24th July 2009
The Increase in Police Powers
Mark Hanson
The police have a difficult job. That must always be remembered. The fight against crime is ceaseless and often thankless. To deal day in, day out, with the kind of people that demonstrate the lowest behaviour of humanity would produce a cynicism in the best of us.
Yet so often, and increasingly, the police show that their own behaviour is not sufficient to the task of maintaining public order.
The review of the policing of the Kingsnorth protest has recently been published. Parts of it are highly critical of Kent police, noting that the “blanket and indiscriminate” use of stop and search was “counter-productive”.
There is some cause for concern at this report, as it also suggests that Kent police should have co-operated with E.on to a greater degree, and, most surprisingly, it recommends that the Government introduce new legislation extending the powers of stop and search.
Perhaps, though, it is not so surprising. Crime is difficult to fight, and to counter it effectively, police powers would need to be increased. It should be remembered that crime rates are lowest in countries that are totalitarian. The only way to effectively eliminate crime is to have an Orwellian system in place.
This requires a serious public debate. Do we in Britain want crime free streets, at the price of giving the State almost divine powers over our day-to-day lives?
The police, by nature, would argue that “yes, we do want zero crime”. Many do not see that such a goal, though commendable, merely transfers criminals from the street and into government.
The police are constantly seeking new powers. It is worth noting that the Kingsnorth report was written by another police force. Hence the recommendation that to overcome the failure of police to follow the law regarding stop and search, the law be changed to fit in with police behaviour.
Another example is the provision in the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 to enable police officers to arrest anyone who has committed an offence, regardless of the severity of that offence. Dropping litter could see you arrested and escorted to a police cell. This provision was introduced into the Act (which itself is seriously misguided in its criminalising of protest near Parliament) at the request of the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo).
The government listens very attentively to the police, yet seems very ready to dismiss concerns about civil liberty erosion. The balance needs to be redressed.
