We're not anti-copper

Just in case anyone had any doubts, I and my family are in no way "anti-copper".  And just to prove it, I've added a link to the Coppers Blog - and excellent site where you will see the same litany of concerns amongst the police force as are expressed by the public.
 
That is not to say, mind you, that I don't like some policemen - as individuals.  I have met some complete idiots in my time, but they would have been idiots whether they were in uniform or not.  But what is important is that, when these idiots have power, there has to be a means of redressing the balance.  That means you have to have a complaints system that works.  It doesn't.  This is an issue I will be returning to.
 
For the moment, though, I will recall one incident that did more good, as far as I am concerned, to cement good relations between the police and myself, than anything else I can think of.
 
The occasion was when I took my (then) nine-year-old son to London for the very first time.  We went in the car and our route took us past Buckingham Palace.  We got there just as the guard was changing.  The police were out in force, and stopped the traffic.  As it happened, we were first in line, with a grandstand view of the proceedings, much to the delight of a very excited nine-year-old boy.
 
Just as the troops were leaving the gates, however, a van came up from behind the car and parked itself in front of us, completely blocking the view, much to the distress of my son.
 
Fortunately, a copper on traffic duty spotted this and made the van move back, so we could see what was going on.  To him, it was probably a minor incident now long forgotten.  To my boy, it was the experience of a lifetime - the first time he'd ever seen the show, and his delight meant a great deal to me.  Years after the event, I still remember that anonymous copper, with gratitude.
 
Perhaps they do know it, or perhaps they don't.  But sometimes it's the very little things that make or break relationships.  This policeman was certainly a credit to the force.