English Yokel

In an "exclusive interview" with Pravda, the UK's former top anti-terror police officer says that he wants the Contempt of Court Act changed. Nothing unusual in that. When ACPO Ltd (in equal ... partnership with Government) want the law changed to suit themselves better, it seems wise to use a "former" officer to say so, for reasons of plausible deniability. The Police are paying his pension, so they definitely still have some influence over his decision making. And of course Pravda is nothing if not NuLabour's mouthpiece. [Fair, honest, balanced? My ....! (not fit for family viewing)]

But how would their proposed change work. Yokel thinks that it would have the effect seen in the US, where the press are wildly hyped up by officers with a mission, often with the intent of getting unthinking public opinion supporting the officers' actions.

Before 1997, this would not have exercised Yokel that much. Then, the Police largely followed Peel's Principles of Policing, even if they were slowly going out of fashion. Since then, of course, the Police have been politicised at all the management grades. Police officers saying how it really is have been disciplined, and others have "taken the hint" and "voluntarily" decided that enough is enough. Policing these days is clearly about pleasing their political masters and looking good in the "court of public opinion". In fact policing according to the Napoleonic model.

Mr Plod's latest wheeze is definitely all about looking good in that "court of public opinion" and has nothing to do with what a rather old fashioned Yokel thinks that the Police ought to be doing: Catching Criminals.

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Afterthought: If any reader can give Yokel the link to a UK Police web site containing Peel's Principles, he will gladly amend the link above. It currently points to the Police Department of New Westminster, British Columbia. Does seem a rather long way away!