Blagsta
Minimum cage, maximum cage
Such as?
Tout exposed Mark 'Stone/Kennedy' exposed as undercover police officer
- Thread starter butchersapron
- Start date
Such as?
I am only aware that the Wombles were one of a number of international protest groups who were associated with serious crime and disorder around major protests in the 90s. I have no detail.
Because it is.
DrRingDing
'anti-human wanker'
What serious crime were the WOMBLES associated with?
Blagsta
Minimum cage, maximum cage
So you don't actually know.
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
Paulie Tandoori
shut it you egg!
So you admit that you don't know of, or have any, evidence that the wombles were involved in serious criminal activity (as you stated quite explicitly) but you're happy to use them as an example? The simple fact of people organising themselves into protest groups doesn't give justification for the assumption of serious "criminal" behaviour (whatever that might constitute), so I find it quite revealing that this is essentially your starting position for why the police may have pushed for wider powers.
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
like military intelligence, police intelligence is so frequently an oxymoron. like the time i was held in the world's smallest pen because apparently i had made my intentions perfectly clear and intended to throw myself, emily davison like, in front of president bush's cavalcade
free spirit
more tea vicar?
back to the subject in hand... I wonder if this guy was the driver of the minibus that got properly done over in an obviously preplanned raid as it left the glasgow convergence centre carrying a few wombles and others at the G8. Seems likely that he was either the driver, or was responsible for tipping the police off about it if he was part of the transport block / minibus driving crew.
frogwoman
No amount of cajolery...
free spirit
more tea vicar?
W / A combos I think you'll find.
Mr.Bishie
pickled egg
I said I had no detail. I don't. I do, however, know that there was an extensive investigation conducted by officers from units that I was not attached to that identified a number of groups (the Wombles being only one, memorable only because of their name), many with apparent links to each other, that had been involved in all sorts of serious disorder in the context of large-scale protest in Italy and elsewhere and that that a number of them made varoous appearances at protests in the UK.
Strangely enough, as an individual officer, dealing with something other than public disorder, I was not made aware of the details of the investigation. It is, frankly, fucking ridiculous to expect that I would ...
The39thStep
Urban critical thinker
What ever became of the Wombles did they collpase back into English anarchism?
Two former Wombles published the AFA book.
The last time anarchists were any kind of 'threat' to the ruling class people were marvelling at horseless carriages.
Hoxtontwat
New Member
anarchists still are. Thats how come you can infiltrate us by offering to drive stuff places. Or as a comrade recently said: "Not another van Cop"
Thora
Differently Ethical
What a load of bollocks.I said I had no detail. I don't. I do, however, know that there was an extensive investigation conducted by officers from units that I was not attached to that identified a number of groups (the Wombles being only one, memorable only because of their name), many with apparent links to each other, that had been involved in all sorts of serious disorder in the context of large-scale protest in Italy and elsewhere and that that a number of them made varoous appearances at protests in the UK.
Strangely enough, as an individual officer, dealing with something other than public disorder, I was not made aware of the details of the investigation. It is, frankly, fucking ridiculous to expect that I would ...
DaveCinzano
WATCH OUT, GEORGE, HE'S GOT A SCREWDRIVER!
"I was proceeding in a southerly direction when two gentlemen of a dusky hue hove into view..."
Pass the doughnuts, Sarge.
discokermit
Well-Known Member
that's american coppers. british coppers prefer kebabs.
Proper Tidy
Arsed
And Spar hot sausage rolls, judging by the numbers who frequent my local shop.
In the US police officers routinely take their refreshment breaks in public restaurants, the idea being that it raised their visibility and improved their involvement in the community they policed. In the UK it was always the case that the police were quite specifically prevented from doing so. That does not prevent them obtaining food from fast food outlets, supermarkets, etc. to take back to the police station to consume (there being very, very few 24 hour canteen facilities available any more).
There is a genuine debate to be had here. Do you think UK police officers should be encouraged to take their refreshments in public restaurants? If not, do you think that they should be barred from purchasing food whilst on duty (i.e. they should be made to bring food from home / purchase food prior to booking on duty)?
Personally I have no problem with them purchasing food when on duty ... but they shouldn't do so in uniform and they certainly shouldn't do so on foot and then carry their shopping bags back to the station. It simply looks scruffy and unprofessional. I am less convinced about them being alllowed to take their meals in public restaurants. I think the perception would be that they obtained subsidised or free food from the restaurant whether or not they actually did.
butchersapron
Bring back hanging
Astonishing.
discokermit
Well-Known Member
there's a kebab shop in balham which seems to have a police car parked outside of it permanently, with the coppers sat inside the shop.
Proper Tidy
Arsed
I can't say I've ever considered it. Everybody has to eat I suppose.
Round here, they get their munch in the Spar (it's 24 hour and is open all night rather than using a hatch) and then often sit in their cars in the car park. Never occurred to me they weren't allowed to go to a caff.
Round here, they get their munch in the Spar (it's 24 hour and is open all night rather than using a hatch) and then often sit in their cars in the car park. Never occurred to me they weren't allowed to go to a caff.
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
All emergency services get a 50% discount at Doiminos pizza. They never used to send uniformed coppers to pick the grub up though.
The old licensing laws had a clause about serving uniformed as well. Given that we don't tend to legislate against problems that do not exist I can only assume some officers were fond of the old 'on the house officer' pint and pie.
DaveCinzano
WATCH OUT, GEORGE, HE'S GOT A SCREWDRIVER!
Perhaps ACPO could commission a working party looking into this important issue. Never mind dead bystanders or wide-ranging espionage on political activists - DonerGate is the hot topic.
Take the details and complain (if it really is there permanently ... which I suspect it actually isn't ...)
Lots of things don't occur to people ... and there is no reason that they would unless someone who knows shared it with them. That is the main reason that I post here: to try and provide information that people otherwise do not have and to provide perspectives that they may not otherwise consider!
There is a major ethical issue about subsidised food for police officers. They should NOT accept discounted food unless it is part of some centrally negotiated arrangement available to all officers and endorsed by force management or, rarely, if authorised in exceptional circumstances. Any gifts or subsidised items that they receive in the course of their duties should be reported and recorded in a log kept on every division. Make a FoI request about your local one if you want to know what is in it. Make a complaint if you are concerned about it if you have evidence of officers receiving free or discounted food so that the circumstances (including whether or not it was authorised / recorded can be investigated).
That dates from the days when officers walked their beats, especially at night, when they were prone to going to the back doors of pubs on their beat for a pint (or more!). There was also a requirement that officers had to seek the prior authorisation of the duty Inspector before entering licensed premises for any reason (unless it was an emergency situation, in which case it had to be reported as soon as practicable afterwards) ... but that has gone too as I was reflecting the other night as I saw two PCSOs wander into an off-licence, apparently to purchase chewing gum, whilst I was at a bus stop the other night. I know these rules can appear petty and micro-management but, taken together, they provided a degree of oversight and supervision of police officers which simply is not there at all anymore and which I am increasingly convinced has contributed to many of the problems with patrol policing that we now see.
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