Monthly Archive for November, 2007

Opinion or Incitement?

Published on November 30, 2007 in Uncategorized. Closed

written by Joe90 from You want to be a hero?

You only watched 'Question Time' last night, because you noticed that Mrs Caroline Flint was on the panel. Smart, sexy, intelligent, remarkably vivacious, she is, what you believe to be, the epitome of woman and a reason for younger men and lesbians, to become enthralled in politics.

One of the issues that came up was whether or not the British National Party leader Nick Griffin, should have been let into the 'prestigious' debating arena that is the Oxford Union, to speak about his views and policies. Yes, Mr Griffin may have, as far as you are concerned, extremely misguided opinions, but still, he should have the right to express them.

Mr Griffin almost didn't actually get to deliver his speech, because quite a few people seemed to think he shouldn't be allowed to. The irony here would have been quite amusing if it weren't pathetic, these people were outside exercising their right to free speech, whilst protesting that Mr Griffin shouldn't be permitted to exercise his.

You wonder if they actually realise how much they hindered their own cause?

Mrs Caroline Flint seemed to think that he shouldn't have, you couldn't disagree with her more though, and in essence, if she wishes to have a 'debating' session with you on a one to one basis, you certainly won't turn her down, after all, 'debating' with her, would bring new meaning to the term.

'I may disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.'

Voltaire.

The original post can be found http://hero90.blogspot.com/2007/11/opinion-or-incitement.html

WANTED

Published on November 28, 2007 in News UK and Police Comment. Closed

written by Alf Ventress from ASHFORDLY POLICE STATION

Female - White European - Lt Brown collar length hair - proportionate build - early to mid 40s - known to frequent the Redditch area - ex teacher - previously 'dabbled in marijuana'. This woman is part of a gang who have consistently stripped the nation of its assets, lied to cover up their actions and continually deceived others about their true purpose. They have robbed people of their

The original post can be found http://ashfordly-police.blogspot.com/2007/11/wanted.html

Negative.

Published on November 27, 2007 in Uncategorized. Closed

written by CSI:UK from CSI:UK

Unlike those American TV shows, where an handsomely rugged male can walk into a Crime Scene and spot the smallest piece of case-winning evidence from 30 yards causing the suspect to break down into a full on reluctant confession, the reality is sometimes less sensational and we often end up empty handed and bow our heads and shake it slightly with apologetic sorrow and say ' I'm sorry there is nothing further we can do.' This isn't always the end of an investigation, there may be other lines of enquiries which the officer will deal with.

The reaction to this news always provokes wide range of responses, some people are very understandable and appreciate you've done all you can, others will expect it and would have usually uttered the immortal line of 'Your wont find anything mate!' as I walk in the door. Some, those that live and breathe the aforementioned TV shows, are absolutely disgusted that you haven't turned up with 3 other colleagues shining pretty blue lights, swabbing anything that fails to move and given the inside of their house a nice coat of silver. This is usually followed by the idiot mantra of 'You would do it if it was a Murder!', that's because a persons life is more valuable than an Elizabeth Duke bejewelled gold Clown Necklace.

Sometimes however, you will seize anything just to avoid giving the bad news as some people clearly have the worst luck in the world and your sorrowful apology will be the final nail in the coffin. On one such occasion a house had been broken into, simple insecure point of entry, small tidy search of a few jewellery boxes and off goes the offender his pockets bulging with a few generations jewellery. As I come to end of my examination, it is clear that the offender has been wearing gloves, due to the marks found on most of the things touched. Their wasn't any other useful evidence or a single usable fingerprint developed during the exam, yet I took away a few marks (of very poor quality that would surely cause hysterics at the Fingerprint Lab).

My reason for this deception was clear, this family needed a little bit of hope because they had lost all theirs. The family, a Father and his two Daughters, had been out during the Burglary, at the hospital for a follow up appointment for one Daughter after she had surgery to remove a tumour. The news wasn't good, it had returned, they had stopped off on the way home to visit the cemetery to update their recently deceased wife and mother and then returned home to find the house broken into. Amongst the Jewellery was a wedding ring, as the Father relayed this to me, he begins to cry causing his daughters to do the same. I diligently lift a few 'marks' , explain the possibility of the offender wearing gloves, but state that I will be submitting some mark anyway in case there was more than one offender or for some reason he removed is gloves.

I think they understood the futility of my actions, but they seemed to receive the news well and thanked me for my help. I still don't know if it was the right thing to do, it did help the situation, but I couldn't help thinking that it was a bit of selfish of me to deceive them just to avoid an unpleasant situation.

