It seems that Cressida Dick, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, has said that plain-clothes officers will video-chat a uniformed colleague to ensure that they are who they are, in an effort to regain the trust of the public.
But yet again, this is just a sop, it won't work.
At what point will they video-call? After they have the cuffs on you? It's a bit too late then, you're unable to resist. Will you gain a further charge of resisting arrest if you refuse to be cuffed until you get your clarifying video call?
Will this be limited to women? Or are Men afforded the same courtesy? If not, how is this not sexist?
Will it be extended to uniformed Police officers? We've seen in plenty of videos how uniformed officers remove their names and numbers in order to obfuscate identification. So, is Cressida Dick saying that if an unidentifiable person purporting to be a Police officer without identifying marks can be resisted? Forcibly if needed?
This is such a ludicrous and unworkable suggestion, it's just a sop to women's rights groups.
It will not work in practice, because it is not supported in law. You cannot resist arrest by someone purporting to be a Police officer just because they haven't Zoomed or Facetimed a colleague. You will be charged with resisting arrest on top of whatever offence the arresting officer deems you to have committed. Unless the zoom call is written into law.
There is such a wholesale collapse of trust in the Police now, that senior officers have to fall on their swords. The statement by Cressida Dick essentially says Police as an institution cannot be trusted. That's one heck of a statement to make, however she says it. Especially coming from her, the person at the very top of the institution. Right there, she says that plain clothes officers arresting females cannot be trusted. But we all know the problem goes a lot further than just males plain clothes cops. The problem lies in the culture within the Police that has been allowed to grow, allowing officers to act in ever more unlawful ways without punishment. I expect more Common-Purpose Bullshit bingo statements like "Learning Lessons" or "changing Culture" or maybe "instituting cultural change".
The lower ranks are out of control, because the upper ranks have lost control. They have lost the respect of their lower ranks because whenever there is a transgression, it's okay, just resign and take your pension with you. No real sanctions like prosecution.
There needs to be a clearly defined offence of abusing Police Authority covering Police Officers acting or operating unlawfully. ALL Police officers.
Telling someone they shouldn't film in public: unlawful.
Attending arrests without identifying marks: unlawful.
Excessive use of force: unlawful.
Harassment of the public by serving officers: unlawful
You name it, we have all at some time come across officers who think or act as if they are above the law, or operate outside the law. Ironic, given they are supposed to uphold it.
It's those people that should be weeded out of the Police force and sanctioned. Be it sacked without pension rights, or imprisoned. To regain the trust of the public, there need to be serious consequences for such actions, which currently doesn't happen.
But, by the Met Commissioner's own admission, do not trust the Police. When interacting with the Police, do not say anything, unless legally obliged to. Question everything. Request identification, because Officers are obliged to supply it. Know your rights and know the law. Because it's seems our Police don't.
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