UK police criticised for overzealous lockdown response

[snoop1130]

UK police criticised for overzealous lockdown response

 

FILE PHOTO - A Police officer speaks to cyclists after new regulations came into force restricting cycling in Richmond Park as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, London, Britain, March 28, 2020. REUTERS/Toby Melville

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Some British police might have gone a “little too far”, a minister said on Tuesday after warnings some forces were turning Britain into a police state by abusing powers to enforce a coronavirus lockdown.

 

New regulations brought in on Thursday give police the power to issue instant 30-pound ($37) fines to people who gather in groups of more than two people or leave their homes without good reason such as for work, food-shopping or exercise.

 

However, some officers have been accused of being overzealous by using drones to spy on people taking walks at beauty spots, stopping dog-walkers from driving their pets to open spaces and reports they had even urged some shops not to sell Easter eggs because they were not essential items.

 

“The tradition of policing in this country is that policemen are citizens in uniform, they are not members of a disciplined hierarchy operating just at the government’s command,” Jonathan Sumption, a former UK Supreme Court judge, told the BBC.

 

“This is what a police state is like. It’s a state in which the government can issue orders or express preferences with no legal authority and the police will enforce ministers’ wishes.”

 

Unlike other countries, forces in Britain “police by consent” and pride themselves on being answerable to the public and not the state.

 

Martin Hewitt, chairman of the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC), said they were looking to ensure consistency in the police response as everyone got to grip with the new “unprecedented measures”.

 

“Our plan is that we will engage with people, we will explain the measures ... we will encourage people to go home but then as a very last resort we will enforce,” he told BBC radio.

 

The government drafted in the new regulations amid concern some Britons were failing to heed advice to avoid social gatherings to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

 

The weekend before the new regulations were introduced, parks and beauty spots had been packed, leading to the Archbishop of Canterbury to tell people not to act selfishly.

 

“The police are doing a difficult job and they are doing it well,” Transport Minister Grant Shapps told Sky News.

 

“I am sure there are individual examples where perhaps you look at it and think that is perhaps a bit further than they should have gone but in general terms I think the case is that if people help everybody out, including the police, by staying home and the rest of it, then there will be no problems.”

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-03-31

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[Puchaiyank]

Where do you turn to for help when the man with the gun, badge, and immunity is overreacting?  

 

Suck it up!  Not literally!  The justice system, in most cases, protects their own...in the cop culture...

[Basil B]

Unfortunately there is some inconsistencies in how the rules are enforced, though have to say one interesting read yesterday was the bloke who was stopped on the motorway and they found his wife in the boot. 

[Basil B]

3 minutes ago, Puchaiyank said:

Where do you turn to for help when the man with the gun, badge, and immunity is overreacting?  

 

Suck it up!  Not literally!  The justice system, in most cases, protects their own...in the cop culture...

What gun? this is about the UK, very few police officers are armed and they would be in deep <deleted> if the drew their guns without good reason.

[Basil B]

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

However, some officers have been accused of being overzealous by using drones to spy on people taking walks at beauty spots, stopping dog-walkers from driving their pets to open spaces and reports they had even urged some shops not to sell Easter eggs because they were not essential items.

Someone has had to much sun, or more to the point been reading the Sun.

Quote from the Sun "Some local stores have reported being told to stop selling the seasonal chocolate treats by police and council authorities."

 

I asure you these raids are council lead and the police are only there for back up.

[Chomper Higgot]

It’s not like British Police have a history of abusing special powers they are handed by governments.

[stuhan]

The u.k police are a law only to themselves,most are unfriendly and strong handed and think they are above the u.k law,they love having power over people.I don't like them never have never will.They are there to protect the law not abuse the law.

[Slain]

7 hours ago, stuhan said:

The u.k police are a law only to themselves,most are unfriendly and strong handed and think they are above the u.k law,they love having power over people.I don't like them never have never will.They are there to protect the law not abuse the law.

Well they are the POLICE they were trained to get results to protect the public, so if some members of the public don't want to go along with their policing, they may find the police have to find other methods that produce results to protect the public. After all this is a life and death subject

Edited April 1, 2020 by Slain
explanation

[Thongkorn]

18 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

It’s not like British Police have a history of abusing special powers they are handed by governments.

Go live in Eastern Europe then See how their police work, Or even the police in the Country  which this Forum is based.

[Baerboxer]

20 hours ago, Puchaiyank said:

Where do you turn to for help when the man with the gun, badge, and immunity is overreacting?  

 

Suck it up!  Not literally!  The justice system, in most cases, protects their own...in the cop culture...

 

Not in the UK sport! Most police don't routinely carry guns. 

 

There has, predictably, been different implementation approaches from different Police Forces in the UK. British police forces have a tradition of policing by consent. Most are very keen to preserve that tradition.

 

The response from senior police officers has been encouraging. More consistency, common sense and a continued realization of what the concept of policing by consent means.

 

I saw some very good videos from Leicestershire Constabulary. West Mercia, I know, are also very sensible in the way things are applied. So are many others.

 

I saw some videos, tended to be forces located in the SE of England, in which officers have clearly been watching bad examples of American Police on YouTube for their training! 

 

Having said that, their are idiots and troublemakers that have to be dealt with as always. 

[Baerboxer]

9 hours ago, stuhan said:

The u.k police are a law only to themselves,most are unfriendly and strong handed and think they are above the u.k law,they love having power over people.I don't like them never have never will.They are there to protect the law not abuse the law.

 

Whilst it's true to say there are variations in the service provided by different forces, and please remember their isn't a UK police force as such, the comments you state, are a generalization that's simply nonsense. Unless you'd like to provide examples for 46 UK police forces.

 

What is true, is that many of today's officers, particularly younger ones, seem less well versed on the Common Law rights of citizens whilst trying to apply the law. This is a training issue that is apparent to different degrees in different forces.

 

Police officers are their to enforce the law, which includes keeping the Queen's peace and protecting all members of the public. 

 

One aspect that I don't like in the UK is the over politicization of the police which has adversely affected their capacity to protect the vulnerable, as in the grooming gangs cases.  But that is the politicians, local and national, Police and Crime Commissioners, where in place, police committees etc.

[cabanlit]

They're using 'The 4 E's' - engage, explain, encourage, and lastly, enforce. It's the usual Uk, liberal, softly-softly approach.

 

What a load of <deleted> - go straight to the 4th E, then you'll find you won't have to waste resources and time using the first 3.

[BritManToo]

2 hours ago, Thongkorn said:

Go live in Eastern Europe then See how their police work, Or even the police in the Country  which this Forum is based.

I've always found the Thai police much nicer to deal with than the UK police.

Never been to Eastern Europe, weather isn't warm enough for most of the year.

[rvaviator]

36 minutes ago, cabanlit said:

They're using 'The 4 E's' - engage, explain, encourage, and lastly, enforce. It's the usual Uk, liberal, softly-softly approach.

 

What a load of <deleted> - go straight to the 4th E, then you'll find you won't have to waste resources and time using the first 3.

I am curios about your nationality if i may ask ... ?