PlanetPolice

The Love Police

Published on March 10, 2010 in Uncategorized. Closed

written by Stressed Out Cop from Stressed Out Cop

Both Videos by Charlie Veitch

I've posted previously about a Charlie Veitch video and often pop over to his YouTube channel to watch his short films. They are made to raise awareness about people in authority and how they interact with members of the public. There are also some very amusing ones with the public on tube trains. You can pick through many on his site and see PCSO's, Police Officers and Security guards dealing with Charlie, and boy are there some reactions from those in authority. He also has a blog entitled TheLovePolice where you can see some of his stuff.

The video above in two parts shows a recent interaction outside The Tower Of London where a Met Inspector is ultra cool and grounded when dealing with Charlie. I think his films make some valid points but I'd be rather pissed off to get called to deal with him in the middle of a busy shift.

Common sense does in the main resolve the situations because after all he is a film maker, but is he not aware that terrorists do conduct hostile reconnaissance at iconic sites and it would be negligent not to speak to individuals? we should of course be as professional as the Inspector when doing so. If the alarm bells were ringing around somebody I think a search would have taken place ... but it's an individual judgement. I think it's a fact that some individuals taking part in small assemblies have been shown to later be involved in terrorist activities so the request for details under stop and account or sec 44 is an intelligence plus. There is of course no obligation to provide those details.

I would have done the hug. He is actually gaining cult status amongst some police officers .. Is that bad for his image or showing that his message actually strikes a chord?

The original post can be found http://stressedoutcop.blogspot.com/2010/03/love-police.html

Facebook is rubbish – fact!

Published on March 9, 2010 in The Job - General. Closed

written by 200 from 200 Weeks

Oh dear, Facebook are in the news again. It seems the world is starting to realise what we in the police have known for a few years, that people will use whatever modern technology or innovations they can to get their own little seedy way.

As I posted recently, complaints about behaviour posted on Facebook makes up for a significantly disproportionate amount of police time. Two stories emerege this week of Facebook being a significant factor in two murders. In the first, Peter Chapman, 33, was jailed for a minimum of 35 years on Monday after confessing to the kidnap, rape and murder of 17-year-old Ashleigh Hall. He targeted the female via Facebook while pretending to be a teenage lad interested in meeting her.

In the other case Paul Bristol, 25, murdered Camille Mathurasingh, 27 after seeing her photos on Facebook with another male.

Police are criticising Facebook for failing to add a ‘panic’ button to its site where children can alert the authorities to suspected cases of grooming, despite many other social networking sites adopting the policy.

A quick trawl thrugh recent Facebook-related problems in the news this week comes up with:

A bogus Vicoria Police (Australia) Facebook page used for gay sex-trawling & racist thuggery.
A Facebook page set up to accuse an innocent man of being Jamie Bulger’s child-killer, John Venables.
Australian Schools calling for police to deal with cyber-bullies who often use Facebook to bully their victims.
The arrest of a 23-year-old teaching assistant alleged to have have sex with a 12-year-old pupil after he posted messages about it on Facebook.
Riot police being called to deal with gatecrashers after a teenager’s party was adveryised on Facebook, again.

These are just the stories which reach the national news, there are thousands of complaints about Facebook-related behaviour every day.

Notwithstanding that many Facebook-related complainants probably actually just need to ignore it & get on with their lives, there are lots of more serious matters. I’ve not had to investigate any complaints so I don’t know how receptive & quick they are to assist. Perhaps some of my readers could update me as to how they generally get on. But I can’t help thinking that Facebook really doesn’t do enough to stamp down on unacceptable, dangerous or illegal behaviour.

The original post can be found http://200weeks.police999.com/archives/2672

From Here to Maternity Part 1 (of many . . . . ?)

Published on March 9, 2010 in Yoga, labour and maternity antenatal. Closed

written by Posse Galore from Travails across Safer Neighbour hoods

08:00 appointment in Maternity. We ring up beforehand, just to be sure . . . . . and get put back to 13:00.

