THUGS ATTACK YOUNG GIRL OUTSIDE MY HOUSE
A terrible thing happened outside my house last night (24th January 2007). I am seriously angry with the police in the area and have every intention of taking this further!
Let me set the scene
My friend Philip came round for dinner last night and we had just finished eating. My front door was open as I was trying to entice a little breath of cool air into the lounge.
Suddenly there was an ear piercing scream from just beyond my front garden. I ran out onto the patio with my cell phone in my hand and yelled out “Are you in trouble”. A petrified, clearly traumatised young girl yelled back “ He’s attacking me!”.
For those of you who know me and have been to my home, you will know that there is no easy access from my front garden to the street, so I couldn’t, even if I wanted to (which is probably a good thing) go out onto the street to help her. I yelled back “I am calling the police”, which I proceeded to do – the time – around 7.45.
While I was calling the police, someone opened the electronic gate and the youngster entered the driveway. At this point I did not know if she lived in the complex or if someone, understanding her plight had let her in for her own safety.
In any event, I digress – I called 10111 and the phone was answered very promptly, I explained the situation telling the operator that a young girl was being attacked outside of my home. I gave him the address and my name and contact details.
8.05 arrived, but the police hadn’t as yet. The local police station is within walking distance but it would take about 20 minutes to get there, so by car if it takes more than 5 minutes, you’re going very slowly. I dialled 10111 again and as luck would have it, got through to the same operator. I advised him that the police had not yet arrived, he suggested that I get hold of the local police station and gave me the number.
As an Internal Auditor, I pay attention to detail, so I had noted down the time of the calls, who I had spoken to and a reference number. Also, I live in SA and sooner or later someone is going to ask me for detail, so this is second nature to me.
I called the local police station and asked who was in charge as I would like to speak to that person. I was given a name. I asked to be put through to that person – here the fun starts – I was told that that person was not on duty! I took a big breath! I asked again who was in charge and who was there that I could speak to – I was given another name. I asked to be put through to that person – I was told that he had just “stepped out”! I lost it (not a pretty sight) and asked for the name of “a living, breathing person who is at the police station, right now who is in charge”, I was given another name – I asked to be put through to that person – she answered the call – the time 8.10pm (and still no police arrival).
I explained the situation (obviously now in a very agitated state), giving her the details of my 2 x 10111 calls, the name of who I had spoken to, the reference number and the time of the calls and advised her that the police had not yet arrived and I wanted to know a) when and if they would be coming and b) why, after 25 minutes they had still not arrived.
This police woman , who was obviously very skilled in dealing with a member of the public who was clearly agitated told me to “lower the tone of my voice when I speak to her!” For those of you who really know me, will know that I now really lost it! I reminded her that as a member of Joe Public, she should remember that it is me that pays her salary and that clearly tonight, the police are not earning it (amongst other things)! At this point the police arrived outside.
To cut a very long conversation short – the police were supposed to, at some point, come to me as I had originated the call – I am still waiting for them.
I then went off to the unit where all the commotion was taking place, found the policemen there and took their details down. They assured me that they would come and talk to me after they had finished interviewing a very traumatised young girl. At this point I discovered she does actually live in the complex. Again I am still waiting for the police to come and talk to me.
At 9.23pm, I again phoned the local police station, to speak to the police woman who was “in charge” and this time got put through to the policeman, who was actually in charge. I related the whole incident to him, and he told me that 25 minutes is an acceptable and average time for the police to respond. Horrified and disgusted, I asked “would 25 minutes be acceptable to you, if it was your wife or daughter that was being raped and/or attacked” – he agreed that it wasn’t.
The local police station is now blaming the call centre at 10111 for the delay and of course the call centre in Brixton (where the 10111 call went through to) is blaming the local police station. I am not interested in their game of tennis – I want to know how a call to the “flying squad” at 10111 – took in excess of 25 minutes to be responded to, to what could have been a really bad situation (fortunately with all the yelling and screaming, the thug let her go and she was physically unharmed).
Today, I am going to find out who the parliamentarian is that belongs to this constituency. I am going to send this (with all the names of the people that I spoke to) to the DA. I am posting this on every network site that I can lay my hands on. It will go onto my blog. I am going to find someone at the newspaper who will be willing to write the story. I am going to name names and I want an answer!
