Why are people so down on the police?

Years of nakedly, aggressively pursued racism is unlikely to see the police being praised when they finally decide not to be cunts. Resentment takes a while to subside after such a prolonged and successful campaign by the police, perhaps it might never entirely go having become a fixed part of how we view the police.

So when a new policy decides to deal with an issue people think has been ignored it takes a while for the actual successful implementation of the policy (rather than merely it's announcement) to filter down and start to change people's opinions.

The operative word here is 'still' I think. People at this stage have still only got bad stories, stories of stolen bikes, police disinterest and so on. Like I say, don't expect opinions to change overnight after years of police disinterest.

I can only make the same point really, people feel they have the right to not have their bikes stolen, if and when they are, they expect the police to take their case seriously - just because, after decades of disinterest, the police decide to take bike theft seriously does not particularly put them in a good light, it's a tacit admission to their past failure.

Like I say the day they crack racism in the force I won't be sending them a congratulatory card, my thoughts are likely to be like everyone else's ("about time too, you bunch of fucking cunts").

Not at all, it just all takes time.

What has also massively contributed to bike theft is the knowledge that if you steal a grand's worth of bike, the police are unlikely to put much effort into investigating, if any at all.

Racism in the force is an issue. Although I believe this will also change, gradually, as demographics and more open attitudes of new generations (hopefully) continue to shift. Not just within the police but also within society. I'm an optimist like that.

Ultimately your point about it taking time to shift perceptions with regard to this new crack down on bike theft is a perfectly valid one. However, I for one am very happy to see them finally doing something constructive and already having some fairly significant success. I hope this continues.

And if it does I hope it also goes some way to improving relations generally between the police and the cycling community. Because this can only be a good thing.