Behind Bars
‘YOU have the right to remain silent. You have the right to scream your head off and vomit when I push you into the van. You have the right to take advantage of the two-for-one promotion on milkshake vodka at the Happy Slapper Inn, details of which are printed on this flyer and my hat.
Should pubs respond favourably to the Governments campaign to help pay for police community support officers, you could be nicked by an officer paid for by the pub in which youve just got blind drunk. Hows that for a chaser?
The business to support an auxiliary cop campaign is, as the Times reports, backed by Home Office ministers.
And in return for their largesse, businesses can expect to see their involvement in the funding initiative being publicised, says Home Office guidance.
And this causes John Perry, chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, to worry. He says that while money is needed, it is essential that the impartial, independent nature of the job is maintained and not compromised by commercial pressures.
Richard Garside, of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies echoes that view. Says he: This raises serious questions about the independence of the police and their ability to investigate those who might be sponsoring them.
Quite so. Community officers, who focus on tackling antisocial behaviour, may be less inclined to deal with those drunks pouring out from the bar whose names appears on their hats than they would those spilling out of another drinking hole.
It could lead to accusations of bias, and justice being something less than blind. And the police would never stand for that. Would they?’
Posted: 6th, March 2006 | In: Uncategorized Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
