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About policing

Typically, a police force is responsible for:

• Maintaining public order and safety, including the protection of life and property
• Enforcing the law, including the preservation of the peace
• Preventing, detecting, and investigating criminal activities

Metropolitan Police Force (MPS or Met)

The Met does NOT say anything along these lines on its website. However it says:

its principles are:

• communities-first
• frontline-focused
• inclusive
• collaborative
• precise

its values are:

• integrity
• courage
• accountability
• respect
• empathy

Why raise this

We raise this because being stopped, searched, questioned, arrested and/ or charged by MPS is what a police force does while its principles and values go to how it aims to be seen and regarded when doing its job.

They go hand in hand and knowing both these things goes to what we can reasonably expect from the Met and the level of confidence and trust we have in the service.

Do not forget

Two of its key functions are to:

• uphold and enforce the law, and
• detect, and investigate criminal activities.

So, for example, should a police officer see baggies, bottles or paraphernalia when responding to a 999 call, it’s their job to uphold the law, not ignore potential evidence, crimes or a crime scene.

The police is a service. It can be ‘friendly’ but they are not a friend.