The original post can be found http://csiuk.blogspot.com/2007/11/negative.html

Re-launch

Published on November 26, 2007 in Moving. Closed

written by Stan Still from You're nicked!

Folks

I'm coming back - but I've moved to WordPress.

Could you regular readers please change your sidebars and subscription settings to

http://stanstill.wordpress.com/

Thanks folks.

The original post can be found http://yornicked.blogspot.com/2007/11/re-launch.html

The Gift of the Gab

Published on November 26, 2007 in Uncategorized. Closed

written by Gazza from Gazzateer

One of the most valuable tools of both defence and attack in a copper’s arsenal is his/hers mouth. Good cops can talk their way out of anything. Bad cops can talk their way in but find it difficult to get back out.

Recently I have used this tool to reasonable effect. Usually on the self defence front whereby the following logical reasoning was applied to a junkie on the verge of breaching the peace:

I didn’t want to end up with a broken nose
I didn’t want my partner to end up with having a broken nose.
The paperwork involved if I actually used the likes of my baton or CS is phenomenal.
The paperwork involved if I’d actually arrested or detained him is phenomenal.
I will get more credit for extracting intelligence data from this person than by arresting him.

So you can see why we all tend to speak first and act later. Obviously there are times when the patter just doesn’t wash and you find yourself rolling on the floor with Mr Angry. Goes with the territory. Nonetheless I still believe in the gift of the gab as being the best option.

Which leads me to my reasonable explanation as to why it took my colleague and I almost 2 solid hours reasoning with said junkie who was up and down like a yo-yo. After all that effort, we dropped him off with a sympathetic relative who was willing to take him in after we explained that he was feeling a little depressed and just wanted to get his head down for a while.

Luckily for us we got the chance to visit the relative the next day, to see how she was coping after the sly bastard had nicked her purse and buggered off to score.

It’s good to talk. Bah, Humbug!

The original post can be found http://gazzateer.blogspot.com/2007/11/gift-of-gab.html

…and be a nation again….

Published on November 26, 2007 in Uncategorized. Closed

written by Gazza from Gazzateer

Apologies for the inherent lack of input recently. The declining number of entries sadly reflects the reality of trying to juggle family life with work as well as trying to fit in a social life. The latter being the loser in all aspects as I haven’t been out for a decent pint in an eternity.

One plus on the horizon is college in as much as there is a bar on the campus and moderate socialising (with the strict emphasis on moderate) is encouraged. So a few beers with the rest of my intake will be more than welcomed.

Recent events (a la the footie) have added to the stresses of being a modern day police officer. On the work front, these days if there is a Scotland match on and you’re working the late shift in the toon, then you’ll be guaranteed a busy old time of it. No one enjoys watching their national side get beat more than the Scots. Their stoic sense of humour and the underlying creed that win, lose or draw we’ll all get pished anyway, has to be no bad thing. Sadly, as with elsewhere, there are those who eliminate that stoicism and sense of humour by descending into the levels of gutter thugs and imbeciles. Cue music, enter stage right, dance, handcuff and exit stage left to the van.

I must admit to being more than proud of the national side, despite the defeat to, what some of my colleagues refer to as, “those Tally bastards”. National pride is usually on display at such occasions and the Scots did not disappoint. My youngest son, bedecked in a Scotland top and Saltire flag, wept openly at the result. His first steps on a path that may well be repeated in his future. However, he will come to learn that this is what being Scottish is all about and he better get used to it. His reaction, after cuddling up to Dad (for the first time in ages)? “Ah well, I’ll just have to make sure that Scotland win on my Play station then, wont I?” Bless.

I’ll not say nor dwell on the country of my birth to much other than I remember the Argentine game in France 98 (I think) when the Argies gubbed Angleterre 1-0 despite a monumental effort by the St George mob. I admit to crying at that game (no shame there. It is football after all). The only time I can ever say that I have come close to feeling the sense of national pride that comes oh so naturally to the Scots. For the record, having lived in this Celtic isle for over a quarter of a century, I feel closer to Scotland now than ever before. Vive la difference!!

The original post can be found http://gazzateer.blogspot.com/2007/11/and-be-nation-again.html

Night of the Long Batons

Published on November 25, 2007 in Uncategorized. Closed

written by Bitseach from Another bloody grumpy copper

"His position is unsustainable, I think he should resign," he said. "I was removed from my job when the 'kiss and tell' happened and the reason I was given was that I, rather than the policing of Lambeth, had become the story. Ian Blair has become the story. London would be safer with someone else in charge."

