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MI5 vs. Police/Police vs. Joe Public
MI5 vs. Police/Police vs. Joe Public
MI5 vs. Police
As predicted, MI5, the Secret Service, is lobbying frantically to have
a role in combating day to day crime rather than the espionage and
terrorism for which it was established. The SS are particularly keen
on developing their anti-drugs role, expanding upon their current
operations which are chiefly into the field of UK-based
shenanigans. However, intelligence gathering in the UK is already
the preserve of NCIS, the National Crime Intelligence Service, a
Police organisation governed by normal police procedures. Hence a
bitter battle is being waged in Whitehall between NCIS and the SS.
The great disadvantage to Joe Public of MI5 taking on a greater
rolein 'ordinary' crime is that MI5 is, near as dammit, completely
unnaccountable. If you're unfortunate enough to be fitted up by a
police officer, which as recent well-publicised cases have shown is
more common than most would have believed, you can complain.
You can get the Police Complaints Authority to look into the case,
your solicitor can harry the police for case documents and evidence,
individual police officers must be prepared to stand up in open
court and make their case. If you're busted by MI5 you can...do
bugger all. There is no mechanism in place whereby a member of
the public can get access to MI5 papers, no independent body to
investigate their behaviour, and legal precedent allows MI5 officers
to give evidence *in camera*. You can complain to (guess who?)
MI5 about the behaviour of MI5, hundreds have done so in the
past. MI5 has upheld none of these complaints. Perhaps this was all
understandable while MI5 was engaged in the dirty game of
international espionage, it's no way for a branch of the domestic
legal process to behave.
NCIS and the Police are known to be worried, and not only for
their own future. John Alderson, former Chief Constable of Devon
and Cornwall Police, and hardly an anti-establishment figure,
expressed the fears of many when he warned recently that MI5 was
in danger of becoming the 'secret police'.
Still on the subject of law and order, the recent Budget included
some harsh surprises for local government. Funding from central
government has been cut yet again; as these cuts come hard on the
heels of previous recession-generated cuts local authorities will
have to reduce funding to essential services, including the police.
Some County Councils have already spoken of hundreds of jobs
lost. However, to maintain the 'fight against crime' Government
funding for speed cameras and closed circuit TV cameras is to be
increased.
Another recipient of increased funding is the new national DNA
Database of suspect's samples. From 'suspects' mark you, not from
the convicted. Anyone arrested, on any charge whatsoever, will be
forced to give bodily samples such as blood, hair or saliva. From
these a DNA profile will be produced and stored on the national
computer network, #2.5 million extra has been allocated to get the
system up and running by March.
Police vs. Joe Public
Say what you will, in some respects our police are still the best in
the world. Remember the 'Rodney King' affair in the States? That
was the guy the Los Angeles Police beat to a pulp without noticing
the prying lens of a camcorder videoing every whack for posterity.
Subsequent TV broadcasts of the video led to the trial(s) and
eventual conviction of police officers involved. More recently, in
France, riots in the town of Amiens were blamed by police and the
Interior Minister Pasqua squarely on Arab immigrants. Local Arab
youths protested that riot police had sparked the trouble by pulling
up in force outside a peaceful party, firing several tear gas grenades
through the windows, and then laying into the blinded choking
party-goers as they stumbled onto the street. Naturally the Police
and Government hotly denied these stories, and indeed proceeded
to arrest anyone who made the claims. Until a local man came
forward with his camcorder footage of several riot vans silently
disgorging paramilitary police who then, on a signal from their
officer, fired tear-gas grenades into the party. Cue much
embarrassment in Government and a hastily convened investigation
into the police's behaviour.
Of course that could never happen here. No, when around a
thousand riot police moved in on the M11 protesters in Claremont
Rd a few weeks ago they took more care. A squad of half a dozen
officer carried portable spotlights, and at the first sight of a camera
a high intensity beam of light blinded it and shielded the attacking
police from the public gaze.
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