THIS story is yet again, another shocking example of how the law works in favour of criminals and against ordinary law abiding people.
You will note that the two men who were attempting to break in to the building "were not charged".
How about bringing charges against the people attempting to break in to a building rather than spending three months trying to get evidence against a disabled man who did nothing wrong ?
Showing posts with label Police. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Police. Show all posts
7/26/2010
Party politicisation of the police ? Ridiculous
The coalition government (yes my fellow Lib Dems, we can't escape the rap for this one) are to introduce elected police commissioners, who will be party political. In other words, the police force and its policies are to become politicised in a way we have never seen before in this country.
In so many ways this an affront to the independence of the police force and digs away at the principle that the police force enforce the law by consent from the public.
It will be so easy now for people to blame the police for being political servants, enforcing the will of a given political party, and it will do nothing to raise confidence on policing.
Moreover, the principle of another (yet another) election to elect a police commissioner does little to set any pulses racing. When was the last time you heard someone on the doorstep say "What we really need around here is an elected police commissioner, an extra layer of bureaucracy, and as a result less cash for front line policing". Because this is another lay er of bureaucracy and as we all know, elections do not come cheap either !
An utterly pointless policy that heaps more expense on to the police, and inevitably means less money for front line police.
In so many ways this an affront to the independence of the police force and digs away at the principle that the police force enforce the law by consent from the public.
It will be so easy now for people to blame the police for being political servants, enforcing the will of a given political party, and it will do nothing to raise confidence on policing.
Moreover, the principle of another (yet another) election to elect a police commissioner does little to set any pulses racing. When was the last time you heard someone on the doorstep say "What we really need around here is an elected police commissioner, an extra layer of bureaucracy, and as a result less cash for front line policing". Because this is another lay er of bureaucracy and as we all know, elections do not come cheap either !
An utterly pointless policy that heaps more expense on to the police, and inevitably means less money for front line police.
2/01/2010
Are police radios safe ?
THIS report about the use of the TETRA police radio system comes as no surprise to me, having sat through numerous meetings in my time as a District Councillor when we discussed the siting of the police TETRA masts across North Norfolk five years ago.
I was told by a police officer in North Norfolk that the rates of illness went up very quickly after the new masts and radios were introduced. Similarly I was told of headaches, nausea and other problems suffered by residents living near to the mast in one North Norfolk town.
My understanding is that the frequency the TETRA masts work on is different to that used by mobile phones and that the frequency is very close to that which has been known to cause tumors in rats. Similarly, whilst mobile phones only transmit a signal whilst being used, a TETRA radio works differently by being connected for long periods even when not actually in use.
I am not one to start campaigns against phone masts as I am not convinced that the evidence is there to suggest that phone masts are any more dangerous than having a wireless router in your home, but there are genuine concerns about the safety of TETRA masts and the radios that use this system. THIS WEBSITE set up to take reports from police officers who use the TETRA system is evidence of that.
I was told by a police officer in North Norfolk that the rates of illness went up very quickly after the new masts and radios were introduced. Similarly I was told of headaches, nausea and other problems suffered by residents living near to the mast in one North Norfolk town.
My understanding is that the frequency the TETRA masts work on is different to that used by mobile phones and that the frequency is very close to that which has been known to cause tumors in rats. Similarly, whilst mobile phones only transmit a signal whilst being used, a TETRA radio works differently by being connected for long periods even when not actually in use.
I am not one to start campaigns against phone masts as I am not convinced that the evidence is there to suggest that phone masts are any more dangerous than having a wireless router in your home, but there are genuine concerns about the safety of TETRA masts and the radios that use this system. THIS WEBSITE set up to take reports from police officers who use the TETRA system is evidence of that.
12/29/2009
How to deal with idiots who phone 999 for no good reason
I don't think it takes an enormous amount of intelligence to know the difference between a good reason and a bad reason to phone 999.
The answer for people like THIS who phoned up 999 over Christmas because her cat was overly playful and was "doing her head in", is simply to send a police car round, arrest her for wasting police time, and then see how many other people think that the emergency services should be phoned for such trivial matters.
Sadly, the police release stories like this every few months, but until firm action is taken, it will get worse and worse.
