The Metropolitan Police seem to be rotten through and through

[Mich the Tester]

It's interesting that it takes a case with a cabinet minister to get this out into the open.

In my younger days I used to participate in anti-fascist demonstrations from time to time and the behaviour of the police (deliberate premeditated violence with identifying numbers removed from uniform beforehand) was such that I assumed that the police were all like this. And then I moved out of London and saw policing that was sensible and professional - not just small forces but Greater Manchester as well - and I drew the conclusion, based purely on my own experience, that it is the Met that is a real problem.

It does look that way, but if that's the case then the other forces need to realise that if the biggest and best known police force appears rotten to the public, it will reflect on them.

[Old Greg]

It does look that way, but if that's the case then the other forces need to realise that if the biggest and best known police force appears rotten to the public, it will reflect on them.

But what can they do about it? Nuffink. The Met has been a problem for as long as anyone can remember

[Paddy]

Outside of London the police are just as bad. About three years ago at about 3:30am there was a drunk on the opposite side of the road of my home. The police arrested him and pinned him to the ground. A senior officer then arrived and told the PCs, this is what you should do; he proceeded to punch the living daylights out of him while being pinned down.

Unfortunately I had no camera to hand and so I did not report it. However, it has played upon my conscience ever since.

If you remember the woman motorist being beaten up by Police in Salisbury, he got off in the end and even ended up with compensation for being disciplined.

[lilelvis2000]

CCTV cameras indicate that they made up a story to discredit a cabinet minister. Secondly the Police Federation then misrepresented him - luckily he had made a secret recording of that meeting. Finally at least one has lied before an MPs committee: asked if he had a disciplinary record he said no, when he had.
So what will it take to bring a case against these bent coppers, FFS.
There's talk of an apology, FFS, when what they've done is tantamount to treason (subverting the state).

And the police not only do it to big guys they do it to little guys as well. One of my mates was stitched up by the Police. he got three years. I've lost complete trust.

[centurian]

that it is the Met that is a real problem.

The Police Federation reps who lied/exaggerated about their meeting with Mitchell were not in the Met, but the "regional" forces.

[SueEllen]

It's interesting that it takes a case with a cabinet minister to get this out into the open.

In my younger days I used to participate in anti-fascist demonstrations from time to time and the behaviour of the police (deliberate premeditated violence with identifying numbers removed from uniform beforehand) was such that I assumed that the police were all like this. And then I moved out of London and saw policing that was sensible and professional - not just small forces but Greater Manchester as well - and I drew the conclusion, based purely on my own experience, that it is the Met that is a real problem.

Sorry to burst your bubble Greater Manchester police managed to cause the death of a few young men who went into the back of their police vans in full health. In one case I remember they couldn't explain why arresting someone for breach of the peace caused him to end up in intensive care and his death when he wasn't resisting arrest.

[doodab]

I think it's time the full might of civil society was bought to bear upon them. I propose a campaign of concerted civil disobedience until the nasty little contstables are forced to toe the same line as the rest of us.

[minestrone]

I used to go down the courts on occasion for some entertainment which most often came from police being placed in the witness box with their scripted answers to the expected questions and being ripped apart by the defence lawyer. They are not the brightest people around.

[SueEllen]

And that sir is the bottom line.

And that is a massive problem for our justice system and our society.

I hope you guys haven't forgotten about police's involvement in the phone hacking trial that is going on. But we aren't allowed to discuss it.

[Old Greg]

Sorry to burst your bubble Greater Manchester police managed to cause the death of a few young men who went into the back of their police vans in full health. In one case I remember they couldn't explain why arresting someone for breach of the peace caused him to end up in intensive care and his death when he wasn't resisting arrest.

I don't have that illusion that the police outside London are great and problems with Greater Manchester are well documented. But in my experience, a day to day encounter (and I don't just mean at demonstrations which is quite atypical for most people with a copper is very different inside and outside London.