Police want new powers of "instant justice"
UK: Guardian [UK]
08/14/06
Police are pressing ministers for radical new powers to dispense instant justice, including the immediate exclusion of 'yobs' from town centres at night, and bans on street gang members associating with each other, the Guardian has learned. Senior officers say the powers would be the 'modern equivalent of a clip round the ear from the local bobby' and would ensure the introduction of neighbourhood policing across England and Wales has 'bite' and meets public expectations. ... But the proposals have alarmed human rights campaigners. Shami Chakrabarti of Liberty said: '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?' Alan Gordon, vice-chairman of the Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, said he was not sure that he was in favour of the police imposing any form of sentence: 'The enforcement of the law and then a form of punishment should be two separate processes'...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/crime/article/0,,1844813,00.html
Informant: Thomas L. Knapp
08/14/06
Police are pressing ministers for radical new powers to dispense instant justice, including the immediate exclusion of 'yobs' from town centres at night, and bans on street gang members associating with each other, the Guardian has learned. Senior officers say the powers would be the 'modern equivalent of a clip round the ear from the local bobby' and would ensure the introduction of neighbourhood policing across England and Wales has 'bite' and meets public expectations. ... But the proposals have alarmed human rights campaigners. Shami Chakrabarti of Liberty said: '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?' Alan Gordon, vice-chairman of the Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, said he was not sure that he was in favour of the police imposing any form of sentence: 'The enforcement of the law and then a form of punishment should be two separate processes'...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/crime/article/0,,1844813,00.html
Informant: Thomas L. Knapp
rudkla - 15. Aug, 15:55
