Tuesday, August 15, 2006

Another Step Towards a Police State

The front page of The Guardian today carries a story claiming the police are calling for new powers of 'instant justice'. Senior officers are asking ministers to consider proposals that would allow them to take action without referring to the courts. Effectively, the police would be responsible for punishment, as well as enforcement. The courts would, instead, be there to scrutinise the police. The powers that have been proposed include:

· Powers for police officers to tackle "town centre yobs" by immediately excluding an offender from the town centre at night "for an appropriate period" when they are issued with an informal warning or a fixed-penalty fine.

· Powers to tackle disorder by giving the neighbourhood constable, who understands the local context, the right to issue a three-month ban on gangs who cause repeat disorder on estates from associating with each other in public or frequenting a particular location. The ban could include a requirement to clear up local damage. Breaching the order would lead to an immediate court appearance with a possible fine, parenting order or Asbo.

· Powers to tackle "the yob driver": those repeatedly stopped in an unregistered car with no insurance, no driving licence or MOT, could face immediate seizure of the car which would be crushed. An instant interim driving ban would be imposed pending a court appearance.

· Tackling knife crime by enabling "reasonable suspicion" for stop and search to be based on previous convictions.

Shami Chakrabarti of Liberty responded:

This looks like instant police justice and a return to the infamous sus laws. Surely the many officers who are proud of our consent-based policing tradition will resent the idea of being legislator, judge and jury on the cheap?

It will be interesting to see whether the government decide to adopt this proposal by the police. At the moment, 'Dr' Reid is busy posturing over new anti-terror legislation in the wake of the 'imminent' threat that was posed over the week-end. Part of his argument for extending powers is that the police say they need them to work effectively. Apparently, 28 days is not enough time. So does this mean that the government will continue to allow the police all the powers they want, because they say they need them and, after all, they know what they need to get the job done? Does this mean we are heading towards a police state?? I fear if 'Dr' Reid has his way, the answer is yes.

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