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Originally Posted by me283
I have also read "statistics" that suggest otherwise.
My argument about resources actually focuses more on the fact that (as previously posted) the Police seem to think it's a great idea to set up mobile camera vans within a couple of hundred metres of GATSOs, since "people slow down for the cameras, but this way they get caught anyway". Local authorities don't pay for trained Policemen to sit in vans taking pictures.
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Who pays for policing then? Police Authorities raise revenue to fund the operation of their police forces by levying a precept on Council Tax Collection Authorities which is added to local people's Council Tax bills. Police Authorities include nine Councillors from relevant Local Authorities, three local Magistrates and five independent co-opted members. To me that means that the local authorities control police funding to an extent and can influence policing matters in their areas.
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Originally Posted by me283
Ian,
Not denying anything that you have said. I am griping (if that's the word) about the way that certain laws (eg speeding) is more vigorously enforced and followed up than other "more serious" crimes (eg rape, burglary).
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Where are the statistics to back up that claim? Speeding is a far more common offence than rape and burglary and therefore will result in far more convictions making it appear to be more vigorously enforced. The percentage of drivers prosecuted for speeding is a very, very small percentage of those that commit the offence. Lets face it, we have all been guilty of speeding at one time or another, probably every day that we are on the road. So the success rate for catching speeders will be a very much smaller percentage than those for catching burglers or rapists. Also to be taken into account is the fact that catching a person speeding is far easier than catching a burgler or rapist. You can catch thousands of speeding motorists with a gatso camera with little strain on police time which they can better spend on the more serious crimes.
The biggest drain on police time is actually paperwork. Policing would be much more effective if that was reduced.