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I'll be posting the first part of the next Darkhawk story tomorrow, circumstances permitting - but until then, I'll just rant a bit...
The indvidual shot by police, possibly accidentally, in London last week is indeed within his rights to sue the police for his injuries. The same situation does not, however, make it acceptable for the local community to refuse to interact with the police, as certain disreputable "politicians" have been suggesting.
Is anyone seriously trying to say that two hundred and fifty police officers, including men in NBC gear and chemical weapons specialists, paid a visit to Forest Gate just to "shoot a -insert racist slur here-"?
Oh, come on...
Will the Forest Gate residents genuinely make their community a police no-go area, or will they be selective about their involvement with the forces of law and order? For example, will they rush to call in the "crusaders" when the hired thugs of the BNP go on the rampage through their community, expecting to get away with it?
That's just what the racists and the radical priests want. The racists are hoping for the Forest Gate residents to be paralysed by their own indignation, unable to call for police help because of their "non-involvement" policy, and others will say the police are doing nothing because they are in league with the racists. How convenient...
One thing is certain - there can't be two-tier policing on cultural grounds. A racial or religious group cannot become immune to investigation or prosecution because of perceived prejudice - "sensitive policing" is as much use as no policing at all.
It will be interesting - but hardly surprising - to see how this develops.
The indvidual shot by police, possibly accidentally, in London last week is indeed within his rights to sue the police for his injuries. The same situation does not, however, make it acceptable for the local community to refuse to interact with the police, as certain disreputable "politicians" have been suggesting.
Is anyone seriously trying to say that two hundred and fifty police officers, including men in NBC gear and chemical weapons specialists, paid a visit to Forest Gate just to "shoot a -insert racist slur here-"?
Oh, come on...
Will the Forest Gate residents genuinely make their community a police no-go area, or will they be selective about their involvement with the forces of law and order? For example, will they rush to call in the "crusaders" when the hired thugs of the BNP go on the rampage through their community, expecting to get away with it?
That's just what the racists and the radical priests want. The racists are hoping for the Forest Gate residents to be paralysed by their own indignation, unable to call for police help because of their "non-involvement" policy, and others will say the police are doing nothing because they are in league with the racists. How convenient...
One thing is certain - there can't be two-tier policing on cultural grounds. A racial or religious group cannot become immune to investigation or prosecution because of perceived prejudice - "sensitive policing" is as much use as no policing at all.
It will be interesting - but hardly surprising - to see how this develops.