The answer for people like THIS who phoned up 999 over Christmas because her cat was overly playful and was "doing her head in", is simply to send a police car round, arrest her for wasting police time, and then see how many other people think that the emergency services should be phoned for such trivial matters.
Sadly, the police release stories like this every few months, but until firm action is taken, it will get worse and worse.
4/09/2009
21 pence to fight terrorism
Just think that a visit to THIS website would have enabled the Metropolitan Police to buy document wallets at a cost of just 21 pence.
It strikes me as odd that even as school teachers we ensure that our school reports are stored on encrypted memory sticks and that we do not leave them where they can be read by other children or adults, but seemingly the Metropolitan Police are less security conscious. At least Bob Quick did the right thing in the end.
4/01/2009
Did the police give the protesters enough rope ?
Last night the TV news predicted that a possible high profile target for protesters in London would be the RBS building near the Bank of England.
So what happens today ? Protesters get to the RBS building, attack it, break in to it and attempt to set fire to it and there was not a single policeman inside the building in case of such an attack ?
How can the TV news predict something but the police not anticipate it ?
It looks to me that the powers that be were willing to let the protests to get out of hand in order to vilify all the protesters.
So what happens today ? Protesters get to the RBS building, attack it, break in to it and attempt to set fire to it and there was not a single policeman inside the building in case of such an attack ?
How can the TV news predict something but the police not anticipate it ?
It looks to me that the powers that be were willing to let the protests to get out of hand in order to vilify all the protesters.
3/28/2009
Where on earth were the police ?
A man was assaulted and is now fighting for his life in hospital after being beaten up in the heart of Norwich's "clubland" down Prince of Wales Road.
The big question for me is how could this have happened at 1.00 am, in the heart of Norwich, an area where there has been a constant history of drink related violence late at night, yet the police were seemingly not there or failed to intervene before the victim suffered life threatening injuries ?
If I had to place police anywhere on a Friday night in Norwich is would be half way down Prince of Wales Road between Mercy and Chicago's, which was exactly where the incident took place last night.
The other issue is what were the numerous doormen doing whilst this was happening ?
A friend of mine some years ago was beaten badly in Norwich late at night whilst so called professional trained doormen shouted a warning to the men beating him up to "go now, the police are here", whilst when it came to court the doormen told the CPS that they saw "nothing".
People out on a late night in Norwich need the police to anticipate danger. If I know where the problems will be, why were they not there ?
The big question for me is how could this have happened at 1.00 am, in the heart of Norwich, an area where there has been a constant history of drink related violence late at night, yet the police were seemingly not there or failed to intervene before the victim suffered life threatening injuries ?
If I had to place police anywhere on a Friday night in Norwich is would be half way down Prince of Wales Road between Mercy and Chicago's, which was exactly where the incident took place last night.
The other issue is what were the numerous doormen doing whilst this was happening ?
A friend of mine some years ago was beaten badly in Norwich late at night whilst so called professional trained doormen shouted a warning to the men beating him up to "go now, the police are here", whilst when it came to court the doormen told the CPS that they saw "nothing".
People out on a late night in Norwich need the police to anticipate danger. If I know where the problems will be, why were they not there ?
3/14/2009
Are Cheshire Police "institutionally racist"
It seems that if you are a man window shopping in certain parts of Cheshire, not only is your custom unwelcome, but the local constabulary will turn up mob handed and try to make out that you are about to rob the shop.
What is so ludicrous in the case from last Wednesday was that not only was the person that the police did this too a Premiership footballer, but he was on crutches having undergone a major operation after suffering cruciate ligament damage in the Everton match against Newcastle some weeks ago and the police tried to take his crutches away from him.
Oh, and of course the player, Victor Anichebe is black. One might wonder if his teammates Philip Neville, Leighton Baines or Dan Gosling would have received such treatment from the Police. I doubt that those white men would have been treated in the same way.
What is so ludicrous in the case from last Wednesday was that not only was the person that the police did this too a Premiership footballer, but he was on crutches having undergone a major operation after suffering cruciate ligament damage in the Everton match against Newcastle some weeks ago and the police tried to take his crutches away from him.
Oh, and of course the player, Victor Anichebe is black. One might wonder if his teammates Philip Neville, Leighton Baines or Dan Gosling would have received such treatment from the Police. I doubt that those white men would have been treated in the same way.
