My story is nowhere as severe or devastating as many of the stories on here, but it has given me a distrust of the Police that’s lasted for over a decade.
In the 00s when I was in my early 20s, I worked in catering and one night, we had a problem with a drunken customer who wouldn’t leave and was making little sense. I called the police who sent out an officer, a male who was perhaps 8-10 years older than me. He dealt with the customer by pepper spraying him (when I look back, I wonder if he was showing off as the man was so drunk, he was hardly a threat).
Upon putting him in his police car, he took a short statement from me and took my details, including my mobile number. I didn’t think anything of it at the time as I assumed that was just what was required. However, over the next week, he started texting me – at first, it was to check if I was OK, which I felt was a bit weird but I felt obliged to respond to be polite. He was a police officer who knew where I lived and worked, he came to my aid, I just replied with short but polite answers as to not encourage him but also to not annoy him.
This went on for a few days and turned into general chat about my day or whatever, if I didn’t respond quick enough to him he would send further messages. I didn’t like where this was going so when he asked what I was doing one day, I replied (and lied) that I was meeting my boyfriend. All communication ceased from that point.
It dissapointed me that this officer was possibly only helping me with the drunk man because he wanted something more, not because it was his job or he was doing the right thing. It made me concerned that he used my personal details for his own gain. Despite the fact I had all the messages at the time, I never reported it because I was scared that he knew my details – he was the one in authority.
Constabulary: Cleveland Police
Timespan: Approx 2008
Did you report it to the police?: No
Your ethnicity: Asian and Minority Ethnic
