Help needed - Calling all Polish persons living/working in London

Carly
Go to Willesden, Wembley, Hounlow and Feltham....they wouldbe the best places for you todo your research as there are large Polish communitiesi thee areas... but plese bear in mind that there IS a certain level of distrust towards the authorities by those who lived through the communist era (no matter how youngthey may have been).

Most of the immigrants that come to America aren't even Mexican. They are from further down south. Mexico isn't that bad of a place to live. Why do you think Mexico City is largest capital in the world. (20 million people live there)

:)

Theres not many people migrating south to Mexico City though. There was a Canadian guy (of Latino origins, educated in Canada) from my company that went to our plant in Mexico City, found his true love, married and relocated. Several months later while touring a rough neighborhood, he and his wife were "apparently" car-jacked. He ended up with a bullet in his head, his wife was pistol whipped. Mexican authorities did little to persue justice, and the guy's father hired a private investigator. Turns out the lady had a boyfriend and the guy had a healthy life insurance policy. The thing was a complete set-up.

Yes but thats only one bad experience. I was just pointing out that the majority of illegal immigrants come from further south is all :)

I am a Polish immigrant who doesnt feel secure in this country. I am beeing threatened by local community (mostly immigrants too) nearly every day for about one year on train , train stations, supermarkets, any public places. I have sent two written reports to police and did not get any response. Finaly I visited police station by myself and was advised to go to a doctor whithout any trial of support, understanding nor actual help. I live in London where are thousands of CCTV cameras installed for security? Why they can not be used in order to get any evidence? Why can they not find any solution for that? Why do I have to think of getting evidence on my own? Why police doesnt even try to help me?

Very sorry to hear the above story.

A word of advise to anyone who expects anything useful from the british police... Don't bother. Victims and criminals are treated just the same. It's very rare to have a nice experience with the police, and the police still wonder why people take matters into their own hands. It's because the police are stupid and lazy. There are a few exceptions, but its very rare.

CCTV is there to prosecute people, not help people. Some how they think this is serving the community?!? See my above point about stupid and lazy. The proper and most effective way of dealing with most 'common' crime is to have a local bobby on the beat. Someone who knows the community, gets to know the children (and their parents) and is not held back by 'red tape'.

Life is not a free ride, to take what you want is not a god given right. The sooner that children are taught that they cannot get away with everything, the better. Nip it in the bud is the motto.

I know that I sound like an old gittish bore at this point but, I have several friends that went off the beaten track, so to say, when they were younger. The opinion that I give you, is simply an expression that they have passed onto me.

This applies regardless of race or gender.

"Abused" why are you scared. I'm from the US where our crime rate is horrible. I carry pepper spray. I am a woman and I need to defend myself and my family. Why don't you take defense classes to give yourself some security. I don't know if you are allowed to carry pepper spray. I'm sorry about your experience.

Visit the local citizens advice bureau/write to your local newspaper/make a fuss until the police do something.I am lucky I live in an area with good,efficient police,but I know in some parts of London the police are as you describe-useless.Good luck.

1st G - we have very different laws in the Uk regarding you right to carry or use anything that may be considered an offensive weapon - this includes pepper spray

defence, unfortunately, is often seen as offence in the eyes of the law - you end up with victims who have tried to protect themselves and theirs being prosecuted as a result...

Tony Martin, an english farmer who had lived in fear of people breaking into his property and ended up killing a young lad who did just that, is just one example of how british law can appear to treat the criminal better than the victim at times

Ok, our state is thinking of authorizing the carrrying of concealed weapons. Now, you can have a weapon at home if you pass a background check and register it. It is a crazy situation because the thugs are carrying so many weapons. They get them by stealing them from law abiding citizens. I will be going to a shooting range soon to practice firing my pistol. I am law abiding and must protect myself and my family.

I guarantee a homeless person gets shot as soon as it happens. He/she will be shot for "heckling" for money.

Major difference between the Police in the UK and the Police in the states. In the Uk we "police by consent". Whilst in the US the Poice are there for "law enforcement". How do the Police, police in Poland?

Giles, I am confused. What do you mean by "police by consent?"

Well in the US the Police, DEA, ATF, FBI are all kinda paramilitary organizations. Who enforce the law. Whilst in the UK, they aren't armed and they try to uphold the law.

If the government tried to arm all Police officers, the UK would demonstrate and the government would find this a very difficult motion to pass.

So really Police, police the public with the publics consent. Infact we have many part-time "specials" police officers who have a normal job, but 16 days a month the work unpaid as an officer.

In Poland its more like in US. Its all inherited from the past. And now Poland is becoming to be kind of police country as well. You can be overheard without court permission for example.