2/06/2009
The inept British legal system
At the end of the BBC Sky Cops tv programme tonight the presenter told us what happened to those arrested during the program, and it pointed out the utter uselessness of the British legal system and tells us so much about why people have lost confidence in it.
When referring to the "third man arrested" after an incident where they deliberately led the police helicopter in to the flightpath of Heathrow airport in an attempt to avoid arrest, the voice over said "the third man failed to turn up to court and charges against him were later dropped".
What !!! A person can simply refuse to turn up to court and the CPS just drop the charges ?
Absolutely astonishing.
When referring to the "third man arrested" after an incident where they deliberately led the police helicopter in to the flightpath of Heathrow airport in an attempt to avoid arrest, the voice over said "the third man failed to turn up to court and charges against him were later dropped".
What !!! A person can simply refuse to turn up to court and the CPS just drop the charges ?
Absolutely astonishing.
1/21/2009
Stockwell on ITV
ITV showed a well made docu-drama this evening showing the shocking way in which the police cocked up at almost every level well killing Jean Charles de Menezes on Stockwell tube.
What ITV did gloss over was the fact that the court now accepts that those police officers lied when they said
1) That Jean Charles de Menezes jumped barriers at the station.
2) They shouted clear warnings to him.
3) They said he walked towards them in a threatening manner.
The question remains why the police can effectively assassinate someone on the London underground, why officers can tell lies to court yet the rule of law does not apply to them.
What ITV did gloss over was the fact that the court now accepts that those police officers lied when they said
1) That Jean Charles de Menezes jumped barriers at the station.
2) They shouted clear warnings to him.
3) They said he walked towards them in a threatening manner.
The question remains why the police can effectively assassinate someone on the London underground, why officers can tell lies to court yet the rule of law does not apply to them.
1/13/2009
1/02/2009
Common Sense from a Tory ? We should have him stuffed and mounted
Dominic Grieve has called for a return to the sensible premise that adults should be able to confront teenagers who might be damaging their property without fear of the police arresting the adult, as seems to be the police obsession in the current "target" driven police culture.
Common sense, I think you will agree.
Common sense, I think you will agree.
12/18/2008
Why would the police and CPS hold back such vital evidence ?
The not guilty verdict given today on Suzanne Holdsworth really does beg the question as to why the police and CPS kept back the vitally important piece of information that little Kyle Fisher was severely epileptic.
When the jury were this time told this information, they returned a not guilty verdict, meaning that Suzanne Holsdworth's many years in prison were all the fault of the prosecution in her earlier trial suppressing such vital information.
The question is why people are allowed to get away with locking people up for years on end when they know full well that there is evidence available which would clear the person found guilty, and further from this, it makes you wonder how they sleep at night.
When the jury were this time told this information, they returned a not guilty verdict, meaning that Suzanne Holsdworth's many years in prison were all the fault of the prosecution in her earlier trial suppressing such vital information.
The question is why people are allowed to get away with locking people up for years on end when they know full well that there is evidence available which would clear the person found guilty, and further from this, it makes you wonder how they sleep at night.
12/17/2008
The serious problem with modified cars
The sad case in the news today where a father has been convicted in relation to the death of four of his children when his modified Land Rover crashed and ended up in a river raises a question regarding modified cars which has been common for many years.
The truth is that there are an enormous amount of modified cars on the road which are not safe either for the driver or for other road users.
I was really aware of this problem when I was councillor for Fakenham on North Norfolk District Council and we had (and probably still have) a problem with teenagers driving modified Vauxhall Corsas around the town late at night, very often speeding, and in cars that had been modified in carious ways that rendered them dangerous.
The classic example of this was the group who had their 1.2 litre Corsa's altered to take wider lower profile tires. The problem was that these tyres actually rubbed against the bodywork when they got full lock on their steering. Not happy with this, the cars were sometimes lowered (meaning they caught the bottom of the car on ruts and speed bumps) and to add to the danger, they had an array of flashing neon lights that lit up the road in various patterns which seemed specially designed to distract other drivers.
How did they get through their MOTs I hear you ask ? Well in the first instance they simply reverted to their old tyres when their test was due (a cheap job if you have a few friends who will help you with the tyre change and MOTs are not concerned with things like neon lights.
