On 22 Aug 2004 02:53:52 -0700 someone who may be
(Howard) quoted this:-

Sunday Telegraph 22/08/04

At a time when violent crime is rising,

Being hit by a motor vehicle travelling at any speed is always
violent. It is not always a crime, but it often is. Therefore if the
Torygraph is really arguing that the police should deal with violent
crime then the roads are one place where they will find it.

The familiar question posed by every driver stopped by the police for
a traffic offence - "Why aren't you doing something to catch real
criminals?" - is not merely understandable: it is perfectly
reasonable.

It is perhaps perfectly reasonable, if one ignores the 3500 odd
people who are killed violently on the roads. However, outside the
ivory towers of the Torygraph these "people who commit minor road
offences" are real criminals causing real pain and anguish to their
victims. These criminals are an excellent target for the police.

Policemen are schooled to confront and deal with violent criminals.

That is part of their training. However it is a long way from being
all their training.

Officers in the highway patrol would not be paid the
same rate as police officers, or given the same quota of sick-days, or
the same generous pension rights, for the simple reason that they
would not face the same dangers as do officers in the regular police
force.

Interesting claim. However, several police officers have been killed
in recent years while dealing with "people who commit minor road
offences". "Real criminals" drive cars and often drive them with the
same disregard for motoring laws as they have for other laws.

Targeting motorists inevitably brings up their quota of "persons
caught committing offences". But it also means that squads of officers
end up wasting their time hiding in bushes to catch drivers who turn
right illegally,

The sort of mild mannered person who would not attack the police is
not likely to undertake an illegal manoeuvre of that sort. The sort
of person who disregards the law in this way is also the sort of
person likely to try and run over Dixon of Dock Green if he were to
try and stop them to have a quiet word.

or lining up to take finger-prints from a grandmother
with a dodgy number-plate.

From what I have heard this was an example of the stupidity which
the police are sometimes prone to.


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David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E
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