Recently our goverment had new ideas, like forming new police organisations - CBS(Central Buerau of Investigation) it was supposed be kind of FBI and futher CBA(Central Anticorruption Bureau), hell knows what for.

So, Giles, if the Police are not armed, how do they protect the public?

With the big stick :)
Whack!!!

Quote . Today, 11:47 . #50

So, Giles, if the Police are not armed, how do they protect the public?

er....er..er..um..er...gas and sticks and ...er.....hash words, like..er

scoundrel, vagabond, er...um....

I assume that most of us are not qualified to criticise the work of the Police - or tell them how to do their work - or know what they know. People are saying the police are uselss...I wish this turned into a Twilight Zone episode where tomorrow morning people wake up to find all the police officers have dissappeared. My God they'd soon find out what having a Police force means - the cops might even get a little repect. (I'm not a Police officer)


Sadie - immigrants do abide by the laws and fit in where possible - in fact that's the process which Carly is trying to assist! Unbeleivable.


I work in high crime areas which often are neglected etnic minority neigbourhoods with high unemployment and poverty. Maybe these are the people you chose to ignore?

People in the street don't really know what's going on - what the Police have to go through. It's so easy to criticise. Do we know the % of money spent on immigrants compared with local issues?

Immigrants - like it or not are part of England and should not be ignored. There will always be areas of need in the UK - with or without immigrants. That's for the government to sort out. Leave the Police out of it.


so just like Carly you have done a survey to reach this conclusion?


Sadie - you are so lucky to be born in England.

You will never know.

The kind of liberal thinking you have about immigrants is changing in the US. When you have 12 million people who break our laws (US), refuse to speak English, burn our US flags, kill our people, drive without insurance, bring in massive amount of drugs from Mexico and generally hate Americans; the patience of the average American is getting thin. 80% of Americans would like these illegals to go away or try to assimilate. We see France's problems coming to our country.

You cannot have people take from our country and give back nothing in return. They transfer money to Mexico which comprises billions of dollars while we educate their children. Bush is righ on the war on terror, but wrong on immigration. Our next President will be a tough immigration Republican. Our country will not tolerate a liberal view on this matter.

If this was true there would be complete anarchy. Don't worry - America will deal with this when it becomes a problem.

When you take delivery of a barrel of apples - some will be rotten. Get rid of
the rotten ones before the rot spreads - what did France do...?


France has problems only because they ignore their ethnic minority communities. They are not respected or treated equally to French people. If a country lets in immigrants they should integrate them where possible.

They are human. They have feelings. They react when things are not right. It happened here in the UK. Now it's better.

People like Carly continue to make a difference by understanding immigrants and making them understand us. 75% of my friends are immigrants who are now integrated with jobs, families. They have character. They inspire me - I learn from them because they have lived - they know what it's all about.


The only problem here is mismanagement of immigrants

I think that Americans generally like legal immigrants who at least try to speak English. Poles, Africans and Asian immigrants at least try to speak English.

When I am in a store and say excuse me to a Mexican speaking Spanish, they look at me with anger. They really want us to speak Spanish and don't want to make an effort. Part of the reason for this is because theyare not as educated as the European, African or Asian immigrants whose knowledge of grammar and language acquisition is more sophisticated.

Of the 12 million illegal Latinos in the U.S., only a one-third have finished high school or gymnasium. I think everyone should speak many languages. I speak Polish, German and studying French. How's that for an ignorant American!!

I think we are heading in Sarkozy's path. The next President will need to do something about the 12 million illegal immigrants in our midst.

Hi Carly. I am an undergraduate Criminology researcher, who like you, is interested in relations between the Met and new polish communities.
I'd like to chat with you about this topic and keep you as a contact throughout my research. If you can offer me your occassional time I'd be really appreciative.

My email is sdm15@le.ac.uk

Thanks, Stuart

Stuart,

Carly hasn't posted for ages. You might be better off sending her an e-mail or PM.

She has been arrested!

Nah.... Carly, in the interests of "research"... discovered Polish Vodka! ;)

Thanks, I have tried to pm her but it cant get her email address as I havent posted enough comments (?). Could you send me it?

I just sent her a message - it works now! Thanks for your help.

hi carly

was wondering if i could pick your brains please. i am about to take on some research for the environment agency about how to build some bridges with the polish fishing community and was wondering what would be the best way of approaching it.

not v good with computers or have regular access but would be gratefull for any advice you may be able to give.

thanks and regards
mark anderson
pikeonfly@hotmail
07932567410

carly what are you doing ? we have a problem with the polish in this country what do you do for native born brits ? nothing just treat them as criminals yet polish who keep over 500,000 brits out of work since 2005 get treatment in our country now we have to pay so the incompetent met can employ polish speaking personnel , let's just give them the country

that would be nice, can i have your house please? and the contents of your fridge, think im gonna have a party.