I'm sure Fakenham is not the only place with such problems. But today's events highlight the need for the police to be vigilant in stopping modified cars, but with the number of police patrols being lower than ever, the chances of them being stopped is lower than ever.
The truth is that there are an enormous amount of modified cars on the road which are not safe either for the driver or for other road users.
I was really aware of this problem when I was councillor for Fakenham on North Norfolk District Council and we had (and probably still have) a problem with teenagers driving modified Vauxhall Corsas around the town late at night, very often speeding, and in cars that had been modified in carious ways that rendered them dangerous.
The classic example of this was the group who had their 1.2 litre Corsa's altered to take wider lower profile tires. The problem was that these tyres actually rubbed against the bodywork when they got full lock on their steering. Not happy with this, the cars were sometimes lowered (meaning they caught the bottom of the car on ruts and speed bumps) and to add to the danger, they had an array of flashing neon lights that lit up the road in various patterns which seemed specially designed to distract other drivers.
How did they get through their MOTs I hear you ask ? Well in the first instance they simply reverted to their old tyres when their test was due (a cheap job if you have a few friends who will help you with the tyre change and MOTs are not concerned with things like neon lights.
I'm sure Fakenham is not the only place with such problems. But today's events highlight the need for the police to be vigilant in stopping modified cars, but with the number of police patrols being lower than ever, the chances of them being stopped is lower than ever.
12/13/2008
And if they had done this in Russia, what would we be saying ?
The fact that a jury felt the police completely fabricated their evidence in the inquest in to Jean Charles de Menezes killing by the metropolitan police ought, in any decent society, to lead to the sacking, discipline and prosecution of those who have brought the name of the Metropolitan Police in to disrepute.
Seventeen witnesses with no axe to grind, stated the police lies when they said they shouted warnings, they said the police lied when they said Jean Charles jumped barriers, say the police lied when they said he moved aggressively towards the policemen, and they made it clear through their evidence that the police must have concocted their story together in order to mislead the inquest.
The question is now it is clear that the police perjured themselves, why are the police not being charged with perjury ? Does the CPS now need to review their decision not to prosecute now that it is clear that the evidence on which they made this decisions has been proved to be a pack of lies, and how on earth can we trust the police to protect us from terrorism when they behave like this.
I have a great amount of respect for the police, and I have a great deal of sympathy for those police who without communication with their superiors, were told to use all means to deal with Mr de Menezes. One would have hoped that the common decency of their superiors who made their order that they were following would have seen of of them raise their hand and accept the blame. We talk about honour amongst thieves, sadly this trait appears to be missing though from senior police officers in our capital.
What would we be saying though if this happened in Russia ? I think we'd see it as a corrupt police state where the police are above the law. Sadly, it can now be said of us.
Seventeen witnesses with no axe to grind, stated the police lies when they said they shouted warnings, they said the police lied when they said Jean Charles jumped barriers, say the police lied when they said he moved aggressively towards the policemen, and they made it clear through their evidence that the police must have concocted their story together in order to mislead the inquest.
The question is now it is clear that the police perjured themselves, why are the police not being charged with perjury ? Does the CPS now need to review their decision not to prosecute now that it is clear that the evidence on which they made this decisions has been proved to be a pack of lies, and how on earth can we trust the police to protect us from terrorism when they behave like this.
I have a great amount of respect for the police, and I have a great deal of sympathy for those police who without communication with their superiors, were told to use all means to deal with Mr de Menezes. One would have hoped that the common decency of their superiors who made their order that they were following would have seen of of them raise their hand and accept the blame. We talk about honour amongst thieves, sadly this trait appears to be missing though from senior police officers in our capital.
What would we be saying though if this happened in Russia ? I think we'd see it as a corrupt police state where the police are above the law. Sadly, it can now be said of us.
11/20/2008
Where are the traffic police ?
The government today announced plans to increase punishments for drivings who break the speed limits by a considerable margin, and it is hard to argue against the logic behind this decision. However, it does smack of the government wanting to further promote speed cameras at a time when traffic police numbers continue to decline.
