Metropolitan Police Service

This is a bit overdue, but as a human born and raised in the USA — I must say, I am quite impressed with the London Metropolitan Police Service. I never quite thought I’d hear myself say this about any police department… nor do I usually have any reason to run into them, save the odd traffic ticket in my youth (ahem!), etc.
Here’s the story: my purse got nicked at a Marylebone pub a few months back. Being the novice I am, my purse included my entire life: computer, wallet with all credit cards, cash, oyster card, keys… and most dreadfully, MY PASSPORT. Ugh.
Double ugh.
As soon as my gal pals and I realized it was a goner, I pretty much just chalked it up to «well, it was bound to happen some time» and «I guess its the least violent way to get mugged.»
So I went home, resigned myself that it was a mere annoyance and I would survive, canceled all my credit cards and vowed to try to figure the rest out in the morning.
I did however think I’d need to file a police report so that I could get a replacement passport. As I stepped out on my porch the following morning to walk my dog, I received a phone call from an unknown number.
It was the police. THEY HAD MY PASSPORT!
…and they drove it to my house from Charing Cross. All 12 of them in a van. A guy jumps out, hands me the bag (devoid of everything except the passport, keys and some lipstick… and bonus of about a liter of water) –and then files a report for me right then and there.
Honestly, this was far beyond what I expected to begin with. I was quite impressed that they then wanted to have an investigation (I realize this is just procedure). I thought it was sort of fruitless.
Which of course, it was. That laptop was long gone before anyone ever looked at the tapes at the bar, probably sitting somewhere on the black market, being scooped up by some unsuspecting college exchange student or something for 200 quid. Whatever.
But, it still felt nice for a real police officer to say to me «ma’am, we’re sorry you’ve been a victim of crime.»
AND, I got that passport out of the waterlogged bag, dried it with hairdryer and was saved a lot of pain and frustration getting a replacement. So not all is lost. Thanks to the London police!

Unfortunately, my sister and I were burgled earlier this year. I arrived home to find our front door had been kicked in but miraculously, they hadn’t taken hardly anything.
I rang the police to report the burglary and the response was first class. Within half an hour, 3 officers had arrived to take statements and make some door to door enquiries with our neighbours. The scene of crime officer was there half an hour later but didn’t find any forensic evidence of use as the thieves had worn gloves.
This great standard of care continued over the next few weeks as we received literature and phone calls offering us support and advice on to better secure our property. The local police community support officer dropped to let us know that he was conducting extra patrols in our area.
We were thankful that we didn’t lose more and the detective had warned us that the likelihood of finding the perpetrators was very small. However, their speed of response, reassuring nature and continued support make us feel like we weren’t just another government statistic.