"Come at 1pm and ask for Charlotte. We’re very busy this morning. More women then beds!"

Great – very reassuring.

13:00 - arrive. Charlotte's day off. Go and wait in day room.

14:00 – still waiting. Bulgy loved one recognises someone from her antenatal Yoga class and waddles over for a chat. Yoga class was (or so I was told . . . ) ladies only, no partners, so the only mental picture I have of it is Dexter and Rita’s visit:

Dexter (inner voice): "This is absolutely, without a doubt, the worst moment of my life".
Yoga teacher: "Now let's go into a little free form yoga. Just let yourself dance".
Dexter (inner voice): "I was wrong. This is".
Yoga teacher: "See the dust dancing against the sunlight. Be as beautiful as the golden flakes of dust Dexter".
Dexter (inner voice): "I could probably kill her before anyone realized what happened".

14:20 – midwife, internal exam, listen to baby’s heartbeat. All OK but no sign of labour.

I suppose that life becomes much clearer and less puzzling once you understand that the underlying ethos of public service is that they just want the public to go away without them having to be serviced or anything.

We go away. I’m OK with the bouncing on a giant rubber ball, pineapple, sex and raspberry leaf tea approaches to bringing on labour, but I am absolutely NOT going to shag the suspension of my classic (OK, "old") Evo speeding up and down rutted tracks.

Baby Jack George Gene Ludovic Jenson Malcolm Rex Smith Wesson Hamlet Tristan "Smith" will come when he is good and ready. Bit like his Dad really.

The original post can be found http://prolege.blogspot.com/2010/03/from-here-to-maternity-part-1-of-many.html

Word Blindness

Published on March 9, 2010 in Uncategorized. Closed

written by Disgruntled from Disgruntled

The exam was straight forward... shame I didn't know most of the answers!

See you next year!

The original post can be found http://disgruntledcop.blogspot.com/2010/03/word-blindness.html

Jailbreak

Published on March 9, 2010 in Fully Inclusive Engine Service, assault police, guitar, hair, music, prison, protester and protestor. Closed

written by Area Trace No Search from Area Trace No Search

Thin Lizzy sang: "Tonight there's going to be a jailbreak, somewhere in this town."

I'm going to take a stab in the dark here, and guess... the prison?

Meanwhile, an example of GOOD POLICING. And good protesting, come to that.

The original post can be found http://areatracenosearch.blogspot.com/2010/03/jailbreak.html

It’s not just over here

Published on March 8, 2010 in The Job - General. Closed

written by 200 from 200 Weeks

A story grabbed my eye today, particularly because I posted a related article recently.

The Telegraph reports “Fat police could put World Cup fans ‘at risk“, which talks about the level of obesity in the South African police, specifically at Port Elizabeth which is due to host England fans during the World cup this summer.

A study of Metro officer at Port Elizabeth has found that 54% of them are ‘medically obese’. ‘Experts’ are concerned that the local old bill won’t be able to cope with any potential violence, won’t be able to chase criminals or react quickly in a crisis. I wonder how much of their worry is based on the fact that it is England fans & therefore are they expecteing a higher chance of trouble, per chance?

World Cup organisers have faith in the South African Police’s ability to keep order. Meanwhile, a Port Elizabeth councillor sums the whole thing up quite succinctly, “The solution is simple – the police should eat less and do more exercise.”

The original post can be found http://200weeks.police999.com/archives/2670

Deaths in Custody

Published on March 8, 2010 in Deaths in Custody, Police, cells, pregnancy and risk. Closed

written by Posse Galore from Travails across Safer Neighbour hoods

OK, not a fun subject . . .

There I was, during a meal break, checking the "Guardian" online. (Yep, bit of a bleedin’ heart liberal by instinct, but a canny one who likes to save a quid by reading it on the internet, that's me).

