Question from a reader:
I’ve heard that the police often don’t intervene in personal disputes, but why is that? Are they too busy with other things? I’d like to know specifically what they are doing.

Reasons Why the Police Don’t Intervene and Their Background

It’s common to hear that the police don’t intervene in personal disputes. In fact, after hearing stories
from friends or seeing reports in the news, I often wonder, “Why won’t the police help?” Today, I will explore this issue from both a legal perspective and a psychological analysis.

The Role and Limitations of the Police

First, it’s important to understand the role of the police. The main duties of the police are to prevent and investigate crimes, arrest offenders, and maintain the safety of the community. However, not all personal disputes necessarily fall under the category of crime. For example, noise issues with neighbors or financial disputes with friends often fall into the realm of civil matters. In such cases, there is no legal basis for police intervention, so they cannot act. In fact, when I worked part-time at a judicial scrivener’s office, many such disputes were brought in. One client came in to consult about money he had lent to a friend that wasn’t being repaid. He said, “I was told by the police that they couldn’t help.” This is a clear example of the limitations of the law. Borrowing and lending money is generally considered a civil issue, so it’s not the police’s responsibility.

Reasons Why the Police Are Busy

Next, let’s address the question of whether the police are busy with other matters. In reality, the police deal with a variety of incidents and accidents on a daily basis. If you look at recent news, you’ll see reports of traffic accidents, robberies, drug-related incidents, and violent crimes, among many others. They must manage these diverse cases with limited personnel and resources. Moreover, the police are not only required to respond to incidents after they occur but also to engage in preventive activities and build cooperative relationships within the community. They are extremely busy with neighborhood crime prevention patrols and collaborations with schools. As a result, smaller issues like personal disputes tend to be deprioritized.

The Boundary Between Police and Civil Matters

So, what types of disputes are considered “cases the police should act on”? This is clearly defined by law. For example, crimes such as robbery, assault, and extortion are clear violations of the law that require police intervention. On the other hand, civil disputes, such as those with neighbors or romantic issues, often encourage self-resolution. Understanding this can clarify the police’s stance on personal disputes. Here’s an interesting story. A friend of mine was having a dispute with his girlfriend over a breakup. He shouted, “I’ll call the police!” but when he actually called, he was told, “Please resolve it yourselves.” This incident symbolizes the position of the police. When emotions are running high, it’s easy to think, “Why won’t they help?” but the reality is that it was a legally complicated situation.

Solutions and Psychological Aspects

Just because the police don’t intervene doesn’t mean that all avenues for resolution are closed. In civil disputes, it’s important to consult professionals like lawyers or judicial scriveners. In fact, there are ways to resolve issues through dialogue, and it’s possible to reach an agreement through mediation or negotiation. Let’s also consider the psychological perspective. When a dispute arises, the emotions of those involved are often very heightened. It can be difficult to have a calm conversation. However, by organizing one’s emotions and speaking to the other party calmly, it can sometimes lead to surprisingly smooth resolutions. For example, when I had a financial dispute with a friend, we were both initially emotional, but after taking a moment to calm down and discuss things, we managed to resolve the issue in a way that satisfied both parties.

Conclusion

In this post, I explored the reasons why the police do not intervene in personal disputes. From a legal standpoint, the role of the police has limitations, and personal disputes often fall into the category of civil matters. Furthermore, it’s understandable that the police prioritize their efforts on more serious incidents due to their busy schedules. However, just because the police don’t intervene doesn’t mean that problems are left unresolved. By consulting professionals, one can find pathways to resolution, and calm dialogue can lead to unexpected outcomes. Thus, even in personal disputes, solutions certainly exist. I hope this blog helps as many people as possible to handle their troubles calmly when they arise. I wish for everyone to have a more peaceful daily life.