Reported in the Torygraph, this has come from the controversial former policeman Brian Paddick, now shamelessly courting the media in an attempt to become the first Liberal Democrat mayor of London in place of "Ken le-Rouge". I know he's not in harness any more, having now handed in his warrant card on retirement, but Mr Paddick has been showing unseemly haste to stick the knife into his former Governor, Sir Ian Blair, whatever their differences.

One would have thought that the very reason he himself was moved post, in rather a shoddy way, would have given him some empathy for Mr Blair - surely to resign or be moved purely on the basis that one has become the main story in the witless cacklings of the press and TV media is the very reason why it would be such a dangerous precedent? The media, who are - of course - just looking for headlines, sales and ratings rather than making editorial decisions on any moral or ethical basis, would be foaming themselves with joy if their recent bullying actually scored a scalp in the person of Mr Blair. Now Mr Paddick himself is encouraging such knee-jerk behaviour. Shame on him.

If gives me no pleasure to say this - I've never been much of a fan of Mr Paddick, being as he is a bit of an embarassment to many gay officers - he's set our equality back years - but I am no fan of Mr Blair either, and suffer a wonky warrant card on the basis that it's still got Mr Stevens' signature on it (mature, I know) and I don't want it changed.

However, for Mr Blair to resign on the basis of a witch-hunt, and the moronically skewed hind-blindness of a lot of civilians who know nothing about duty and life-and-death pressures, because of the tragedy of multiple unfortunate happenstances that ended in the shooting of J-C de Menezes, would be a (further) gross error for the police service.

The Metropolitan Police Authority's Libdems and Tories have - predictably - tried to exert pressure to give him the elbow, in a blatent blurring of the separation of justice and politics (inasmuch as we can say that separation ever really existed!). With his usual paucity of thought or originality, David "Dave" Cameron has stated he wants police "chiefs" to be elected as in the USA - great news for short-term, knee-jerk policing goals! Not such great news for justice! No surprises then that Mr Paddick, now leapt onto the political bandwagon himself, should embrace any views that increase the influence of populist politicians into this morass.

Let's not make any long-term policing plans at all any more - let's just massage the egos of whatever politicians have been elected to rule us, with no more sense of duty than they have integrity and transparency in their expenses returns, and enact their vanity projects instead of striving constantly to protect the people we're appointed to, and have sworn and avowed to, protect!

Listening to the views around my nick in the London BOCU of Happiness is an interesting experience nowadays. Never have I heard so much, grudging, unwilling, reluctantly enthusiastic support for our Commissioner.

I still wouldn't be upset if he retired tomorrow. He'd have been hoist on his own petard, having himself encouraged too much of politics into policing already - and look how that's bitten him on the nose. But not for this, and not because a disloyal former officer with a personal grudge and political ambitions has wished for it.

The original post can be found http://anotherbloodygrumpycopper.blogspot.com/2007/11/night-of-long-batons.html

How do you deal with it?

Published on November 22, 2007 in Uncategorized. Closed

written by bawpc from WPC In the making

I saw a man die.
I've seen dead people before, I've had several people close to me die and I remember their grey, cold bodies lying in the coffin, I just had never seen someone dying before. He was lying on the floor, paramedics around him giving CPR, oxygen and the lot. His shirt was open, he wore a grey suit that had dirt marks where he had fallen. His shoes looked expensive but I could see from the soles that they were quite worn. He looked young, too young to be having a heart attack, I thought to myself. I wasn't quite sure of what to do and for a brief moment all my training had gone out of the window. I can deal with people running away and being mouthy but what do you do when someone is dying right before your eyes? The paramedics were desperately trying to keep him alive, enough to take him to hospital but then I heard the words, uttered in sheer desperation, that they had lost him. One of the paramedics gave me his wallet and I suddenly felt bad about going through it. Was it because I wasn't in uniform or on duty? Maybe, but it was more to do with the fact that this person had already been deprived of every bit of dignity that he had, he didn't need someone going through his personal belongings but it just had to be done. I regretted opening it almost immediately. There was a picture of him, a woman and a young child. My heart nearly broke and I could feel my eyes watering. Someone had to phone her and I just knew I couldn't do it. It wasn't my job to do it anyway, unless I was with my tutor so I had to phone control. Once I did what I had to do I felt a bit lost...so what now? Having watched this man die while I helplessly stood by do I just carry on like nothing happened? And with that I rang my tutor to tell him I was going to be late and continued to make my way because in all honesty, how else do you deal with it?

The original post can be found http://bawpc.blogspot.com/2007/11/how-do-you-deal-with-it.html