The AA today claimed that traffic police numbers had fallen by 20% in ten years, and I wouldn't disagree. it is rare that you see a police car on the road and this means that persistent speeders and those who know where the speed cameras are can go about their dangerous antics on a daily basis knowing that they will almost certainly never be caught.
Every morning I am cut up and overtaken by a motorbike on the Fakenham Road in to Norwich at just about 8am. The same thing happens every day as he weaves through moving traffic, overtaking and undertaking in excess of 50mph. But where are the police to deal with him ? Of course they are never seen. The fact that I know this motorbike so well, an Orange track bike with the number plate beginning V5? ??? (and yes, I know the last missing digits also) tells you something about the regularity of this bike's antics, but he knows, like me, that the chances of a police car doing something about it is nil, and there are no speed cameras on my route to work.
If the government really means to do something about this, they should encourage police forces to take on more traffic police. Oh, and get them to also do something about slow drivers too !
The AA today claimed that traffic police numbers had fallen by 20% in ten years, and I wouldn't disagree. it is rare that you see a police car on the road and this means that persistent speeders and those who know where the speed cameras are can go about their dangerous antics on a daily basis knowing that they will almost certainly never be caught.
Every morning I am cut up and overtaken by a motorbike on the Fakenham Road in to Norwich at just about 8am. The same thing happens every day as he weaves through moving traffic, overtaking and undertaking in excess of 50mph. But where are the police to deal with him ? Of course they are never seen. The fact that I know this motorbike so well, an Orange track bike with the number plate beginning V5? ??? (and yes, I know the last missing digits also) tells you something about the regularity of this bike's antics, but he knows, like me, that the chances of a police car doing something about it is nil, and there are no speed cameras on my route to work.
If the government really means to do something about this, they should encourage police forces to take on more traffic police. Oh, and get them to also do something about slow drivers too !
11/03/2008
Who do we believe ?
A number of armed policemen, all of whom have had a chance to get their story straight and confer with each other, who were involved in shooting Jean Charles de Menezes all claim they shouted a warning before shooting him several times.
Whereas every independent witness, none of whom know each other, who have had no chance to get together and get their stories straight all say they heard no warning.
Who do you believe ?
I'd desperately like to think the police gave Jean Charles a chance, that they didn't gun him down without a chance to prove his innocence. I'd like to think that the police did do their duty, to the letter of the law. It's just the question why would a group of people, completely unrelated to each other, with no history of problems with the police or an axe to grind all say the police were lying ?
Whereas every independent witness, none of whom know each other, who have had no chance to get together and get their stories straight all say they heard no warning.
Who do you believe ?
I'd desperately like to think the police gave Jean Charles a chance, that they didn't gun him down without a chance to prove his innocence. I'd like to think that the police did do their duty, to the letter of the law. It's just the question why would a group of people, completely unrelated to each other, with no history of problems with the police or an axe to grind all say the police were lying ?
10/04/2008
No "Views from the River End" Today thanks to Norwich's roads
Some of you will know that I have another blog which covers issues relating to Norwich City Football Club. Unfortunately, there will be little in the way of views for me today thanks to Norwich's truly awful road network.
Today, on my journey in to Norwich (only 7 miles to the car park than a one mile walk), the roads were gridlocked all around the northern part of the inner ring road meaning I moved about 80 yards in 40 minutes in one road and about 30 yards in 20 minutes on another road. The dawning realisation that it was likely to turn what should have been a journey of no longer than 20 minutes in to a 90 minute journey led me to do a u-turn and get out of Norwich and home (which actually took just 12 minutes).
If anyone has ever been to Norwich you will know what truly awful roads we have. They are designed to encourage road rage, constantly switching from two lanes to one lane, placing bus stops so as to stop traffic flow whilst the traffic light seems constantly to be breaking down.
Whilst the junctions I came to today that were snarled up did have working traffic lights, what was desperately needed was a policeman to direct traffic, stop people driving in to and stopping in yellow boxed areas (which is illegal anyway) , and use a human mind to sort out the problems that traffic lights cannot detect. Sadly, at each junction there was no policeman to be seen.
Then what do you think I saw pulled up by the side of the road on my way home ? I didn't see a speed gun in the police officer's hand, but it did make me wonder what the police were doing parked up in the countryside when Norwich was so snarled up.
