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August 10, 2011
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I don't understand why three vigilante deaths are being linked to police funding. If we were talking about police deaths it would be a different story but the police seem more than up to the task of dealing with the current crisis. I saw this quote from a Met officer on Facebook:
"I've never seen suspect to police ratios like it when groups have been identified. we had a report of 20 youths grouped at one point, got there within 2 minutes and it was actually just 5 youths being pancaked by 3 riot vans (18 coppers) + 7 marked cars (3-4 in each)+ 4 unmarked (4 in each) cars. As we drove away about 20 more colleagues on foot hove into view! Heartening stuff. ...Very tired, strangely chilled, thoughts with those working through the night and in other cities."
So that's around 80 officers to deal with a report of 20 kids which turned out to actually be 5. It seems that the current response is overkill if anything.
Now, the prison cuts on the other hand are stupid.
Posted by: Alan | August 11, 2011 at 10:17 AM
I totally agree Alan. More money and more policemen wouldn't have made any difference. This was about speed, logistics, communications, planning. In the broader context it's about better intelligence and deeper relationships. The police need reform, not more money. That view is shared by every informed and disinterested party - but it's about to be shouted down. Politics can be annoying sometimes.
Posted by: Marbury | August 11, 2011 at 11:16 AM
Ironically, Tariq Jahan's stoicism and his admirable call for community peace might help the 24-hour news cycle actually remember Haroon Jahan, and the two other young men who were killed with him, longer than only a day or two. May it be so, so they didn't die in vain.
Posted by: Lyle | August 11, 2011 at 04:43 PM
It is sickening to here people abusing or decrying something approaching genuine anarchy (the taking of responsibility and refusal to either blame or attach all responsibility to governments and state professionals).
The sooner we all decide that our families and communities are the people we need to spend our time with, depend upon, reward with our friendship and love - and reject the idea that a doctor, copper, lawyer or social worker has to deal with our problems the better...
Big society? - not a good name
Lots of small societies of friends is what we need, then kids will grow up raised by a village as they should.
Posted by: Smileoftdecade | August 11, 2011 at 06:47 PM