This type of police complacency has got stop!
A terrible thing happened outside my house last night (24th January 2007). I am seriously angry with the police in the area and have every intention of taking this further!
Let me set the scene
My friend Philip came round for dinner last night and we had just finished eating. My front door was open as I was trying to entice a little breath of cool air into the lounge.
Suddenly there was an ear piercing scream from just beyond my front garden. I ran out onto the patio with my cell phone in my hand and yelled out “Are you in trouble”. A petrified, clearly traumatised young girl yelled back “ He’s attacking me!”.
For those of you who know me and have been to my home, you will know that there is no easy access from my front garden to the street, so I couldn’t, even if I wanted to (which is probably a good thing) go out onto the street to help her. I yelled back “I am calling the police”, which I proceeded to do – the time – around 7.45.
While I was calling the police, someone opened the electronic gate and the youngster entered the driveway. At this point I did not know if she lived in the complex or if someone, understanding her plight had let her in for her own safety.
In any event, I digress – I called 10111 and the phone was answered very promptly, I explained the situation telling the operator that a young girl was being attacked outside of my home. I gave him the address and my name and contact details.
8.05 arrived, but the police hadn’t as yet. The local police station is within walking distance but it would take about 20 minutes to get there, so by car if it takes more than 5 minutes, you’re going very slowly. I dialled 10111 again and as luck would have it, got through to the same operator. I advised him that the police had not yet arrived, he suggested that I get hold of the local police station and gave me the number.
As an Internal Auditor, I pay attention to detail, so I had noted down the time of the calls, who I had spoken to and a reference number. Also, I live in SA and sooner or later someone is going to ask me for detail, so this is second nature to me.
I called the local police station and asked who was in charge as I would like to speak to that person. I was given a name. I asked to be put through to that person – here the fun starts – I was told that that person was not on duty! I took a big breath! I asked again who was in charge and who was there that I could speak to – I was given another name. I asked to be put through to that person – I was told that he had just “stepped out”! I lost it (not a pretty sight) and asked for the name of “a living, breathing person who is at the police station, right now who is in charge”, I was given another name – I asked to be put through to that person – she answered the call – the time 8.10pm (and still no police arrival).
I explained the situation (obviously now in a very agitated state), giving her the details of my 2 x 10111 calls, the name of who I had spoken to, the reference number and the time of the calls and advised her that the police had not yet arrived and I wanted to know a) when and if they would be coming and b) why, after 25 minutes they had still not arrived.
This police woman , who was obviously very skilled in dealing with a member of the public who was clearly agitated told me to “lower the tone of my voice when I speak to her!” For those of you who really know me, will know that I now really lost it! I reminded her that as a member of Joe Public, she should remember that it is me that pays her salary and that clearly tonight, the police are not earning it (amongst other things)! At this point the police arrived outside.
To cut a very long conversation short – the police were supposed to, at some point, come to me as I had originated the call – I am still waiting for them.
I then went off to the unit where all the commotion was taking place, found the policemen there and took their details down. They assured me that they would come and talk to me after they had finished interviewing a very traumatised young girl. At this point I discovered she does actually live in the complex. Again I am still waiting for the police to come and talk to me.
At 9.23pm, I again phoned the local police station, to speak to the police woman who was “in charge” and this time got put through to the policeman, who was actually in charge. I related the whole incident to him, and he told me that 25 minutes is an acceptable and average time for the police to respond. Horrified and disgusted, I asked “would 25 minutes be acceptable to you, if it was your wife or daughter that was being raped and/or attacked” – he agreed that it wasn’t.
The local police station is now blaming the call centre at 10111 for the delay and of course the call centre in Brixton (where the 10111 call went through to) is blaming the local police station. I am not interested in their game of tennis – I want to know how a call to the “flying squad” at 10111 – took in excess of 25 minutes to be responded to, to what could have been a really bad situation (fortunately with all the yelling and screaming, the thug let her go and she was physically unharmed).
Today, I am going to find out who the parliamentarian is that belongs to this constituency. I am going to send this (with all the names of the people that I spoke to) to the DA. I am posting this on every network site that I can lay my hands on. It will go onto my blog. I am going to find someone at the newspaper who will be willing to write the story. I am going to name names and I want an answer!
This type of police complacency has got stop!
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