Discussion Group – July 2025

With a couple of apologies, on July 15 the Discussion Group focused on an important institution of any civilised state, the Police. We established that it was created to protect the public and ensure law and order in a civilian capacity. The main remit of police in a democratic country was to build trust in the community and prevent crime to the extent possible. The bobby on his beat used to be a reassuring presence in the street, and a well-known and trusted member of the local community.

With an expanding population, rising poverty and mistrust, even fear, especially between different races and culture, the police has been assuming a more authoritarian role. Budget cuts and general confusion exacerbated by the media and social platforms, have weakened the capacity of various police forces to deal with crime and provide enough focus on prevention.

We discussed the need to increase the remit of local rather than regional or central police forces, also by ensuring dedicated police presence in every community, and a stronger liaising with social services and schools in order to prevent rather than prosecute crime. We mentioned the work of courts, hampered by further budget cuts and by an increasing backlog of cases. People spend longer on remand and keep the prisons filled over capacity.

Because of the current over-stretching, some crimes, such as burglaries, are not even prosecuted any more, while abusive stop and search and disproportionate restraints applied further undermining public trust in the police. However, for all it is worth, we are not really living in a police state!

Dana Dima, Convenor

Please note that the views expressed by the Discussion Group may not represent those of the wider Dawlish & District u3a membership.