Today, on my journey in to Norwich (only 7 miles to the car park than a one mile walk), the roads were gridlocked all around the northern part of the inner ring road meaning I moved about 80 yards in 40 minutes in one road and about 30 yards in 20 minutes on another road. The dawning realisation that it was likely to turn what should have been a journey of no longer than 20 minutes in to a 90 minute journey led me to do a u-turn and get out of Norwich and home (which actually took just 12 minutes).
If anyone has ever been to Norwich you will know what truly awful roads we have. They are designed to encourage road rage, constantly switching from two lanes to one lane, placing bus stops so as to stop traffic flow whilst the traffic light seems constantly to be breaking down.
Whilst the junctions I came to today that were snarled up did have working traffic lights, what was desperately needed was a policeman to direct traffic, stop people driving in to and stopping in yellow boxed areas (which is illegal anyway) , and use a human mind to sort out the problems that traffic lights cannot detect. Sadly, at each junction there was no policeman to be seen.
Then what do you think I saw pulled up by the side of the road on my way home ? I didn't see a speed gun in the police officer's hand, but it did make me wonder what the police were doing parked up in the countryside when Norwich was so snarled up.
10/03/2008
I don't really care if it is a conspiracy or not
I don't care much for the theories going around that Sit Ian Blair resigned as head of the Metropolitan Police because of some sort of conspiracy. As far as I am concerned Sir Ian had outstayed his welcome, and as Britain's senior policeman, had lost the trust of politicians and the public.
To be honest, if Boris had organised a conspiracy, I'd say well done. At least it would have meant that electing Boris as London mayor had at least one positive effect.
To be honest, if Boris had organised a conspiracy, I'd say well done. At least it would have meant that electing Boris as London mayor had at least one positive effect.
9/30/2008
Norwich Banker's Murder - Do the police and the CPS take similar crimes seriously ?
The shocking news of the murder of in Norwich of good samaritan Frank McGarahan, the man killed on a night out because he intervened to stop a group of men assaulting a homeless man on the streets says much about our sick society.
The problem though for me is that this type of attack is not uncommon in Norwich, only the fact that this ended in a murder has made this more significant.
A son of a friend of mine was lefft for dead a few years ago after being kicked and punched by a group of youths outside a club. At the time the bouncers outside the club stood on and watched only shouting a warning to the attackers that "the police are here" when a police car turned up. Despite the number of winesses, the case presented by the police was flimsy, with it taking the mother of the victim to ask witnesses she knew to go to the police station and demand to make a statement. Then, when the new stronger case came to court, the CPS nearly loused the whole thing up by losing files and failing to tell witnesses properly that the case had been moved before finally allowing the attackers to plead guilty to a lesser charge and be effectively slappped on the wrist for the near murder they had committed.
The victim, who was beaten unconscious made a remarkable recovery, and this in part seemed to affect the seriousness with which both the CPS and police treated the case. He could have easily died, but that seemed to matter little.
The truth is that there are thugs out each and every week looking for fights and looking for an easy victim to beat black and blue, but the legal system and policing in this country seems completely disinterested until a murder happens.
Sadly people like Frank McGarahan pay the ultimate price for this.
The problem though for me is that this type of attack is not uncommon in Norwich, only the fact that this ended in a murder has made this more significant.
A son of a friend of mine was lefft for dead a few years ago after being kicked and punched by a group of youths outside a club. At the time the bouncers outside the club stood on and watched only shouting a warning to the attackers that "the police are here" when a police car turned up. Despite the number of winesses, the case presented by the police was flimsy, with it taking the mother of the victim to ask witnesses she knew to go to the police station and demand to make a statement. Then, when the new stronger case came to court, the CPS nearly loused the whole thing up by losing files and failing to tell witnesses properly that the case had been moved before finally allowing the attackers to plead guilty to a lesser charge and be effectively slappped on the wrist for the near murder they had committed.
The victim, who was beaten unconscious made a remarkable recovery, and this in part seemed to affect the seriousness with which both the CPS and police treated the case. He could have easily died, but that seemed to matter little.
The truth is that there are thugs out each and every week looking for fights and looking for an easy victim to beat black and blue, but the legal system and policing in this country seems completely disinterested until a murder happens.
Sadly people like Frank McGarahan pay the ultimate price for this.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)