Comment piece on alleged Police brutality in Nigeria which had rapidly turned into slagging off the British Police, particularly with respect to deaths in custody. Some of the stats were dodgy anyway . . . . conflating deaths in prison, deaths in custody, "deaths following Police contact" . . . but leaving that point aside the underlying assumption was that ALL deaths in custody are "fell down the stairs, honest guv'" murders. . . .

I am constantly astonished how FEW deaths there are (and I can only recall one in our force area in recent years). Spot check our local custody block and the clientele will be, on average:
1 x domestic violence, still full of alcohol and rage, detained until the alcohol has worn off sufficiently for him to be interviewed about the offence;
2 x 20 something pissed up males arrested following a pub fight. Covered in cuts and bruises, grazed knuckles, all APPARENTLY superficial. Detained until the alcohol has worn off sufficiently for them to be interviewed, and until CCTV evidence, witness statements, etc, collected;
1 x heroin/methadone using prolific shoplifter;
1 x person in mental health crisis, turned away by local psychiatric unit as they are too violent / drunk / drugged and a police cell is thus a "place of safety";
1 x illegal immigrant detained awaiting arrival of the UK Border Agency;
1 x 50 something with high blood pressure drink driver. Detained until the alcohol has worn off sufficiently for him to be released, but for the present sitting in a cell for the first time in his life contemplating loss of licence, job, house and marriage.

For us to get through a day with all of the above live and well is a tribute, let alone a week, a month, a year . . . .

Not allowed to comment on message boards from work, so when I got home, after kissing pregnant wife and before reading to unborn child ("Tim to the Lighthouse" by Edward Ardizzone) I leapt onto the internet to contribute something very close to the above to the "Guardian" thread . . . . but it had moved on and I couldn’t find it. So here it is instead.

And the one and only death in custody I can recall? "Natural causes" but, yes, there was a failure in the duty of care to a vulnerable person. Our duty of care.

The original post can be found http://prolege.blogspot.com/2010/03/deaths-in-custody.html

Mitigation/Aggravation? YOU decide

Published on March 8, 2010 in Uncategorized. Closed

written by PC Bloggs from PC Bloggs - a Twenty-first Century Police Officer

As a defence solicitor/barrister, one of the most important skills is that of presenting aggravating factors of an offence as mitigation. Here are some of the arguments I have heard offered by defendants or their representatives either to get bail granted or to reduce their sentence:

I'm already on bail for several other matters.
My client now has a girlfriend to keep him on the straight and narrow. (Girlfriend aged 15 and arrested for shoplifting with him.)
I hit him because my brother was hitting him.
It is clearly unreasonable to expect my client to keep this aspect of his ASBO as he has proven himself unable to do so.
I haven't killed anyone all the time I've been in prison.

OK, technically the last isn't one of Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe's reasons why he should be granted parole. But it appears to figure in his treating physicians' analysis of him.

Sutcliffe isn't out yet, and quite possibly he will not actually be released until he comes down with cancer and is permitted to die in the comfort of his own murder scene. But it disturbs me that the courts seem to operate in a world apart from the rest of us, with no accountability whatsoever when flagrantly ludicrous decisions are made and a nonsense made of facts. I have sat in court and heard a defence solicitor telling a magistrate that his client had not been in trouble with the police since the incident in question, with no recourse whatsoever for me to leap to my feet clutching the defendant's police print screaming "Damned lies!" If a police officer falsely presented facts in court, regardless of whether through ignorance or malice, they would be rightly investigated and potentially prosecuted.

Likewise, if a police officer attended a report of child rape and decided to leave the offender wandering free to attack his next victim, he would probably be jailed for neglect. This judge remains free to continue unchecked. It appears that in the interests of a fair trial, anything goes.

