There is a small town with a fairly condensed population. The majority of which populate the town center of a Friday / Saturday night which is not uncommon of many towns over the weekend.
This one is quite heavily policed though over the weekend as it is prone to lots of trouble coming from nowhere. On one weekend, the usual gobby people are out, shouting at police and generally being a nuisance.
The people in general are spoken too and you would have liked to think that sense was seen and everyone went away happily......
Noooo, these people started making phone calls and down come there mates. and before we know it we have a hell of a lot of Asian youths trying to provoke the police into action. The reasoning we think is to alow us to be accused of being racist.
We receive racial abuse as well as being accused of being racist ourselves. We hold off just trying to keep a lid on things but there is only so long you can be called various names and generally abused. Several units arrive on scene as well as dog units and an ARV came along.
First off you would hope a show of force may make them think twice. But it didnt, more phone calls were made and more Asian youths arrived.
Out comes the dog as it was starting to look like it was going to kick off and the sight of a snarling land shark is hopefully enough to dissuade them but unfortunate the response we get is "Let the F***ing dog go then ill F***ing kill it" etc etc etc they run at the dog knowing it wont be released.
The ARV crew get in the mix pushing people about in their own way only to be fronted by a large group of people taunting "come on Hit me you fat B***ard" or "go on nick me then and see what happens" We did not have the resources to make arrests and if we were to arrest then its a 30 min ride to the nearest custody.
Eventually everyone went there own way but that was down to the police backing off more than anything.
I am of the opinion that we should not have backed away, we should have done what we are paid to do and arrest these scum regardless of there race.
I am aware that officer safety is at the back of our minds all the time, but we have a job to do and we cant let people get away with this or it will happen again and again.
I personally am of the opinion, well lets try and sort it we have CS and batons lets see what happens when we do show force against them and show we are not scared!
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Having seen civil disturbance in many places as a serviceman, I have come to the sda conclusion that the rioter will almost always win. The media will concentrate on any sturdy police response having failed to show the events that led up to the response. This exposure pulls more onto the streets in support of their 'brothers' whilst the pipe and slippers brigade undermine things by questioning if the police action was maybe a tad too positive. PR and image then get onto the act and any future police action is conducted with one eye backwards looking at the press. This situation pertains as much in foreign places such as Cyprus as homeland like Belfast like Parliament Square.
I don't have an answer. It might even be that the politocos who started the causes of unrest will have to find the answer. Certainly, there is no room for moderation or peaceful dialogue in the midst of a hail of stones, bottles and worse.
It sounds like the sort of situation best dealt with by a group of burly officers wielding large round perspex discs with handles on the inside.
Clout them round the shoulders with a round shield and watch them squirm!
Alternatively, ask your station commander for a copy of the risk assessment for your weekend patrol and watch THEM squirm when it is shown as woefully inadequate. Perhaps then you might get a bit of back-up that will allow you to take positive action.
BTW - you are on my sidebar
Stan - Likewise.
Yes id like nothing more than to "blade" some of these people with a standard shield and see them run well hobble, but i doubt the LPA commander would view it in a positive way!
And imagine the press response! "Riot police charge asian youths with shields" ##note the inclusion of ethnic background to sell more papers!##
This appears to be a recurring theme: Protected by their ethnicity, non-white mobs openly breaking the law of the land (riotous assembly, incitment to murder, various public order offences, conspiracy) in the increasing knowledge that the Police can do little or nothing to stop or control them.
I am in more danger of suffering legal consequences and punishment if an "ethnic" gets upset at my little dog yapping at them, than they are for openly committing what I thought were considered to be serious offences.
Indeed, this post could probably be twisted by a clever "human rights" lawyer to show me to be a intolerant racist, rather than that which I am - a British person who is totally pissed off with the open contempt these mobs have for decency and law & order.
Bryn - your post doesn't need to be twisted to come across as racist, your use of "an ethnic" does that all by itself.
Ah, political correctness speaks! (Bravely anonymous, of course.......)
