Reply to: Oh Come on!

[sasguru]

I agree, MF. The UK became a de facto police state the date the government gave its agents (the police) the power to detain a citizen without having to provide that citizen with any reason or explanation or, worse, without having to have any reason beyond the whim of the arresting officer.

Ironic isn't it? You may have to move to Germany if you want more freedom

[Mailman]

That's incorrect.

You read me wrong, Im saying the only people that should go on this list are those who have been convicted.

Mailman

[Lucifer Box]

I agree, MF. The UK became a de facto police state the date the government gave its agents (the police) the power to detain a citizen without having to provide that citizen with any reason or explanation or, worse, without having to have any reason beyond the whim of the arresting officer.

[MarillionFan]

The DNA database is an infringement of civil liberties within a police state.

New Labour has completely underminded democracy in this country!!!!

[Lucifer Box]

surely you can refuse to give dna and fingerprint samples?

Nope, the police can take those samples by force. Oh, and now they don't need to have reason to suspect a crime has been committed to arrest you either. You can be arrested as long as a police officer considers it "necessary".

[Churchill]

no wonder people lose faith in the police when they act like that is it?

Ah, but zeh ver only following ze orders...

[~Craig~]

no wonder people lose faith in the police when they act like that is it?

[Churchill]

surely you can refuse to give dna and fingerprint samples?

Nope, you can't - but then again, what've you got to hide...

[~Craig~]

surely you can refuse to give dna and fingerprint samples?

[Churchill]

Yep. Cautioned as well.

What ever happened to innocent until proven guilty.

My brother was followed out of a pub car park late at night whilst on his way home.

He was stopped by a police range-rover for "speeding". The police officer asked if my brother had been drinking. He said he'd had a couple of pints. The policeman breathylised my brother using the old "blow in the bag" test as the electronic system he carried was "broken". The test proved positive. My brother was taken to the police station and tested using calibrated equipment. He passed this test. The arresting officer was told of the situation and was overheard saying to the desk-sergeant, "Surely you can do him for something, have you checked him against the PNC?".

During the booking in process, my brother was finger printed and DNA tested.

He's not been proved guilty of any offence but his DNA is now on the database - is this acceptable?

I'll answer the last question for you, no it fecking isn't!

[MarillionFan]

Yep. Cautioned as well.

What ever happened to innocent until guilty.

[Lucifer Box]

Also, the only people who go on this list are those who have a court conviction against them!

That's incorrect.

[Mailman]

A problem with this is that a 16 year old boy who "has" a 15 year old girlfriend will go on the register if caught. They're not in the same league as Gary Glitter or Jonathan King.

Also, the only people who go on this list are those who have a court conviction against them!

If the police can take the time to caution someone then they should take the bloody time to bring a case against them! Some of those cautions handed out to those who have been in the news recently are absolute jokes!

Mailman

[Churchill]

A problem with this is that a 16 year old boy who "has" a 15 year old girlfriend will go on the register if caught. They're not in the same league as Gary Glitter or Jonathan King.

The "Coronation Street" masses are about to discover this...
(Not that I watch Coronation Street, <ahem>Mrs Churchill does...)

[Churchill]

Well, I for one would welcome people who have points on their license to have some visual notification attached prominently on their cars so I have a warning they drive like twats without having to discover such.

Threaded Old Boy, they do!