Cambridgeshire cops get coy with FOI
Cambridgeshire Police has emerged as the latest force that prefers not to explain itself to the public – and then not to explain why it won’t explain itself. Back in December 2008, following the Internet Watch Foundation’s (IWF) controversial decision to block images of the Scorpions album cover on Wikipedia, a member of the …
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Can we assume.......
they are guilty of something because they remain silent when questioned, the police that is ?.
As one Officer advised on his blog, if interviewed or spoken to by Police the very best response one can make is to not say anything at all, not even mundane banter. They obviously do the same themselves.
What??
This should PROMOTE the full publication of force statistics to make Mr Plod more accountable and to show the taxpayers how well their moeny is being spent. If such figures prompt criminals to move to areas which are badly policed then more Plod can be sent there and possibly, just possibly raise the standard and quality of policing and bringing more consistency among forces.
Plus Plod won't be able dodge owning up to their own actions
Article correction
Where you say
"This possibly credits criminals with a far greater degree of sophstication than they possess"
I believe that you meant to say
"This credits the police with a far greater degree of sophistication than they possess"
The Secret Police's Ball
Its all hush hush you know.
Of course you don't know, you're not in the Police are you. But don't worry we know all about you.........
Black Helicopters: Gulp!
Another possibility
You are assuming intelligence behind their responses. They could, quite simply, be incompetent or lazy. Or underestimate the public in thinking that if they initially block requests people will give up.
Allo allo allo, what's all this then?
Errr, I dunno Guvna.
There is no reason not to have full police accountability and transparency.
"...if criminals are able to determine which authorities are less efficient at responding to certain types of crime, they might move their activities to those police areas."
How about this crazy idea: if a certain police force is not very good at handling a certain type of crime, they try harder to do their own jobs properly, rahter than hiding the facts and hoping that nobody will find out about their incompetence.
@AC (Can we assume......)
"As one Officer advised on his blog, if interviewed or spoken to by Police the very best response one can make is to not say anything at all, not even mundane banter. They obviously do the same themselves."
Do you have a link to this blog?
IWF employees receive training in the law from police...
... and are presumed to be at least as competent as most police authorities in determining whether an image is likely to be indecent.
Hmm, so basically "if you think some nonce or kiddy fiddler might possibly get some jollies from looking at this picture, ban it!"
@The Original Ash (if these links aren't too naughty)
That'll be Nightjack: https://secure.wikileaks.org/wiki/Removed_NightJack_police_blog:_A_Survial_Guide_for_Decent_Folk%2C_24_Jul_2008
Oh and the total surveillance state is pretty much specced up. Automatic monitoring of all communications with language procesing, entity tracking, etc. Everyone. All of us. All the time. MSN, email, blogs, youtube comments, phone calls, Reg commentardery. It would be lovely if this sort of thing were turned against the police, to flush out the facist/bent/violent. Or the public given access in realtime to the data regarding our servants in office. Just to check their video rentals and contacts with party donors.
https://secure.wikileaks.org/wiki/EU_social_network_spy_system_brief%2C_INDECT_Work_Package_4%2C_2009
El Reg will have a few things to write about it, I expect. Anyway, I'd better get back to packing to leave this cruddy little dog end of a country.
Oversight, the lack thereof
"The principle appears to be based on a fear that if criminals are able to determine which authorities are less efficient at responding to certain types of crime, they might move their activities to those police areas."
should read
"The principle appears to be based on a fear that if the general public are able to determine which authorities are less efficient at responding to certain types of crime, they might write to their MP, requesting that the relevant chief constables get a bollocking or get replaced."
@Anonymous Coward Posted Tuesday 6th October 2009 11:20 GMT
You seem to be saying "if you have done nothing wrong, you have nothing to fear".
Who will watch the watchers watching me?
Plod
"if criminals are able to determine which authorities are less efficient at responding to certain types of crime, they might move their activities to those police areas."
Is this why there is so much crime in London?
Sause for the goose...
"If you do not mention now, something that you later rely on in court..."
The Plod are just out of control, aren't they?
@The Original Ash
Similair advice from the Americans.
http://boingboing.net/2008/07/28/law-prof-and-cop-agr.html
Nobody knows what is an illegal photograph
Neitehr the IWF nore the police, nor the CPS, indeed not anyone is able to judge what is illegal. The law is inherently vague beyond belief. It largely depends on the prejudices of the dominant personalities on a jury. NB it is not child pornography that is illega. The law is much, much wider than that.
A few days ago I was reading statements from the IWF and the major child protection charities that attempted to define illegal photographs. I then read an appeal court judgement which said the opposite. This law is a mess which is not surpising. It was passed in hurry in a climate of mass hysteria whipped up by Mary Whitehouse. Fortunately her organisation is well on the way to extinction with only a tiny memberhsip. Unfortuanately the media don't seem to have realised that yet and continues to give them publicity.
Assumptions.
Can we assume that the Police have done something illegal?
Or are they just ignorant?
@Dave Bell
Both mate .... and probably a lot more besides...
Think we'll ever see a realistic episode of "The Bill" where they all retire to the Lodge of an evening to discuss their REAL policies?
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