From: nick royall, [EMAIL PROTECTED] In this country we are supposed to be policed by consent-the police only having the same common law rights and powers as the rest of us with the exception of the powers granted by their warrant card. The police act for the crown under the circumstances of the events at Truro and coroners courts have very wide powers as to what they will and will not allow. Ergo the police are not special, they are civilians, though you would be hard pushed to beleive it if you heard the often disparaging remarks made in police canteens about the general populace. This seems to stem from a culture shift by adoption of Americanisms such as calling the working classes "scrotes" whether they are criminals or not. Police officers are actively discouraged from friendships outside the police and from partaking in social and sporting activities for clubs other than the police (try playing rugby for anyone other than the South Wales Police and see what happens to you on and off the field if you are a copper) and so the police have by default become a separate force. I can suggest a time as to when all this changed- after the Brixton riots in 1981- and I suggest this time because one of my relative was in charge of complaints against the police within the Met and was moved to be senior officer at Brixton during the aftermath. He and several of his long time colleagues resigned rather than carry on under the new regime, another relative took up a position in another constabulary rather than stay in the Met even though he was destined for the very top. They could not easily be accused of losing their bottle, one had been in the Hong Kong police during the time the communists were causing real trouble there and the other was in the RAMC in a colonial war zone before joining up and both had seen more than enogh blood and violence not to be squeamish. Perhaps IG was not in the job in the "old" days, otherwise he or she might ponder as to why the Truro officers think they needed anonimity. Do they really need protecting from the community they are supposed to protect or do they see themselves as "different" for some reason. The coroners jury reached what was the only verdict they could but I would hate to think that anonimity was sought because someone was hedging their bets. Nick Why me? Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________________________________ T O P I C A The Email You Want. http://www.topica.com/t/16 Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics
