modern-policing

It’s murder on your mobile, says The Killing’s Sarah Lund

2011-12-18T02:29:00.000-08:00

Hit crime drama The Killing is back for a second series, and Karen Bartlett talks mobile phone forensics with actress Sofie Gråbøl

GLOBAL – Detective Sarah Lund is a Luddite. The loner heroine of Denmark’s hit crime drama The Killing is as much of a 70s relic as her Faroe sweaters: She makes notes by hand and shuns modern communication.

“Check out Sarah’s mobile,” says, Sofie Gråbøl the actress who plays her, “It’s an antique!”

In The Killing, only the bad guys have an iPad, says producer Piv Bernth, while Lund pursues her obsessive investigations with a vintage Scandinavian handset.

“Sofie thinks she makes too many phone calls,” Bernth says, “We’re actually a very low tech show.”

Gråbøl took issue with the original ending of Series 1 where her character phoned in the identity of the murderer from a kitchen table. She wanted to hijack a car at gunpoint instead. And the script was duly changed.

“You just wanted to fire a gun,” Bernth tells her. “I didn’t actually shoot him though,” Gråbøl replies.

Now she’s back in The Killing Series 2. This time she’s working on a different case, but following on from where the first series left off with shadowy figures recorded on CCTV, crimes filmed and posted on the internet – and police conducting investigations by following convoluted email trails and making, and tracing, endless phone calls. Welcome to modern policing.

Whether Sarah Lund likes it or not, any police officer now attempting to solve a crime will encounter some aspect of mobile phone forensics.

The Mobile Forensic Lab, Chicago:

The phone rings. It is 1am, and Detective Josh Fazio is asleep. A baby has been abducted. They have the suspects down at the station, but they’re not talking. All they have is a cell phone – can Fazio get the data and find the missing baby?

“There’s not a case we work on now that doesn’t involve a cell phone, a GPS or a video,” says Detective Fazio who set up the mobile devices forensics lab at the Will County Sheriff’s department in Chicago six years ago. That year his team of three investigators dealt with 10 phones. This year he has already processed 900 phones.

“Today 80-90% of every crime involves a digital component – that might be a smartphone, a GPS or another mobile device,” says Rick Mislan, who helped Fazio set up his lab. Mislan is now an academic specializing in Small Scale Digital Device Forensics at Purdue University, and was formerly a Communications Electronic Warfare Officer for the U.S. Army.

Mobile phone forensics has been a growing field in law enforcement since the dawn of the first smartphones, and the immense volume of data has been what Josh Fazio calls a “nightmare” for police and intelligence services.

“We can’t keep up,” Fazio admits. “When we started, we had to buy thousands of different cables because none of the phones were standardized. Now we have to buy less hardware but we have an even bigger problem which is that every handset maker adds individual layers and complexities to each version of the operating software, and has a proprietary file system – making it more difficult for us to access that information.

Fazio is an overworked police officer with 16 years on the force. After working in different divisions including the SWAT team, and eight years as a general investigator, he was frustrated when a case fell apart because the police didn’t have the ability to undertake sophisticated computer forensics: “I started from scratch, I went back to to school and took classes to learn this and set up the lab.”

Now Fazio estimates that he can get all the data needed in 65% of cases. As smartphones have more functions, the police need more tools to access them.

“Five years ago I had one tool, now I have to apply more than five tools to each phone,” he says.

Equipment is expensive, and there are still limitations on what investigators can discover, for example US investigators would be unable to trace a phone with UK numbers.

More and more of us are using smartphones, and they operate as an extension of every aspect of our lives, containing a wealth of information.

“Low level drug pushers used to have these rinky dinky little cell phones, now they are all out on the streets with smartphones,” says Fazio.

Detectives work with the mobile forensic lab in Will County, Chicago for a wide variety of cases.

“Today we had five phones come in on a narcotics case. The investigators want to know what’s in the phone book, the call log and the text messages,” explains Fazio.

“Then we had two phones come in relating to an indecent solicitation case and for that we’re looking for GPS coordinates, wireless access points and Facebook and Twitter.

“Now we’ve had two more phones in a domestic battery case. We’re looking at text messages for that in terms of possible harassment. And we’ve just had a phone logged in connected to a burglary case.”

An average smartphone might contain thousands of contacts, hundreds of thousands of text messages, photos, videos and location information. Developers in the military, intelligence agencies and law enforcement are working on new analytic tools which make processing that data easier – but, by and large, it still comes down to an individual investigator looking at, and judging, each piece of information in relation to the case.

“They have to decide what’s important,” Rick Mislan says, “Is it the network of contacts, the inbound and outbound calls, or the timing of those calls?”

Police officers may use that information by sifting backwards to piece together evidence about a crime that has already been committed, but for intelligence agencies the key is to access and interpret information ahead of, for example, a major event like a terrorist attack.

“Technology companies have very valid concerns about customers’ privacy,” Detective Josh Fazio admits. And many civil liberties groups, and ordinary phone users, would rightly demand proper procedures and laws about giving information to government agencies, or the police.

“At the bottom of this though, people’s lives are at stake – and we need help,” Fazio says.

In the case of the abducted baby, the evidence from the cell phone proved to be crucial. “The suspects had walked into a house and stolen the baby. They had communicated all of this by text message, including where they had left the baby in a local park.

“When we accessed that text message we sent an officer down there straight away – and we rescued the baby before it could come to any more harm.”

The Killing’s Sarah Lund might like to work alone, with only her intuition to guide her and an unfashionable wooly sweater to keep her warm: “She could become Denmark’s Miss Marple,” says Sofie Gråbøl in her character’s defence – but smartphones need smarter investigations, so even heroines in Nordic noir had better get used to it.

The paramilitary face of a policewoman armed with handgun, taser, flak jacket and nine other pieces of equipment

2011-12-18T02:26:00.000-08:00

Her hand hovers inches from a high-powered pistol. A stun gun is strapped to her heavily armoured body.

This is the reality of frontline policing in Britain today.

The officer pictured right is a firearms officer working with Merseyside Police's Matrix gun crime unit.

She was taking part in raids in which 12 arrests were made in Liverpool on Tuesday as part of the Rhys Jones murder inquiry.

She is carrying not only a Glock handgun, a standard-issue weapon for most police officers trained to use firearms, but also the more modern Taser stun gun.

The female officer taking part in police raids to arrest suspects in connection with the murder of schoolboy Rhys Jones yesterday has a staggering 12 pieces of equipment
Enlarge the image

Tasers - which temporarily disable a suspect - are becoming a more common sight around the country.

They dispense a 50,000-volt electric charge and can be used only by firearms officers confronted by an armed suspect.

Her bulky body armour is a sign of the times for frontline officers - it is designed to protect against bullets and knives.

There is little danger that she will be far from contact with any of her colleagues, since she is also carrying two radios and a mobile phone.

Most police forces have now switched to secure 390Mhz digital radios that communicate via the encrypted Tetra network.

The upgraded system is designed to improve communication and give better coverage in rural areas than old-style non-digital radios.

All 43 forces in England and Wales have firearms support units, including the Metropolitan Police's crack SO19 unit.

After the six-week course in the use of weaponry and firearms tactics, each officer must refresh and requalify four times a year and train for two days per month.

The number of women becoming firearms officers is still relatively low.

Between 2002 and 2005, 1,083 male officers applied for firearms training within the Metropolitan Police Service compared with only 50 women.

Across England and Wales, there are 6,728 firearms officers and the split between men and women is thought to be replicated in other forces.

It was almost a century ago that Britain's first female police officer was sworn in. Edith Smith joined up in Grantham, Lincolnshire, in 1915.

To What Extent Does Racism Factor In Stop And Search Practices By The Police?

2011-11-24T16:16:00.002-08:00

Police officers have often been accused of racism, sexism and, even on occasion, fascism but often these accusations are denied or refuted as being either completely unfounded or as being sourced from aggrieved individuals with no, or little, basis in fact. Nevertheless, the accusations continue. These accusations, largely, come from ethnic minorities and, in particular, the black and Asian communities. Women tend to be less vocal and even then, by women who are serving police officers regarding poor promotional prospects; on the whole, most accusations made against the police are in relation to race or ethnicity rather than gender.

Are these accusations justified? Do the police suffer from institutional racism as reported in the Macpherson Inquiry following the tragic death of Stephen Lawrence in London? Alternatively, is it truly a case that, statistically, men (and it is mostly men) who are black are more likely to commit street crime and thus police stop and search of such minorities are appropriate? Would even this justify the evidence that shows police officers stop and search those who are black, six times more often than those who are white?

Police officers generally stop individuals they suspect of committing, or being likely to commit, an offence. They are supposed to be equal in their treatment of those they stop and should not undertake, even subconsciously, racial profiling in order to carry out their duties. Of course, police officers are human and thus not infallible and so bring to their work (as many people do) their own prejudices, beliefs, opinions and interpretations of society and the problems within it. Whilst in a modern, multicultural and multi ethnic society, such prejudices are expected to be minimal, the reality is that in some areas of the UK, minorities are viewed as either taking over or being given the soft treatment because of their race or ethnicity.

Police prejudices may have been normal in the past, but certainly one would hope that we have moved on as a society to accept anyone and everyone on the basis of their actions, over and above the colour of their skin or ethnic background. Again, however, infallibility is a human trait and we cannot expect that police officers are any different. If young black men are committing more street robberies than white men, then undoubtedly they will be targeted as potential suspects by the police and subject to more rigorous policing such as stop and search.

However, is it police racism, whether overt or otherwise, which explains the higher (and apparent disproportionate) number of black men stopped by the police? Is it reflective of a society that (as some might argue) discriminates against minorities in all aspects: poor educational facilities and fewer employment prospects so that criminality becomes more attractive and an easier option for ethnic minorities? Whilst there are some who climb the corporate ladder, becoming successful lawyers, even politicians, doctors or other white collar or blue collar workers, far more are excluded from certain posts. The Race Relations Act 1975 was supposed to remove discrimination from many aspects of society but particularly in relation to employment. As we have often seen with legislation, however, laws to combat society's perception of 'the other' do not necessarily work and, on occasion, may eventually come back and bite those who it seeks to protect.

Are police officers stopping higher numbers of young black men because they are, like society, implicitly racist? The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE), when it was produced, should have stopped, or at least reduced, the number of people stopped and searched for anything other than 'reasonable suspicion' (s.1). However, reasonable suspicion, whilst legislated to be objective, rarely is: police officers interpret 'reasonable suspicion' in many ways and it is easy to find justification where there may be none. Various laws allow police officers to search those they suspect of carrying illegal substances as well as for weapons, etc. Reasonable suspicion of certain individuals may seem obvious and thus stereotyping of many may seem an obvious requirement of police work but not all black men are out on the street seeking potential robbery victims; however, how many white old ladies are stopped and searched for drugs or weapons or items used in burglaries? It is not necessarily being put forward however that stereotypes should be ignored altogether by police officers when consideration is given to who should be targeted in stop and search procedures.

Obvious reasons for fewer numbers of old ladies (whether white or black) being stopped by police officers is that they rarely commit crimes, such as street robbery, burglary or drugs offences. Therefore, stop and search techniques which involve some form of stereotyping and/or profiling are necessary; if some method of stereotyping of the population were not undertaken then methods of policing would either have stop altogether (to avoid any claims of discrimination) or police numbers would have to rise significantly to deal with the higher number of stops required to search everyone who 'may' carry illegal weapons/substances. Either scenario is highly impractical.

Problems arise when one group (i.e. ethnic minorities) are specifically targeted over any other without reasonable grounds and such grounds must be reasonable using an objective method. Objective reasonable grounds should not include the ethnic group to which a suspect may belong; this naturally occurs, but of course, whether consciously or not, officers utilise their experience and knowledge of offending patterns. For those police officers, such knowledge or experience can be objective reasoning and thus their stop and search practices continue to follow the pattern that young black men are stopped more frequently. If they believe that, statistically, men of certain ethnic groups are more likely to commit offences such as street robbery, then naturally they will target such groups. If an offender is intending to steal from a house (burglary), then he or she may 'go equipped' and thus any stop and search would identify this person as such; it may be of note that seven percent of those who are stopped are actually arrested.

Research has shown that whilst police officers are in fact bias to some extent, the underlying reason for their bias is the evidence stated above - that certain groups from ethnic minorities commit higher rates of offences. This research also shows that, despite the fact that there is disproportionately more stop and searches of certain ethnic groups, this is not solely attributable to police bias but the geographic and demographics of the area. Nevertheless, in analysing the Islington Crime Survey, Brian Maclean found some evidence that young black men (16-24 years) were stopped by the police more frequently than white or Asians (19.1% as against 10.9 for the same group of white men). Interestingly, however, the figures for those who were stopped and searched are relatively similar: 4.6% for black and 4.0% for white men. The figure for Asian men who were stopped only was 8.5% whilst stop and search figures are significantly lower at 1.4%. All figures relate to stops or stops and searches whilst suspects were on foot. Those in vehicles were lower still though the difference for searches of those in vehicles were more stark than their counterpart figures for those stopped on foot (2.6% white, 7.9% black and 2.5% Asian). On the basis of these figures, it does appear that stops and searches of black men by police tend to outnumber white and Asian men, but what is not clear is whether this is reflective of the demographic area. Many areas in Islington do house greater numbers of black people than white. Another potential problem with interpreting statistical data, is lack of clarity in terms of when and where such stops took place; i.e. were the stops undertaken by police immediately following a report of a street robbery, was the time of day suspicious in that - at 2am on a Thursday morning, it may be curious to say anyone walking around and thus stopping people is not wholly unusual. Statistical analysis is always difficult particularly if one is seeking to find underlying causes as the data is often limited and structured in such a way as to provide basic information only.

However, to return to the main question - does racial discrimination or racial attitudes affect police stop and search numbers? Is the disproportionate number of black men who experience stop and search by the police reflective of a wider society which discriminates against them (in that crime is the only option due to fewer employment opportunities) or is it geographic in that areas of higher rates of stop and search of young black men are as result of a greater number of black people residing in the area?

A combination of both factors perhaps may exist, as well as the fact that younger people generally hang around with no real purpose and/or direction more frequently than those in their thirties and forties who may go out to bars, parties, etc. If we look at age alone, figures show that those within the lower age range (16-24) are subjected to higher rates of stop and stop and searches by police officers. Those who are aged 45 or over are less likely to be stopped by almost one fifth (5.4%) of the same group who are 16-24 years of age (24.2%), whilst only half the number are likely to be stopped if they are in middle group (aged 25-44 : 13.1%). It is worrying however that it is a general assumption that police officers are racist or that racism is endemic within the police. This is despite the assertion by Lord Macpherson that the Metropolitan Police was 'institutionally racist' (1999).

Such an assumption, backed up by Macpherson, is highly damaging to police officers all over the country, but particularly acute in cities with high numbers of ethnic minority groups (e.g. London, Birmingham, Manchester, etc.). Whilst Lord Scarman had avoided such a label in the Brixton Riots Inquiry in the 1980s, Macpherson felt that Scarman's definition of overt racism was not necessarily the one which could and should be followed. Therefore, when police officers stop (or stop and search) young black men - or other young ethnic minority men - then accusations of racism are undoubtedly likely to arise. This is not to say that problems such as institutional racism, if it exists, should be avoided or ignored; to do so would only exacerbate the problem and cause further conflict among others.

However, to solely or largely attribute such stop and search numbers as disproportionate down to racist attitudes by police officers and their institution, can cause resentment by police officers themselves. Following Macpherson's report, police integrity was obviously called into question and this can cause serious problems with morale among officers. Such low morale can result in fewer stop and search procedures being undertaken; statistical comparisons of stop and searches between 1997-98 and 1998-1999, again in 1999-2000 and 2002-2003 illustrate a drop in such procedures between 1998 and 2000 and only a slight increase in 2001. If police officers' assert that their actions are justified but are not supported by their bosses and condemned by politicians on the one hand, whilst enacting laws which create greater powers for stop and search on the other, then trust by police officers in their own status may be undermined. Recruitment may drop, early retirement may increase and levels of police officers may drop (precisely what the public do not want to see).

This is a particular problem under Labour; the Government wholeheartedly supported Macpherson's report and ordered a review of policing throughout England and Wales. Just a couple of years later, however, further laws were introduced empowering the police to make detentions based on racial profiling (due to the events of September 11th in New York and Washington); thus the Government sanctioned some form of racial discrimination for 'public protection'. Even further, many of these laws (despite opposition from some) allowed for the detention of people without trial - the Government was forced to review after the Law Lords ruled in favour of detainees who were detained (usually in Belmarsh high security prison) without trial was incompatible with human rights legislation. If this does not signify that society is confused (and those who purport to act on its behalf) as to what constitutes racism and what does not, what does? If the higher ranks of the police act in a particular way, or condone the seemingly racist attitudes of their officers (by lack of public or private condemnation) then it is not difficult to see how and why the police are considered racist, particularly by many groups of ethnic minorities.

For example, in the Macpherson report, it was specifically mentioned that the 'professional incompetence' and 'failure of leadership by senior officers' was core in the failure of the police in the Lawrence murder inquiry. So what is the institutional racism with which the Metropolitan Police were accused of? How is it defined? According to Macpherson, it is: "collective failure of an organisation to provide an appropriate and professional service to people because of their colour, culture or ethnic origin...seen or detected in processes, attitudes and behaviour which amount to discrimination through unwitting prejudice, ignorance, thoughtlessness and racist stereotyping which disadvantages minority ethnic people."

Justifying actions on the basis that a particular group are more likely to partake in certain sanctioned conduct is part of the way in which we allocate resources for law and order. Of course, each side of the argument will state categorically that their position is the correct one, or that - if nothing else - the vast majority support their position and that on the whole, it is the best method of policing. Thus, Sir Paul Condon, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner himself denied that not only were the Metropolitan Police Service not racist, but that the definition of 'institutional racism' itself was essentially indistinct and variable, that it was impossible to label any institution in such a way! Nonetheless, once the Lawrence Inquiry published it's findings, Sir Paul Condon accepted that his institution was racist and ACPO accepted the definition - almost without complaint - along with Jack Straw, then Home Secretary.

According to O'Neill and Holdaway, the only empirical evidence used to consider the question of institutional racism within police forces is the statistical data on stop and search but points out the flawed nature of such evidence (i.e. that "they are merely indicative of processes and relationships based on racialized categorization.").

If the police are institutionally racist, what can be done to reverse this apparent discriminatory attitude? Is it endemic within the police culture, or do the combined attitudes, perspectives and beliefs of individual officers mean that tackling racism has to be done on an individual basis and, if this is the case, how would such a task be undertaken? Where would one begin - at the training centre, through psychological profiling of potential recruits? One problem which may arise in 'forcing' race relations to be part of police officer culture is that it could drive the problem underground; officers may publicly denounce racism whilst forcing those they see as obtaining 'special treatment' or 'positive discrimination' into a corner from which they cannot return. Whilst this may result in a few officers being reprimanded or even forced to resign if they do not comply, many more will be left to fester their dislike in a more discreet manner. We need to address the problem on a larger scale and tackle the root causes of racism among society to reach those who - at the end of the day - grow up believing that multicultural Britain somehow means that 'white' people are no longer the 'majority' and that other ethnic groups are 'taking over'.

Police officers are representative of the society in which they police; they are not likely to be the only organisation which suffers from institutional (or any other) racism. Indeed, Jack Straw acknowledged this in his statement to the House of Commons relating to the Macpherson Report: 'In my view, any long-established, white-dominated organisation is liable to have procedures...and a culture that tend to exclude or to disadvantage non-white people...including the Home Office - and many other institutions'. Society at large discriminates - in one way or another - against groups it feels represent different values, cultures and ideals. The problem with such attitudes within the police, however, is that as a service, they operate with some autonomy and have powers available to them with which, if they so chose, could allow for racist (or other bigoted) attitudes to shine through and result in discriminatory practices. Such practices may have the affect the ethnic group to which such people belong to in terms of their views and feelings towards the police officers who police them, but also against the systems which are there for their protection (i.e. the criminal justice system). Such anti-establishment feeling is unlikely to be removed by simple denials of racism but institutions which have - for them - been disproportionately targeting them over and above others purely on the basis of skin colour or ethnic background.

For example, research undertaken in Norway shows how police officers' actions can be perceived as racist, whilst at the same time allowing for other factors behind their stop and search procedures. Sollund makes the argument (and follows with examples) that although race may play a factor, other reasons come into play when police officers decide to perform stop and searches. Further, the examples illustrate that aggression and/or frustration on both sides (i.e. from the police and the person stopped) can exacerbate an already tense situation so that what may have been a routine stop '...escalate[s] so dramatically'. Here, the black male driver was in a BMW vehicle, known by the police to be a target for thieves; the driver was in a hurry to get to work and so may have appeared agitated (though Sollund points out that he was stopped at a stop sign and so was not driving at that point). Of more interest, however, is that mention is made of police checking the licence plate and finding that the driver had been stopped before, thus raising the possibility that the police felt justified in performing a further stop. It is therefore a combination of these factors which precipitated the stop itself; the driver's irritation due to a lack of information as to the reasons behind the stop itself may have exacerbated the situation so that the end result was a violent confrontation between the [white] police officers and the [black] driver. Sollund does not take either side at face value, nor are attempts made to justify one parties' actions over and above the other; what Sollund does do is put forward arguments which illustrate each actor's perspective and thus provide subjective and objective interpretation for all those involved. Racist commentary was used by one officer, but whether this was based on personal racism, or just a tactic to illicit an aggressive response to justify the stop itself, is unknown; it would be doubtful if this would be a tactic unknown to police officers all over the world, whatever the race or even gender of the suspected person.

It could be argued that police officers are biased towards individuals and groups of individuals no more or less than any other institution which operates control and/or power over others. The armed forces have also suffered accusations of racism and sexism for decades; clubs which operate 'private members' have often been accused of being sexist for only allowing male members and being class-based. The particular problem for the police, however, is that their very essence, their very existence requires them to be discriminatory in terms of who they target and when, how, where and why they do so. The police force has traditionally - and in many ways has to remain - responsive to crime (i.e. reactionary, rather than proactively) in order to ensure their resources are not so stretched as to avoid collapse. Legislation to which they operate requires them to use discretion and a method of profiling (whether on the grounds of race, gender, class, etc.) to ensure that those who are likely to have offended, or who may offend, are targeted.

Some research into the reasons why police officers undertake stops and precisely who they target raises interesting notions of both police bias towards ethnic groups, but equally towards particular age groups. Officers' reasons for stops were related to the appearance, including age, dress, vehicle and ethnicity (though only in some cases was ethnicity given); location and time of the person(s), behaviour of the person(s) and any information the officers had available as to local problems/criminals. Further, the research summarises that although in some cases, young black men may be disproportionately stopped by police officers, they could, in some areas and at certain times, be under-represented in stops by officers. The same research claims that white people are in fact over-represented in stops by police officers. Asian people on the whole were less likely than either black, or white, people to be stopped though there were 'some exceptions'. Thus, depending on research undertaken, and perhaps the questions posed to both officers and those subject to stops by them, ethnic minorities may face no more, or less, bias by police officers when it comes to stop and search procedures.

There is little doubt that officers' perception, though subjective, relies upon local intelligence; people who are involved in criminal activities need to be targeted specifically over those who are not involved (or those who are not likely to become involved) and that automatically generates a form of profiling. Building profiles of people inevitably involves their ethnicity, though it obviously should not solely be on that basis. If reports of robberies come in and officers' radio calls state that a young black male is the perpetrator, then immediately it is obvious that young white males will not be targeted. Where would or should officers draw the line as to what people they ought to stop? If police officers began to question everyone with whom they came into contact with, not only would their senior ranks decry the waste of limited resources, but the public would respond with apoplexy. Thus, society as a whole requires the police to discriminate against certain individuals - one only has to look at how the public have responded to youths who 'hang around the streets' whereas decades ago, nothing more than a slight nuisance would have been attached to them, we now target them as being the bane of decent folks' lives.

Antisocial Behavioural Orders (ASBOs) have been issued in many cities and towns across the UK to target 'antisocial behaviour' which can simply consist of a group of youths - bored - standing around perhaps being a little too exuberant in their discussions. Indeed, legislation has been introduced to ensure that, where a group of two or more youths are congregating, they can be dispersed by the police. Though it is not related to race, but age, this is only one example of discriminatory methods used against a particular group; there are other groups of people who tend to have a particular ethnic origin - gypsies or travellers (i.e. who generally are Irish or of Irish descent) and who are targeted by police and the authorities as being unwanted and undesired. For instance, s.61 and s.62 of Criminal Justice & Public Order Act 1994 allows for police officers to order people to leave land if reasonable grounds exist for the officer to believe such people (who generally are travellers) are residing there illegally and causing damage. Penalties include terms of up to three months' custody. There is little doubt that antisocial behaviour legislation may also be utilised for this group of people.

Over and above these groups, further legislation has been brought in that implicitly enables the police and security services to utilise racial profiling, and thus racial discrimination, of Muslims/Islamists to enable the greater public protection against terrorism in the wake of September 11th events in the USA and the July 7th and 21st attacks in London as it is highly likely that only 'Muslims' will be targeted as the only group likely to target the UK on behalf of, or because of affiliation to, Al-Qaeda (such as the Terrorism Act 2000 and the Terrorism Act 2006). Legislation used against suspected terrorists has been subject to controversy and cited as being in contravention of the European Convention on Human Rights Thus it is difficult to see how some form of discrimination is not utilised by police officers - on behalf of the State - whether due to their colour (i.e. Black people), their perceived religion (Middle-Eastern or African/Asian people), or their lifestyle/culture (such as Irish travellers/gypsies).

Society, therefore, as a whole plays a part in allowing racism to become and remain endemic within itself. Government legitimatises repression in one form or another by introducing laws which, even though not specifically stated, target people from particular ethnic origins, age, culture or social class. When stated over and over, such discrimination allows the general population to feel that their concerns over 'others' because the Government has allowed such discrimination to fester in its attempts to eradicate criminality in whichever form it feels needs priority at any particular time. If and when, therefore, young black men (or institutions representing such minority groups) claim racism, it is seen by many as an excuse to remove responsibility for criminal actions which, if they were white, would not be dismissed quite so readily.

Thus, political parties such as the National Front or the British National Party claim that to end such problems, curbs should be made on immigration levels. Whilst publicly condemning such organisations as being racist, or fascist, the Government may in fact be assisting such a wave of anti-ethnic minority feeling as it tells of tolerance for all generally, but then makes legislation targeting specific ethnic groups and labelling them as 'potential' criminals or terrorists. It is not surprising, therefore, that organisations which act on behalf of the Government in terms of law enforcement are accused of racism when they use racial profiling to meet the expectation that anti-terrorism laws are being utilised and that action is being taken to 'reduce crime' perpetrated by specific groups (i.e. youths, street robbers and burglary to name but three). It is difficult to fully attribute any over-representation of black and other ethnic minority groups in stop (or stop and search) policing methods to racism - institutional or otherwise. There are undoubtedly other factors: if a person is known to be either associated directly, or indirectly, with known criminals; if a person has a criminal record and/or has been in prison. Such factors will encourage police officers to stop such people if they see them walking or driving around, even if they have legitimate and reasonable rights to do so.

Targeting people because of prior criminal history is not unusual and one would suspect that the public at large would expect officers to do so. Targeting people due to racial or ethnic background is more difficult to justify however; even if that person has a criminal record, any stop by the police is likely to result in accusations of racism. Officers who conduct such stops ought to try a little harder to understand the background to which racism accusations are based and approach each stop (whether of a white or black person) in a considerate and fair, albeit firm, manner. Respect is reciprocal and each actor involved in such scenarios ought to be prepared to give and take; slightly lower levels of aggression, a positive but sedate posture and no doubt a little less authoritarian attitude may result in a lower levels of aggressive responses from those who are stopped. A whole new experience of mutual understanding and even empathy of each person's perspective may mean more positive experiences for young ethnic minority males which in turn would result in a less stressful and less accusatory position of the officers.

Thus, in essence, the extent to which police racism can be attributed to the apparent disproportionate overrepresentation of black people, particularly young black men, in stop and search statistics is truly difficult to state. In some cases, and in particular individual instances, there is undoubtedly an element of racism when officers stop and search certain people, whether overtly conducted or not. To attribute each stop and search of a young black male as being racially motivated, however, is not only false and harmful, but discriminatory in itself. Officers may have subtle prejudices which may affect their judgement when considering whether or not to stop certain people, but they are not always related necessarily to ethnic status. It is far more probable that officers stop those people they feel match descriptions of offenders or suspects and those who are of certain ethnic groups may be more likely to meet such criteria. Whether this is determined by society as a whole, by Governments and/or by police officers themselves is something far more difficult to state but it inevitably is an argument which will rarely be out of the limelight.

'Race and the Criminal Justice System: An overview to the complete statistics 2004-2005'. Published by the Home Office. November 1996. 'Profiling Populations Available for Stop and Searches' Miller, J. Police Research Series Paper No. 131. Published by the Home Office in 2000. 'Left realism, local crime surveys and policing of racial minorities' Maclean, B. Crime, Law & Social Change Journal. Vol 19. Printed in The Nederlands in 1993. 'The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry: Report of An Inquiry' by Sir William Macpherson (Published by The Stationery Office in 1999). 'Policing, Race and Racism' Rowe, M. Published by Wiley in 2004. 'Institutional Racism After Macpherson: An Analysis of Police Views' O'Neill, M & Holdaway, S. Policing & Society Journal. Vol. 16(4). 'Racialisation in Police Stop and Search Practice - The Norwegian Case' Sullund, R. Critical Criminology Journal. Vol.14. 'Police Stops and Searches: Lessons from a Programme of Research' Miller, J, Quinton, P & Bland, N. Home Office Briefing Note. Police Research Papers Series: 127-132 (September 2000). Antisocial Behaviour, etc Act 2003 (Published by HMSO - 2003) Antisocial Behaviour, etc (Scotland) Act 2004 (Published by HMSO - 2004) BBC Websites (News articles).

A Brief History Of Police In America

2011-11-24T16:16:00.001-08:00

Early America's roots in governmental institutions, ironically stem from Great Britain. This encluded law enforcement. England's law enforcement can be traced to before 1066; the year of the Normandy invasion of Britain.

When many early Europeans first arrived to our shores, they were surprised at the lack of organized law enforcement. It was more or less, "the stronger were policed themselves and their communities".

After "things" got fairly well settled the job of maintaining order in the new colonies was given to Justices of the Peace, and one might see "culprits" in pillories or stocks, paying their debt to society. But, as colonies changed into towns and towns into cities, the Justice of the Peace system was not enough. It became time for an organized, and for salaried policemen (there were no policewomen at the time).

In the early 1600's, Boston launched Night Watch, which idea worked reasonably well as long as the area remained a rural and agrarian one. New York City established the Shout and Rattle Watch in 1651, but, by 1705 Philadelphia found it necessary to divide the city into ten patrol areas. This was really the first stab in America at "organized law enforcement" (for what it was worth).

Sometime between the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, the more than rapid growth of population and industrialization in America mandated the development of municipal police departments. In 1833, Philadelphia organized an independent, 24/7 police squad. . In 1844, NYC maintained two police forces; one unit working day, and one graveyard shift. During this period, police departments were headed by police chiefs, appointed and accountable to political bosses eerily similar to what was seen in the black and white police movies of the 1940's and 1950's. Corruption ran rampant.

Some of the law enforcement we inherited from England was "The Sheriff System". (Remember the infamous Sheriff of Nottingham from Robin Hood?) As America moved west, in most frontier towns the sheriff was the chief law enforcement official. He could be recruited from the local community, or more often a Sheriff was selected by his reputation, and the more dismal the rep, the more likely he was to be elected. The Sheriff System exists in America today, but, on a more formal and politicized basis.

21st Century law enforcement agencies and departments are highly specialized organizations, with ongoing training to prepare to meet a great variety of problems and situations. We have federal, state, county, and municipal police. We no longer live in our parent's world. There are dangers we face daily they couldn't have imagined. There is a fine line between real life and the Internet. We remain dependent on peace officers from every organization for our" life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness and to enforce the vision of our founding fathers when they penned that brilliant document, the U.S. Constitution.

What's Involved in Police Training?

2011-11-24T16:15:00.004-08:00

It is very reassuring to know that the people that are keeping us safe and free from crime are highly trained indeed. With such a huge responsibility on the shoulders of each and every police officer in the UK, Police training has to be incredibly professional and thorough.

Before any officer is able to be trained, it is essential that they are able to pass certain tests and interviews aimed at gauging their suitability. If they pass these then they will be able to enrol on a training course. This will then give them everything and every skill that they will need for the challenging task of keeping our communities safe.

Amongst role play based assessments there are also many hours spent learning the various laws and regulations as well as the correct procedures that must be followed. In such a tightly run modern world, accountability and the following of correct procedures is completely vital and there is no way you would expect a police officer to be loose with their bookkeeping.

Of course, there are many pieces of equipment that a police officer is expected to use, including safety devices, first aid equipment and the all important pepper spray and baton. A police officer has to be able to use all of their equipment as each and every last item in a police car has its specific use; in many cases a very important use indeed.

Officers are paid to train and there aren't any tuition fees to pay like there are in the case of a university degree.

Police training can also vary depending on what particular role you may be playing after you have been trained. A dog handler or drugs specialist would obviously go down a different path and would thus have a slightly different training programme.

If you come through the training procedures then the job will be well worth the effort and you will be able to start your probationary period. This is a period in which you tend to be supervised by a more experience officer until you gain more confidence and have tried out all of the skills that you have just learned. This means that you won't be thrown into the deep end and you will never be asked to do something you are not instinctively sure about.

Police training is quite simply an essential part of the policing in the UK. It is fundamentally important that all police officers are trained and professional. In this way they will be perfectly equipped to deal with any situation that presents itself. It is, of course, only fair on officers that they are able to keep themselves safe and a huge advantage for the public who can rest easy knowing that the officers keeping them safe are professional and able to deal with anything that may come their way.

For those that are lucky enough to be selected to become a police officer, the police training will equip them with everything they need to know to keep themselves and the public in tip top safety.

Locksmiths in Pre-Modern Society

2011-11-24T16:15:00.003-08:00

Ever since the first lock was invented in ancient Egypt, people across all societies have used a number of locks of varying shapes and sizes to secure their assets and sleep peacefully without the fear of burglary. Specialized artisans made these locks by hand and installed them into doors and gates. These artisans are called locksmiths.

It is important to note here that locksmiths did not just make locks, but also the specialized keys that opened these locks. Locksmiths enjoyed immense respect in pre-modern societies because their trade was indispensable for maintaining civil security. Locksmiths were highly skilled and there were several specializations within the trade. Locksmiths that made copper locks never made iron locks. Similarly, locksmiths who made locks for safe vaults were distinct from locksmiths that installed locks on the gates of the walled cities. Locksmiths were regarded as immensely talented innovators because they created beautifully designed locks that not just served the basic purpose of securing any asset but also providing great visual appeal.

There are several museums across the world, which showcase the skills of locksmiths. They stock hundred of locks, some of which may be mistaken as a showpiece rather than a lock. Regardless of the material with which they worked and the size of the locks they made, all locksmiths were experts in the basic machining processes. Specifically, all locksmiths had expertise in metal forging, molding, and filing. They relied on the use of precise measurement tools to define the shape of the internal levers used in locks.

Of course, the profession has evolved over the course of time. Economic prosperity across all spectrums of society and better policing has reduced the number of robberies over the past few decades. As a result, the extensive use of locks for securing almost all thinkable forms of movable and immovable assets is gradually declining. In addition, the advent of electronic security systems has further shrunk the number of locksmiths. Now electronic surveillance and security systems are ubiquitous.

The advent of the automobile gave birth to a new category of mobile locksmiths who specialized in making and servicing automobile door locks and ignition locks. However, now most modern vehicles have biometric or electronic centralized locking systems. Traditional locksmiths have no idea how these electronic security systems work and cannot help in their installation, maintenance, or troubleshooting. As a result, locksmiths have lost the position of grandeur they had in pre-modern societies.

The Policing Story

2011-11-24T16:15:00.001-08:00

What a noble and selfless profession! By far belonging to the police task force calls for personal pride more than that exuded by other members in society.

A police officer, like that extolled by police history is more than the qualities he or she develops or is inherently blessed with. The police story world wide is one of justice and service before self.

What does it take to make a mark?

Good and precise communication has enabled this force to represent the true meaning of 'law and order' in the governments scheme of social action. They not only take charge of situations that have the common man under pressure like civic violence, but also stand good steed in the court of law due to timely observation and reporting skills.

Police history is full of anecdotes of police awareness and the alert and crisp mindset that each police officer displays in time of chaos. By not prejudging people and remaining unbiased, the police have been able to earn epithets like 'fair' and 'just' across the globe.

Not only do these brave hearts show a strong ability to function as members of a team dedicated to social harmony, but they also dedicatedly remain in good health to serve the need for action in times of adversity.

Today, becoming a police officer is by far an enviable vocational calling. Not only is the remuneration more than ever before and really worth all the risks taken, but also one that invites diversity in skills and backgrounds. On record police history has turned a new leaf with selection processes and stages involved now completely accessible 24x7, online.

The tests and group activities that are planned for the various exercises prior to personal interviews, are all integrated within the intensive training opted for. You can tap any of the online or offline resources to investigate job profiles within the force, ranks and appraisals, annual earnings as a police officer and the training involved.

The frills and incentives offered today are definitely more than any one before has ever seen. To become a part of the police force, you are offered promotion opportunities and pension plans that amply compensate for the personal time committed.

Areas of exploration:

The job profile allows you to look into community service, local law and order maintenance, crime reduction team work and neighborhood harmony. These are just a few in the lengthy list of job profiles that are a part of the police history.

The right understanding of the implementation of equality in diversity and racial justice takes more than a vocational commitment to the task force. This is why the extensive training program planned worldwide today is well worth it. You are given ample opportunity to enhance the sleuth in you and serve the local community selflessly.

The police story is one that allows you to match core competency areas with job profiles open and then succeed with the right approaches to learning. Police history tells of a police story that has always been away from glamour and glitz, something that these brave young men and women can amply afford to attract, but choose to do so otherwise!

Crime Control Strategies - Myth, Magic and Metaphor

2011-11-24T16:14:00.002-08:00

The latest fad, gadget or gizmo is not the basis for controlling crime. Or, the coolest technique used in some gee-whiz crime drama. Policing communities cannot be driven by polls, ratings or media sensationalism. We cannot address neighborhood crime problems by believing in myth, magic or metaphor. And, techno wizardry is only a small portion of the crime fighting picture. There is no doubt that gadgets and gizmos are important. But, techno-savvy policing, in the real world, is only as good as the cops that have the know how. Crime control strategies boil down to effective and efficient police work. This means the cop on the street or in the jail facility. The man or woman on the front lines, he or she are the people who really count. Effective police work requires competent police officers. To get them, you need high standards, effective recruitment and exemplary training. Once on the job, they need sufficient funding, resources and leadership. After that, the criminal justice continuum relies on inter-agency cooperation and coordination. Within that framework, cops hope there is a huge amount of competence and aggressive dedication on the part of prosecutors and judges. For some officers, that is a lot of wishful thinking. But, aside from politics, fighting crime means responding to the crime with an array of tactical and technical weaponry. Once into the process, identifying the criminal transforms the mission. Ultimately, putting a stop to his or her behavior, by sure and swift means, becomes the goal. Unfortunately, the goal is tainted by misguided perceptions.

Sad but true, we are deceived by our own fantasies. In the process of crime fighting, the entertainment media pursues a relentless quest of myth and magic. Supported by career minded politicians, metaphor becomes the expression of making the myth and magic appear real. Reality is blurred and merged with symbolism over substance. Misleading the public has potentially adverse consequences as it applies to the law enforcement function. People come to believe that policing is magic. And, psychics, profilers and crime solving gurus leap into action to protect us from the forces of evil. By the legerdemain of such antics, all our criminal behavior problems are solved. Sleight of hand skill has become more effective in the modern information age. The American public relies heavily on the airways for all sorts of information. Many people shape their beliefs by what they see and hear from the various media services. From movies to news reporting, the public often assumes the information they receive is based on fact not fiction. We are inundated every day by all sorts of tactics and techniques. Yet, information is transmitted for entertainment purposes, not for educational enlightenment. Lies, myths, and misconceptions become part of a process of changing our reality into sound bites, or staged story scenes. The dividing line between entertainment and news merges with mass marketing and salesmanship. Using those outlets for mass dissemination, politicians, activists and retailers perform clever tricks of the trade to misinform and manipulate. Entertainment comes across as a disguise for sensationalism. Ratings and polls become the barometric pressure of success or failure in an arena of mass media competition.

Law enforcement does not escape the bombardment of media and politics. Often it seems we are deceived by good intentions masquerading as myth, magic and metaphor. Again, looking good, for bureaucrats, the media and politicians, is better than actually being good. Subsequently, our systems of justice falter. Sure and swift prosecution, conviction and punitive retribution fail to reinforce the hard work done by the police work. So, if we are going to have an effective and efficient approach to crime control, then we are going to have to face reality. First, we have to find it. Second, we have to read between the lines by separating the pages where myth and reality merge. Third, we have to be on guard against an over-zealous media, sensational movie productions and career minded politicians. We also have to focus on recruiting, training and educating the best and the brightest law enforcement officers possible. Once on the job, then we have to give them every possible resource available. In the meantime, we try to find exceptional leaders to lead them. In addition, controlling criminal behavior requires that we look at ourselves. From politics to the corporate boardroom, criminal behavior permeates every level of society. Criminals are no different from the rest of us. In fact, they are us.

At the local level, the need for exceptional training for law enforcement personnel is essential. Officers must be highly skilled, educated and well-trained to deal with deviant anti-social behaviors. Crime, and the deviant behavior that goes with it, is typically a local government problem. As a local community issue, the police have to rely on the competence of local politicians. No doubt, a scary thought. Elected officials on city councils, county commissions on so on, decide the budgetary processes. In many cases, local law enforcement relies on low pay and benefits, limited material resources and ongoing shortages of qualified personnel. Such limitations strain police services. Many of the problems concern growth management issues. Growth management problems stem from political decisions. Criminals can easily figure out how this works. The more you grow the more material gain there is. And, if, while growing, you fail to plan for the public service infrastructure, the more there is to steal. In simple terms, budget constraints equal fewer cops and equipment, because that means more taxes to meet growth demands. Fewer cops and equipment mean fewer personnel for street or jail duty. For the criminal, mismanaged community growth and fewer cops mean more opportunities to find vulnerable targets to express criminal behavior. Urbanization of the community, with sprawling shopping centers, miles of highways and endless housing developments invite criminogenic problems. That is because more property and more people provide more targets of opportunity.

As communities get larger, with strained public service resources, the local criminal justice system bogs down. Crime control strategies become a matter of survival. In the confusion, we forget the basic reason people commit crimes. People commit crimes because they want to and what they want someone else has. There is no complicated formula, fad or fashion statement to be made about this. Criminals believe in only what they need or desire from others. Their relationships are based on what they can get. People who deviate from accepted forms know the “system” will not move fast enough to interdict. They can rely on politicians to provide “equal opportunity” environments for them.

Police services must be fully staffed and supported with professionals who expertly execute the mission of police work. In this regard, high standards and exception pay and benefits must be in place. In addition, every scientific and technological method must be provided to local law enforcement. High quality personnel and equipment must be deployed in the local community. When a major incident occurs, usually the “first responders” are the local police officers. They are the ones who bear the primary responsibility of dealing with crimes, criminals and crime scenes. Cops need to have all the necessary resources available to them all the time. The police mission includes the necessity of control of crime. Law enforcement operations are directed toward tactical and strategic considerations. To enhance the safety and security of the community, aggressive patrol operations are necessary. The police mission comes to bear on hardening the targets of potential criminality by early interdiction. Quick decisive patrol actions provide a degree of deterrence with respect to criminal activity. The “crime fighting model” of law enforcement, or sometimes called the “crime control model”, gives emphasis to efficiency, effectiveness, detection and prevention of criminal behavior. Within this rubric there is no room for myth, magic and metaphor.

Crime control is not the total responsibility of the police. The police are paid “professionals” who assume a certain level of accountability for dealing with criminal activity. It is primarily the responsibility of each citizen to be knowledgeable and involved the crime solution and prevention process. Citizens need to support their police in every way possible, from funding to recruitment. Adequate staffing is one way to ensure community efforts are directed toward the safety and security of the community. The prevention of crime, detection of criminal activity, and control of deviant behavior become successful through cooperative efforts. The patrol force is the key mechanism by which the community deals with crime control efforts. No other aspect of law enforcement is more important or more critical than patrol operations. Patrol is the “striking force” that is designed deal with criminal behavior. In every sense of the word, patrol is the “backbone” of law enforcement. Aggressive patrol operations are essential to community safety, security and welfare. With this endeavor, crime control strategies require education, training, skill, practical knowledge and experience among the practitioners.

To control crime, a complete overhaul in thinking is required. We have to stop blurring the reality between the real and the reel. Criminals are just like us. They commit crimes because that is what they want to do. Controlling crime, means controlling ourselves. Designing communities with that in mind directs us toward removing opportunities for crimes to occur. To ensure the inclusion of proper safeguards and preventive measures, adequate numbers of well-trained officers must be available. In addition, enforcement cannot be stifled by political influence. Everyone must be treated with equal standing regardless of who they are, or who they know. Myth should be left to the realm of philosophy. Magic should stay in the circus. And, metaphor should remain within the bounds of great literature. So, as a community let’s stop the sensationalism and start the seriousness. Crime can be controlled.

A Psychics Philosophy On Modern Society

2011-11-24T16:14:00.001-08:00

Many people relegate psychics and clairvoyants to an age long gone. The dark ages were full of magical and mystical explanations for both common place and unexplained phenomenon. What has changed that we no longer look for divine answers to mundane questions?

Simply put we now define our existence using the scientific method. The modern technocratic society we live in full of electronic gadgets and products that create their own need to exist has taken the divinity out of our lives. We have in fact entered a new dark age defined by a lack of spiritualism, subjectivity, and self growth.

During the dark ages people were persecuted for their beliefs or lack of beliefs. New ideas and independent thinkers were persecuted and killed by the newly forming theocracies. Individualism in essence was stifled and killed by the emerging religious based governments of the time. Individuality, old spiritual beliefs, and novel ideas were viewed as heresy and were quickly replaced with government approved thought processes.

In comparison today's societal values are not much different. Daring to be an individual or express views contrary to the popular belief systems created by the law makers and mass media is frowned upon. Ideas and unsanctioned novel thought processes are quietly killed by the controlling powers that seek to oppress and maintain the status quo.

Slowly our ability to make personal choices, voice differing opinions, and communicate without fear of governmental policing is disappearing. Unfortunately we gladly give up our human rights out of fear. Fear propagated by the mass media and piped into our living rooms and dens via the electronic devices designed to "make life easier".

Our belief systems no longer belong to us but have been given away freely to the controlling powers of our government to do with as they see fit. We indeed are living in a dark age of technological dependence and governmental control.

Plato saw and wrote extensively about political systems in "The Republic" and saw that all eventually led to dictatorship or despotism. This is mainly because people have an innate desire to delegate their decision making to others. Anxiety and fear play a large role in this delegation and the government is more than happy to lead us like lambs as any good shepherd would. But, what happens when it is time to thin the flock? Who ultimately suffers at the hands of our inability to make decisions for ourselves?

Modern day psychic and clairvoyants do exist and offer a viable alternative to giving the government control over your life. Empower yourself and learn the secrets they do not want you to know. The future is in your hands and talking with a live psychic online can unlock your mind opening it to new thoughts, ideas, and experiences.

If you are tired of being led around like a sheep, believing disinformation, and want to experience true freedom please consider talking with a live psychic online today. Why not suspend your disbelief and dare to be an individual today? Fair enough?

Police Equality and Diversity

2011-11-24T16:13:00.001-08:00

We can easily notice nowadays how diverse the UK is becoming. It is highly evident, especially in the more urban areas of the country. The police equality and diversity policy and attitude is, by necessity, changing and adapting to mirror the demographics of the communities in which they serve.

