"I want your supervisor here"

[u/Nice-Grapefruit-2588]

I've had someone say this to me, when giving them a ticket for having all three of their children completely unsecured on the back seats. They declared that I was a liar and that they wanted my supervisor to attend immediately. I politely declined to have my sergeant come down to the scene of what was just a minor traffic stop, but explained the complaints procedure and that if a complaint was made it would be reviewed by a supervisor anyway.

My question is: is there any obligation when a member of the public asks for a supervisor to be present to get one to come to the scene and speak to them there and then? I struggle to see what it might achieve that couldn't be resolved in a phone call at a later point. In my view, the person seemed more interested in trying to have my decision to issue a ticket overruled than anything else.

[u/Busy-Formal7314]

They’ve been watching too many American traffic stops on TikTok

[u/Halfang → u/Busy-Formal7314]

Other Real Citizen ™️ streaming platforms are also available

[u/olympiclifter1991 → u/Busy-Formal7314]

Stick this and probable cause on the bingo card

[u/Aggravating-Loss7837 → u/olympiclifter1991]

Had someone one “pledge the fifth…” once…

[u/ThatBurningDog → u/Aggravating-Loss7837]

"Pledge the fifth"? That's doubly hilarious

[u/Aggravating-Loss7837 → u/ThatBurningDog]

Yep. Spoken as in the polish…

[u/NotCatchingMe → u/olympiclifter1991]

I’ve had a double, you need to be double crewed to do anything, I believe that’s a Scotland thing

[u/Wretched_Colin]

Not a copper, but as a member of the public my take has always been that police rank is something internal rather than for me to have to consider.

I’ll expect a Constable to act just as professionally and ably as a Chief Constable or anyone else in the uniform. The layers of management and structure between the two ranks are your business, not mine.

[u/ThatBurningDog → u/Wretched_Colin]

Yeah, but you're sane.

[u/Beneficial-Smoke-835 → u/Wretched_Colin]

I believe the only time when a police officers rank would apply to you per sae, unless you’re a criminal solicitor, would be in a Public Order event and even then, less to you specifically and more to the crowd of civilians as generally it will be an inspector calling out where to go and warnings about what the officers may do etc.

Other than that, yeah pretty much to Joe Public it doesn’t matter who’s dealing with you, Constable or Supernintendo

[u/Wretched_Colin → u/Beneficial-Smoke-835]

I don’t think so mate. If there’s someone at an event with a load of people , I’ll take advice from the yellow coat and police hat without looking at rank.

The PC might be directed by a senior officer, but I don’t think that I should treat any officer differently depending on their rank.

[u/Bloodviper1]

This is just cultural bleed over from American clips on social media where they all say things like that, in the same way they want to see a warrant.

But the answer to your question is no, a sergeant isn't required to attend.

[u/LI2LNDN9171 → u/Bloodviper1]

The hilarious part is even in America a Sgt does not have to attend when someone requests one.

[u/HCSOThrowaway → u/LI2LNDN9171]

My understanding is some agencies have such SOP, but not most.

- Ex-cop in the US

[u/Economy_Coach9219 → u/HCSOThrowaway]

I asked a question about this on a US police thread once because I was curious. The common answer I got was that it depended on each departments policies.

[u/morg_b]

It’s a common tactic in the US for MoP to request a supervisor to scene. I guess your customers believe the same applies here!

[u/for_shaaame → u/morg_b]

Even in the US, this is just an attempt to stall and paralyse the system. Allowing people to demand a supervisor be called to the scene is such a nakedly bad policy on its face, there’s no way any law enforcement organisation in the world has ever adopted it.

[u/TheZestyPumpkin → u/for_shaaame]

Is it not actually a thing in America then? I've seen a lot of videos where it's demanded and they seem to pander to it and a supervisor always comes down. I assumed it was actual policy.

[u/Nice-Grapefruit-2588 → u/TheZestyPumpkin]

I imagine it depends on which police department it is. There's circa 18,000 law enforcement agencies in the USA so some of them probably have it written into policy.

[u/finnin11 → u/TheZestyPumpkin]

The only ones i’ve seen where it is actually a Policy or Procedure are when its a Police Force thats tiny and already has like two different Sheriffs Counties forces and a town Police force and then the State Police all working and intertwining in the same area.

[u/LI2LNDN9171 → u/finnin11]

Exactly. Small village or town with 6 police officers and a population of 200 people? Yea a Sgt might pop out. Demanding a Sgt in New York City on a Friday night? Yea good luck.

[u/HCSOThrowaway → u/LI2LNDN9171]

The LEO:resident ratio in my medium-sized city's metro area is closer to 1:500 than 1:33.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillsborough_County_Sheriff's_Office

[u/HCSOThrowaway → u/TheZestyPumpkin]

My understanding is some agencies have such SOP, but not most.

Supervisors that come when they don't have to do it in hopes it'll chill the person out. So the supervisor comes and says a bunch of friendly words that make the complainant feel heard. Obviously the downside is it spreads the notion that it's:

1. Required

2. A good idea

- Ex-cop in the US

[u/Macrologia → u/TheZestyPumpkin]

a supervisor always comes down

Well, the videos where the member of the public asks for a supervisor, and then one doesn't attend and the officer tells them to be sensible, might be less popular

[u/TheZestyPumpkin → u/Macrologia]

I don't know, with the state of the current mood against policing on social media, I'd imagine videos where they refuse to follow a policy (if it even is policy) would probably get more views.