So should the Yorkshire Ripper achieve his parole and go onto offend days, weeks or months later, the judge who frees him would at the worst face removal from office via an internal process. More likely, they would merely be villified in the press but no actual sanctions brought, largely because there are no serious disciplinary or criminal measures that can be brought. I am not suggesting we can or should realistically prosecute masses of judges for manslaughter or neglect for every offender who reoffends under their grammercy. But why should those options be ruled out when they weigh on the minds of every other member of the criminal justice process? Why should accountability fall at the last hurdle?

I'm not a fan of extra public bodies, public inquiries or public hangings. But if the rest of us are subject to them, why should judges be any different?

Of course, the natural progression of this idea is to prosecute and publicly shame jurors who acquit those who go onto be proven guilty, or who reoffend...

Well no one said reform was easy.

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'Diary of an On-Call Girl' is available in some bookstores and online.

The original post can be found http://pcbloggs.blogspot.com/2010/03/mitigationaggravation-you-decide.html

Police Racism

Published on March 8, 2010 in Sergeants, Wizards, breakfast, canteen, cctv, custody, inspector, paperwork, racism and skippers. Closed

written by Area Trace No Search from Area Trace No Search

Recently I was sitting around the table with a few teammates, a Sergeant and an Inspector from another team. We were discussing the various jobs we had dealt with or were dealing with, when a probationer PC piped up about a shoplifting job he had ongoing.

He'd just picked up the CCTV from the shop, which was of the usual quality - nice to have, but nowhere near good enough for a conviction by itself.
He'd played it back and had spotted a black male going into and leaving the shop at the appropriate time, and the suspect that he had arrested at the scene and who was sitting in custody was a black male.
The officer said "The useful thing is, there aren't many black people in that area, only two come in during the whole time, so that makes things a bit easier to ID him."

A long intake of breath followed.

The young in service officer paused. "What?"

Whispered conversation between the Inspector and Sergeant, then the PC was invited out of the canteen to have a chat about his "potentially racist attitude."
How have we got to this point, where a young, naive but eager PC is excited about the prospect of arresting a suspect and he is spoken to about his potential racism?

Yes, the words may have been misconstrued if seen in an isolated sentence. Yes, someone that wasn't in the conversation may have misunderstood. But in the context of the conversation, it was a simple case of a young copper wanting to be able to charge a recidivist thief.

The really sad thing is that the Inspector involved didn't for a moment think that any racism was involved, and the same goes for the Sergeant. What they didn't want (understandably) was to be seen to be allowing racism.

It's hard to keep up sometimes.

The original post can be found http://areatracenosearch.blogspot.com/2010/03/police-racism.html

The Implications Of Courting Popularity

Published on March 8, 2010 in 1. Closed

written by inspectorgadget from POLICE INSPECTOR BLOG

Overheard by me at the monday morning Ivory Tower session here in F Division, Ruralshire Constabulary.

Superintendent:

“I am particularly concerned about the possible media implications of the recent series of burglaries we have suffered. Can I be assured that the Media Officers are all over this story, and that we are going to release some of the “good news” items we worked on last week?”

Notice that he is not ready to express his concern for the victims. For the fact that someone has had their personal space violated, their children’s bedrooms trashed, their precious personal items taken.

No. He is concerned about the possible media implications.

And why not? After all, he has been selected and trained to care about what he is paid a cash bonus to care about i.e. so-called police performance. And performance these days means Public Confidence, and that means media coverage. Last year, he was equally concerned about the Sanctioned Detection Rate. The year before it was Crime Reduction and next year it will be something else.

Personally, I find this disgusting and wrong-headed. What we should be concerned with is the wrongness of the crimes, the badness of the criminals and the power we are going to put behind catching and prosecuting them (pointless though that usually is these days).

When ever you get to the point where the media coverage worries you more than the badness of the crime and the suffering of the victim, you should leave the police. Go and do something else. Stop changing our priorities every year. Leave us alone to get on with it. Those of us that care about it.