21st Century Policing

Just to remind ourselves, this is the 21st century. Not the 19th, nor the 20th. This is a new millenium, only 10 years old, bright things were spoken of it at its coming: new politics, new socialism, new aspirations.

The fact of the matter is a good deal less.

This 10th year of the new millenium has shown us that policing has slipped so far from its founding priciples that Robert Peel would be mortified.

So far this year, two Policemen have been let off assaulting citizens at last years G20 protests. In both cases ordinary citizens would have been convicted of assault: in the case of Ian Tomlinson, an ordinary citizen would have been facing at least a manslaughter charge.

Many of us have borne witness to the disconnect between the Police and the ordinary citizen, something Peel tried his utmost to prevent. Police now regularly patrol in para-military uniform whereas Peel developed uniforms designed not to stand out , they are equipped with military technology, whereas Peel kept his men in touch with ordinary citizens. Its quite clear today's Police Officers are not the citizen police of Peel's time. Instead they swagger about our towns and cities with an arrogance borne of the fact that they really have to go overboard to risk prosecution.

Don't even get me started on the ill-trained and arrogant PCSOs that clutter up our towns, attempting to promote their superiority over mere ordinary citizens that a high-visibility jacket and cap aparrently assures you of these days. Everyone knows someone that has been the subject of of petty vindictiveness like this one.

Those of the underclass have suffered under this para-military regime for decades, but now the rose-tinted veneer of British policing is wearing thin for the middle-cleass as well. This report and its associated video on the BBCs website shows the true state of policing today.

The Police today is as far removed from Peel's principles as it could possibly be. It dabbles and interferes in politics and law-making, when the laws should be made by the representatives of ordinary citizens and enforced by the Police on their behalf. Not the cosy stitch-up we have now where the Police request new laws without public consent and MPs enact them on the Police's behalf.

Not that its easy to see who is steering Police strategy: Thats controlled by ACPO, a public limited company with no public accountability, who "advises" on Police strategy. Again, as far from Peelian principles as you can possibly get.

Now we have the New York Times article alleging collusion between a private media organisation, the government and the Police. Just how impartial are our Police force? Just how far have they moved from the citizen police that Robert Peel envisioned. A Police force that weren't even allowed to eat with the public lest they be accused of corruption.

Just how far does this have to go before the public rebel?

New York Times Article: How deep could this go?

Its all around the blogosphere about this New York Times article, alleging that there was a wider scandal at the News of the World that was investigated by the met Police.

It alleges collusion between the Met and News International in order to suppress a wider investigation and brings the role of Andy Coulson, editor of the News of the World at the time and now chief spin doctor for the Tories into sharp focus.

The British media are reluctant to push the matter further at present and you have to ask why.

The answers aren't very far away.

IF News International have influence in the British government, then the media would be unlikely to proceed, knowing that there could be serious repercussions.

The NYT article already hints and speculates on NIs relationship with the government and the recent attacks on the BBC.

So, you have to ask yourself, is the alleged cosy stitch-up between News International, the Government and the Police healthy for the country?

I've said it so many times in the past: we cannot continue with the current status-quo in politics. We NEED to start voting in totally independent MPs. Currently with the dominance of the political parties, an organisation only has to influence a handful of people in the ruling party in order to influence our political system.

If we voted in 646 independent candidates, that same organisation would have to influence 646 different people, a far harder task.

Those of us in the blogosphere that are independent of any political aspirations and allegiances need to start promoting that message and influencing the public. Its in the national interest and failure to do so would be a crime against our country.

And yes, hopefully I'm back. Not counting my chickens as nothing is firm or long-term at the moment.

Good News/Bad News Month

The past month has been one of good news and bad news.

Good News: I've finally found a full-time, decent-paying job. I started a couple of weeks ago. It'll be good to be paid a proper wage again.

Bad News: Yet another flat fell through. This time two of us put down a holding deposit (mine was 15 minutes before the other guy), but instead of the landlord honouring the fact that it was a holding deposit, decided that he'd take the other guy.

So, I'm still looking for a place, hence the lack of online activity.

Service will be resumed just as soon as landlords and estate agents start acting sensibly.