My Lebanese Muslim brother-in-law would be highly amused at your description of my post as being racist, as would my Palestinian friends of many years standing. These friends are as disgusted as I am at what the mob was doing, and had no sympathy for them. Unlike at least one of the mob, they have lawfully integrated into North Wales life, and are law abiding and productive members of our community.
I used the word "ethnic" very carefully. I cannot say for certain that every person in the mob was a Muslim, nor can I say which race each one belonged to, but I saw no white faces in the televised reports of crowds carrying placards encouraging murder. The word "ethnic" (short for 'member of an ethnic minority group'), seemed appropriate in the circumstances, as I was pointing out the apparent leniency with which racially or religiously motivated crime is tolerated when non-white 'members of an ethnic minority group' are the perpetrators.
One of the foundations of the Law in Britain is its theoretical impartiality. The Law in this instance was NOT being applied impartially, or even correctly. The owner of this blog has already made his opinion clear on this point.
The race card............the first refuge of someone with something to hide or to gain by its use.
I would just like to add reading these comments which all points of view are welcomed, That it is in my own honest opinion that the Law (as impartial as it is) is not being interpreted impartially.
The police service has been branded racist. The officers have been branded racist. Every officer works in fear of being held accountable to PSD for being racist given the current hell strom about it.
And im sorry for seeming this way but, persons from ethnic minorities do use racism to aid themselves. Or at the least thats the way it seems. But the only people who seem to use it are the ones arrested and charged for offences??
Its used as a shield, a get out of jail free card if you will by those who try to weild influence over the Police.
I personally will not tolerate racism but i will be buggared if i am going to let race prevent me from making a lawfull arrest even though 24 hours later i will be on the wrong end of a PSD interview. To be honest i find it hard to see why people have joined the police now as the tide is turning and we are fighting a loosing battle. And ultimatly racism will win but with a different Ethnic minority.
My personal view is a crime is a crime regardless of who comitted it, why they committed it, the colour of their skin, their religeonor anything.
Lets stop people hiding behind their beliefs or background to get away with crime.
You'll find that people who shout i'm a muslim its because im asian the loudest are the ones who don't live according the their religeous beliefs but see it as a good umbrella to hide under when their in trouble.
You know what? our system protects them as well.
People making comments that certain groups of ethnic minorities act in a certain way or commit crime isnt a generalisation, isnt being racist but is a fact.
Statistics talk, facts talk and people dont like to hear it.
Fair enough not all people from ethnic backgrounds are criminals, but generally police can tell that certain groups that are hanging around in the streets acting in a certain way, are.
Call me racist, not poitically correct,or making generalisations. Call it what you want.
Where i work i'm respected and seen as a very good BLACK police officer who can get on well with my colleagues community because i'm fair to the point and dont dilly dally with insignificant issues and get on with my job.
Whilst serving as a member of the armed forces in NI we had similar problems. The local "yoof" got it into their heads that there was nothing better to do on a Firday night than a bit of squaddie baiting. Our solution was to introduce "puppy training". Take photos of the "yoofs" with the mobiles. Seek to identify said yoofs. At 02:00 in the morning, said yoof will be on his way home in a drunken stupor. In a dark alley he encounters 4 long serving members of the Guards Rugby team. Prior to commencements of discussions, an ambulance is summoned. Whilst waiting for the medics to arrive, the two half backs ensure that there would not have been a wasted journey for the medics.
Whilst I accept that this is probably highly illegal, it does do the job. WIthin 2 weeks of implementing the puppy training, all future harrassment initiatives melted away. I accept that a limited number of people spent a limited amount of time in the hospital, but word spreads and the overall cost of controlling the situation and minimising the risk of other injuries is kept to and acceptable level.
Being a decent sort of chap I see very little risk of my falling down the stairs on the way to the cells. I therefore have no problem with supporting the re-introduction of this technique of policing. I do not know that skin colour plays a role. At 02:00 in the morning in a dark alley we are all the same colour. Slippery steps also take no heed of your race, creed or colour and that is just as it should be.
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