The police constantly strives to ensure a very strong, even unbreakable, link between the police force and members of the community. This has to take race and ethnic issues into consideration. The police force must therefore negate all suggestions of discrimination, however slight, and ensure that the modern police force in England and Wales is fair on everyone.

Apart from being a more ethical stance to take, the level of police equality and diversity will have a large impact upon the service that the force is able to provide to our many communities. By becoming more diverse, the police force is able to integrate itself into our communities much better than it ever has before. By constructing itself from officers of other ethnicities, the police force can be far more approachable to those of a different race, origin, gender or sexuality. The public can therefore feel more inclined to working with the police to promote a greater standard of living and quality of life.

Building bridges is all part of crime prevention. By treating all members of the community with dignity and respect, the police force will enable itself to gain a greater understanding and create a strong yet trustworthy presence. The co-operation of members of any community can greatly help in the reduction of crime. Tensions between the police and the public will thus be eased and a more relaxed, yet effective, atmosphere can be established.

To gain the most from police officers regarding police equality and diversity, the forces across England and Wales are taking several measures. Some forces ask officers to register their own languages, experiences with other cultures and unusual skills so gain from their experience. Other police forces have given aid to female members of the force to help them with their children. In Wales, it is increasingly common to see the police force employ gay officers in order to reduce tension between the police force and the homosexual communities.

The police also operate a scheme of encouraging those of an ethnic minority to join the force. There are currently not enough applicants from such groups and thus the police force has to encourage a greater participation from such communities. This is helping to improve the quality and diversity of the service provided by the police in England and Wales.

Police equality and diversity is paving the way for a far more public-friendly and effective law enforcement service in England and Wales. In doing so the public will be more aware of police activities and all communities will feel more able to work with the police to improve the quality of life in our local residencies. Being diverse is simply what makes the police so able and capable in its crime fighting mission

Why We Have Number Plates

2011-11-24T16:11:00.002-08:00

To be able to drive any motorised vehicle on a public road, that vehicle must be fitted with number plates. But why do we have these plates? Are they just a sequence of numbers and letters indicating the vehicle's year of manufacture, or is there more to the humble plate than meets the eye?

A universal system

Nearly every country in the world requires every vehicle to have a number plate. However, not all vehicles have both front and rear plates. Motorcycles, although originally fitted with front plates on the mudguard, now only have a single plate at the back of the vehicle. Each vehicle number plate is allocated a unique sequence of numbers and letters. This sequence is registered in a national database, identifying the make, model, colour, year of manufacture, type of fuel used and engine size. It is also used to record the yearly mileage during the car's annual MOT test and whether the vehicle has passed its road worthiness test or failed and should be taken off the road. The vehicle registration plate is also used to notify drivers in the when their road tax is due or whether the vehicle is being registered as 'SORN' (Statutory Off Road Notice). In the UK, the vehicle's registration listing also includes the name and address of the registered owner of the vehicle and its chassis number. So from a simple sequence of numbers and letters, the authorities can tell a great deal about the history of a vehicle.

In the UK, a number plate is issued to a vehicle for its lifetime. However, it is permissible to re-register the vehicle with a personalised plate, which is common practice in the UK. Lots of people have plates that have a personal meaning to them, whether that's a name, a special date or even their favourite football team. However, the details recorded by the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority) are the same as they would be for any other plate.

A tool in the fight against crime

Thanks to modern technology, number plates are also an intrinsic part of modern policing. ANPR, (Automated Number Plate Recognition) software installed in police patrol cars can capture an image of a car number plate and instantly tell the officer who the vehicle is registered to, whether the vehicle has valid MOT and insurance certification and even if the car has been reported as stolen. In the fight against crime, number plates are playing a crucial role in assisting the Police to clamp down on vehicles that are on the road illegally.

Once a vehicle has been destroyed or exported to another country, the registration is either removed from the list of available number and letter combinations, or the vehicle is required to be re-registered in its country of destination. Other countries have different regulations about how vehicles are registered (China, for example, requires all vehicles crossing its borders to re-register, no matter how short a time the vehicle is to remain in the country). But the fundamental use of a number plate is to enable the authorities to track vehicles on the road, collect data and maintain an accurate history of the vehicle. This is primarily to ensure that it is roadworthy and is not being driven on the road whilst unsafe or uninsured to safeguard other road users and to ensure that the owner is complying with the law.

Police Training Equipment - A Tactical Move to Ensure Safety

2011-11-24T16:11:00.001-08:00

The police force of any nation is the backbone of a law-abiding, peaceful society. And for them to be able to discharge their duties properly in difficult situations, they need to be equipped with the right gadgets and equipment so that they are able to take on the adversary head on. An extensive range of police training equipment and accessories that can be of great help to the police force are now available, which include surveillance and spy equipments, safety, fire, rescue, self-defense and personal protection equipments and police tactical gear. By carrying their weapons and tactical equipments in police tactical gear, the cops are able to move efficiently. Freed from the need to physically carry all the equipment allows them to do multiple things at once. This also helps in increasing their efficiency.

The right selection of Police tactical gear is important for getting the job done well as that won't let the force down in difficult times. Police tactical gear, which has now become the essential duty gear of any modern police force, can include a wide range of collective paraphernalia such as tactical vests, tactical goggles, and tactical gloves. Apart from helping the cops in law enforcement, new-age equipment aid cops to multi-task and adds attitude to policing. Style, fashion and popularity of the police tactical gear has lent an aura to cops, which makes them look like celebrities while they patrol the night streets. The inclusion of police tactical gear as everyday duty gear evokes the requisite element of fear and help law enforcement officials to keep a tab on the law and order situation in the city. The attitude is a bonus.

Police tactical gear, such as tactical vests double up as body armor and backpack. The pouches can be used to tactically store up of spare ammunition, snacks or even a bottle of water. Police handcuffs are an important feature of police training equipment. Chain handcuffs are the most common of police handcuffs, though hinged handcuffs are also fast becoming popular with officers in the field. Also available are lightweight disposable handcuffs, often used in tactical situations and riot control.

Police batons, another must in empowering the force. They are of many types like expandable batons, fixed length batons and training batons. Expandable batons are an effective use-of-force option. Many police departments have switched over to expandable batons from the old wooden night sticks.

Law Enforcement Consultant - A New and Expanding Career Field

2011-11-24T16:10:00.002-08:00

How many times have you turned on the news and heard stories about another far flung country such as Iraq, who's police force was undergoing training in modern policing methods? Its happening more and more and who do you think is doing the training? What you may not know is that it is private contracting firms that are employing law enforcement consultants to do the ground work and now you too can get on this new modern day gold rush.

An Expanding Need

As American and other western countries become more involved politically with so many of these undeveloped countries, one of their tasks is to insure that their police forces function in accordance with modern standards. This is because, with countries like the U.S. and England working in conjunction with these police forces, they must be sure that the citizenry that they come in contact with are treated in accordance with western policing standards.

More Employment Opportunities

With police departments across the U.S. now struggling to keep their own ranks filled, these private contractors are now having to offer extremely enticing wage and benefit packages to lure in law enforcement consultants to work for them. What this means for men and women across the U.S. that have completed their law enforcement training, is that they now have more employment options to chose from when deciding on where to work.

More Money and Better Jobs

Why should you choose to work for one of these private contractors rather than a U.S. police department upon completion of your law enforcement training? To begin with, they pay substantially more and thats not all. They also house you, feed you and provide plenty of vacation time as well. Also, the experience that is garnered by doing overseas law enforcement consulting work makes excellent resume material. This in turn gives you priority status, when you do finally return to the U.S. and begin to approach domestic police agencies for employment.

What is Operational Policing?

2011-11-24T16:10:00.001-08:00

Operational policing regards all tools and powers that the police use to tackle crime and also to prevent it. There are codes of practice and laws governing what the police can and can't employ in their fight against crime. This protects the public and provides the police with everything they might need to ensure our communities remain safe and crime-free.

One part of the operation policing system is the PACE Act. PACE stands for the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and regards the way in which police conduct their arrests, evidence gathering and charges. It lays out the procedures to be used when arresting, searching and charging suspects. The PACE Act is in place to ensure a healthy balance is met between the powers of the police officers and the rights of individual members of the public. The PACE act is constructed from codes A to H and these set out all areas of police and public relations.

