Friday, January 22, 2010

Police harassment results 'encouraging'


Police Officer Badge, East Germany



It's that time of year again when various police forces publish the results of the annual harassment campaign against the great British motorist.

The website of Gwent police proudly proclaim the results for their area as 'encouraging'. From 20,578 motorists inconvenienced only 80 were found to be over the limit. To put it in context only 0.388% of those stopped were found to be breaking the law. The rest were stopped for no other reason than driving a car.

The drink driving campaign has always been a win/win for the police, regardless of the results. The results suit them both ways. A drop in those found to be over the limit is hailed as a success and any increase gives them leeway to crank up the relentless persecution against the public.

Personally speaking, I think it's outrageous that we submit to this and various other 'random checks' without protest. Last time I looked, a police officer had to have reasonable suspicion before stopping a member of the public. This random check nonsense is not on and must be curtailed. This is a free country, (isn't it?)

But we are conditioned to blind acceptance and compliance. Most television programmes of a policing nature feature a segment showing random checks happening. The terrorist bogeyman of today has been used to further erode our freedom to go about our daily lives without being questioned by 'authority'. The plight of photographers being a case in point. How much more will we put up with?

Lots more, I fear.

Enough is enough.

13 comments:

I am Stan said...

I fear there is much more to come Rab!

Anonymous said...

40 years ago, the only place where it was possible to punish the many for the transgressions of the few was in school.

It is simply unjust and the figures you give whow just jow unjust it is: in your example the injustice is 99.612%

Throw that back at the boobies in blue.

Anonymous said...

Jeez. Fingers all over the place ... "the figures you give whow just jow ... " = the figures you give show just how ...

Oofy said...

We all grumble about crap like this. But what can we do? There must be some way of protesting about such behaviour but the politicians seem blithely uninterested.

Any other country, the people would have taken to the barricades years earlier. why are we so effing supine?

Anonymous said...

Get rid of the present shower of shite in Parliament by not voting for the present incumbrant & then with a new lot in - start holding protests & making demands.

banned said...

"Last time I looked, a police officer had to have reasonable suspicion before stopping a member of the public"
Its because successive governments have denied our Magna Carta rights to those who drive; drivers ARE required to prove their name and address to any constabule who may stop them with or without good reason. The mere act of driving renders you a potential drunk, terrorist or criminal and dippy Dave isn't going to change that.

Daniel1979 said...

It is also an offence to refuse to provide a sample when requested... So, the state deems that we all are forced to turn over evidence about ourselves in the absence of charges - or face charges for it!

MTG said...

When police have discretion to decide when protest is criminal, care must be exercised over the smallest grumble.

Dark Lochnagar said...

Time we revolted!

RantinRab said...

DL, you're already revolting!

johnny nunsuch said...

If you drive you are already guilty of something so we'll stop you and find out

ENGLISHMAN said...

The only place we will ever achieve anything is on the streets,unfortunately the average dick-head is fixated upon tits in the newspapers,gassy crap in a glass,and negroes pretending to be thier local football team,thier haeds are so far up thier arses that i am suprised that they do not suffocate.Half a million people converging upon the sty in westminster would be beyond the scope of the police to control,where upon we could drag these vermin from thier cocoon,and subject them to the will of the people,my personal preference is for stout hemp,but a baseball bat will do just as well.

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