exactly the type of person you express yourself to be buy the use of the word "pigs" you demonstrate that! I'm sure we have met before!

Please explain why my points are invalid? to you at least..