In a modern world, however, these guidelines are not sufficient when the police force in England and Wales is subjected to new types of criminal activity. This means that new codes and more diverse considerations have to be made to the operation policing in England and Wales.

There is a crime and disorder focus on tackling specific crimes and policies determining how these are to be approached. This section covers areas such as child abuse, alcohol misuse and domestic violence. There are codes specifically tailored to each type of crime as a generic one cannot suffice in all situations. Police occasionally have to adapt their operational policing styles and practices in order to cope with a different situation.

As well as codes regarding how crime is to be dealt with, operational policing also concerns itself over the manner in which crime can be prevented. This often involves some level of safeguarding the vulnerable such as the elderly and children. This is to ensure that they are not left exposed to any possible source of harm or abuse. In doing so there is a greater understanding and level of confidence in the safety given by the police force.

On a more modern note, there are more modern considerations to be made; forensic investigations are not a very important part of police work and this must be carried out in a scientifically accurate nature. This is all regulated and the strictest of requirements are enforced upon all areas of scientific investigation. This is so vital as courts can easily reject evidence if it is not 100% watertight.

Operational policing is a vital part of the work done by the police. There are codes of practice concerning all areas of their work and this is all with good reason. This fits in well with the strict nature of the legal system in England and Wales. It is good to know that the public are safe in the knowledge that the safest of procedures and the most professional of forces is keeping us safe. In a world of blame cultures, it's nice to know that everything is covered.

It was "we" wot dun it

2011-10-05T04:40:00.001-07:00

BSc (Hons) Police Sciences

2011-10-05T04:39:00.003-07:00

Policing The Police

2011-10-05T04:39:00.001-07:00

Our Strategy

2011-10-05T04:38:00.001-07:00

The 'unofficial' Bow Street Police Station website

2011-10-05T04:36:00.003-07:00

Big cut in number of police on the streets

2011-10-05T04:36:00.001-07:00

Uniformed Police Officer Record Dealers

2011-10-05T04:35:00.001-07:00

The Rules Of Modern Policing x2

2011-10-05T04:34:00.001-07:00

Citizens Police Academy

2011-09-26T07:15:00.001-07:00

Rapid City Police Department

2011-09-26T07:13:00.003-07:00

Big cut in number of police on the streets

2011-09-26T07:13:00.001-07:00

The Impact of Video Evidence on Modern Policing: Research and Best Practices

2011-09-26T07:12:00.001-07:00

New ‘Cop Shop’ Heralds Modern Policing In Helmand

2011-09-26T07:11:00.000-07:00

modern Policing In America

2011-09-26T07:10:00.001-07:00

Modern Policing

2011-09-26T07:09:00.001-07:00

The Rules of Modern Policing

2011-09-26T07:08:00.000-07:00

Police force ditches shirts and ties for black shirts Read more

2011-09-26T07:07:00.000-07:00

The Future of Modern Policing

2011-09-26T07:06:00.001-07:00

hello

2011-09-22T14:29:00.001-07:00

hello

Budget Cuts Will to Challenge Police and Urban Community, Part 1

2011-01-24T16:13:00.000-08:00

After years of promoting Community Based Police practices in efforts of building a stronger relationship between the police and members of the urban community, recent budget cuts could all but extinguish any remaining hope.

There has been no slow growth in anti-police sentiment since the post Civil Rights Movement. Police officers have always been the target of public discontent during tough political change, economic stress, and social reorganization. All of these factors have seem to consistently retard a much needed productive relationship between police and the urban community.

America's families and communities faced serious crime problems in 1992. More violent crimes were reported in 1992 than ever before, with nearly two million murders, rapes, robberies and aggravated assaults occurring in the United States. Gun crime had skyrocketed to the highest point in 20 years with more than half a million total gun crimes reported. In 1992 alone, more than 850,000 children were victims of violent crime, and guns killed 5,379 children - an average of nearly fifteen every day.

As the community called for more police to feel safe, President Clinton fought for and signed a plan to help communities across the country move to community policing by funding the hiring and redeployment of 100,000 new police officers over five years. The Clinton-Gore Administration's COPS initiative, passed as part of the 1994 Crime Bill, has provided more than 11,000 law enforcement agencies funding to hire or redeploy more than 100,000 police officers. In 2000, President Clinton won over $1 billion to help communities take the next step and hire up to 50,000 more police officers by FY 2005.

Many local police departments took that opportunity to hire additional police officers to help address growing gang and drug infested communities. However, this initiative also allowed police departments to use the money to upgrade SWAT Teams, computer technology and even clothing all on behalf of the Federal Government.

As we now fast forward 10 years later, the Federal Government that operates COPS - the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services is the office of the U.S. Department of Justice that advances the practice of community policing in America's state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies, is a subject of even greater financial constraints. Now longer can local police departments look to the President to rescue them from police shortages. Unlike departments during the Clinton era who were in need of more police and money to hire them, current mayors are looking to President Obama to provide them with federal funds just to maintain existing police officers and personnel.

The latest news reports from the White House suggests that almost every State across the US will be cutting jobs at both the State and City level and police departments will not be immune to these reductions. In December 2010, Newark Mayor Cory Booker announced that due to multi-million dollar budget gap and an impasse with the city's police union, he had no choice but to layoff off 167 police officers. Newark is not alone. This week state officials signed off on plans in Camden to lay off half of its force, and in Jersey City, cops turned out to protest proposed layoffs as well. On February 24, 2011, one day after new Governor Dan Malloy gave his budget address, the city of New Haven laid off 16 police officers. New Haven Police union officials said it was the first time in 41 years. Police layoffs seem to be the new trend in cities desperately attempting to close large budget gaps.

Research has been tauted that departments that have increased their forces have still seen steady increases in violent crimes. Other reports such as that from Mayor Booker have suggested that if your city has seen steady drops in violent crime then one could rationally reduce a police force under "exigent circumstances."

Whatever the philosophy, we will still have to wait and see the outcome of how this will all play out. Is public safety all about the number of police in a community or is it about the number of relationships the police have with its community?

Qualities Needed to Become a Police Officer

2010-11-24T16:12:00.001-08:00

There are many different reasons why somebody may chose to join the police force and many different qualities needed to become a police officer. The requirements are very tight for a very good reason and the safety and lives of the public are on the shoulders of the police.

So what are the qualities needed to become a police officer and how can you make sure you pass the tests?

Firstly, the physical tests are possibly the easiest aspect for most potential officers and any person with a moderately good level of fitness can pass quite easily. There is a strength and endurance section and neither of these is particularly difficult. If you think you are either weak or lacking in stamina, then a bit of work in the gym will help overcome this issue.

The ability to work under pressure, perhaps even immense pressure is also a very good quality which will make you stand out from the other applicants. This is tested in the role play scenarios but if you can demonstrate a great ability to keep calm then you will really stand out.

On a similar note, the ability to take responsibility and to act with authority is also a very huge advantage if you are considering an application.

Being committed and dedicated is a very useful feather in your cap for any line of employment but especially for the police force. Officers that gain a lot of experience are of great service to the police force and dedication is one of the biggest qualities needed to become a good police officer.

A good grip on spelling, maths and attention to detail is all very well and being able to put all of this into practice is even better. Police officers are often required to prepare their notes and other evidence for court and thus their attention to detail can be a vital aspect of the job.

Police officers are also now expected to be open and approachable towards all members of the community. If you have a non prejudiced attitude then this will be in your favour and you may make a great modern police officer. The ability to speak other languages is also a big bonus, especially given the multicultural nature of your society. Perhaps a knowledge of other backgrounds or an involvement in your local community could also be a good idea. Police officers are now expected to have a more community based role and prior involvement could be great.

There is not any single quality but rather many qualities required to become a good police officer. There are many different ways to gain the right qualities and to give yourself a good chance of passing the police recruitment tests. There is no guaranteed way of getting a place but you can certainly give your chances a boost. If you enjoy making a difference and have a good sense of community then your chances would seem pretty good from here.

Why We Have Number Plates

2010-11-24T16:12:00.000-08:00