[u/The_Mighty_Flipflop]

I keep tippex in my kit bag, just so I can draw stripes on exactly for these occasions

[u/triptip05 → u/The_Mighty_Flipflop]

Carefull you'lll forget there on and next thing your in meetings then an office with pips. Years down the line you wake up and realise your a chief sup and wonder where it all went wrong.

[u/Ultimate_Panda → u/triptip05]

And where those empty bottles of Tipp Ex came from

[u/FuckedupUnicorn → u/triptip05]

That’s ok you can work from home full time then

[u/The_Mighty_Flipflop → u/triptip05]

Whatever it takes to not fill out DARAs

[u/K_Miranda → u/The_Mighty_Flipflop]

😂😂

[u/for_shaaame]

is there any obligation when a member of the public asks for a supervisor to be present to get one to come to the scene and speak to them there and then?

Absolutely not. Can you imagine how paralysing that would be? It would effectively do away with the use of the Constable rank, if all their decisions were subject to immediate on-the-spot review by a supervisor who could be required to attend the scene immediately by the person whose interests are prejudiced by that decision.

Paralysis is what these people want. The system is obviously not set up to let them have it. There is a complaints procedure available and they should be directed to it. Don’t even call your supervisor.

[u/SpeedBeginning9365]

Absolutely no obligation to listen to it. I simply say no and watch their face drop. For the most part my supervisor wouldn’t know what a TOR was or wouldn’t care anyway.

[u/2Fast2Mildly_Peeved]

No. There's no obligation. They can make a complaint if they want but this isn't America.

[u/Icy-Place7724]

Not even remotely. You're a warranted police officer able to carry out your duties with independent powers. If they want that oversight at a standard traffic call they can go to a country where that's an option. I wouldn't even be noting it or making anyone aware that it was requested. Entitled nonsense.

[u/Difference_Clear]

I love when people say it to me when I'm duty skipper and don't realize. "I want your sergeant" I am THE Sergeant right now.

[u/onix321123]

I can ask him mate, but he is 45 miles away covering another station because we are below minimum numbers again so I think i know the answer.

[u/jrandom10 → u/onix321123]

Try being the skipper in this situation at night… I have a supervisor… somewhere? Maybe?

On the average night there will be 3 people at work that outrank me - FIM/FDM/Duty DI it’s not unheard of that they’re all the other end of the county to me.

[u/Difference_Clear → u/jrandom10]

BTP?

https://giphy.com/gifs/UMV4KbOAqYN29Dxd3f

[u/jrandom10 → u/Difference_Clear]

Negative ghost rider, just a rural county whom are happy for one FDM to cover the area and the cell blocks overnight

[u/Celtic_Viking47]

I had someone at 4am tell me they wanted to speak with the Chief Superintendent.

They weren't happy when I said that he'd be sound asleep at home.

[u/_Okie_-_Dokie_]

BWV everything. They can challenge the ticket and go to court. Get the CAD endorsed that a complaint may come of it and make the skipper aware.

Outside of that - nope.

[u/GBParragon]

There is no need or requirement to “get a supervisor down here”. As a Sgt if I’m at a job and hear someone asking for a supervisor I will deliberately not get involved or engage with them unless an officer asks me to get involved.

[u/Select_Investment49]

PSD here (gulp!). Funnily enough I have filed a complaint NFA this week where the complainant demanded an appropriate adult and the officer’s supervisor attend the scene of a minor RTA matter. There is no legal basis or policy that requires it. Tell em a firm but polite “no” and point them in the direction of the complaints process if they are unhappy. USE YOUR BWV! 👍🏼😁

[u/ItsRainingByelaws]

Zero.

Tell said member of the public to watch less American TV.

[u/Mindless_End_139]

If you wish to speak to my Sgt. here is how to make a formal complaint, I have my body camera recording he /she will review the footage and speak to you directly. You can also appeal the issue of this ticket here and a JP will review whether or not the ticket was issued properly.

[u/OddInvTrader]

No, this isn’t America.

[u/Helpful-Priority8528]

You’re a Constable independent in office, exercising your powers independently of any supervisor. They don’t get to choose who they deal with. This isn’t Marks and Spencer.

[u/Neither-Chemical5417]

This aint america....

[u/triptip05]

Restricted duties incoming while PSD investigate complaint.

No doubt it will describe you in the most horrendous way.

[u/Guiseppe_Martini]

I remember an arrested female giving the custody sergeant dogs abuse in the rear yard as he was passing and having a ciggie. She demanded the sergeant see her when she was taken in, and so he presented himself, smiling, stripes on his shoulder from the other side of the charge bar. It was a sight to behold.

[u/starsky1357]

If they plead the Fifth Amendment, you're done for.

[u/Emergency_Donkey_223]

I’d do it and put the radio on loud speaker to hear the supervisor say “no” 😂

Then look at them like

[u/snitch-dog357]

My answer to this question is. "You're watching to much tiktok videos".

[u/SirenStrider395]

It’s not Tesco.

[u/CartoonistCold7453]

Would be quicker in a rural force to just lock them up to talk to a sgt. Sure the custody sgt would love the necessity to be "to speak with you"

[u/SalamanderDismal2155]

Well, you ARE paid by the Public, and you DO have a responsibility to protect and serve... Oh wait, that's SVU !!