Despite the hard earned success of the Lib Dems in forcing Central Government to perform a U-turn on the invasive introduction of Identity Cards, it would appear that the new Chief Inspector of Police in the Surrey borough of Elmbridge, David Hollingsworth, is proposing a course of action that strikes at the very heart of civil liberty.
Announcing with great gusto recentlyy his intention of allowing plain clothed officers to mix-in, undercover, with ordinary pub and club goers does raise concerns. Predominantly the idea that the guy sitting on his own in a corner nursing half a pint of shandy yet listening in on private conversations assumes that we are all guilty until proven otherwise. Whatever has happened to habeas corpus?
Hollingsworth defends his plan by stating that it is not about “monitoring private conversations” yet many think otherwise. Indeed Bill Sharp of the Guild of Master Victuallers believes the proposal will ”undermine professional licensees” and suggests that this will allow the Police to act in “Stasi-like” fashion.
Whilst I greatly support the work that our Police force do, I think that the growing tendency of assuming guilt over innocence amongst certain of our boys in blue is a worrying development and action such as this does nothing to enhance relationships between the Country’s law enforcers and her citizens.
Announcing with great gusto recentlyy his intention of allowing plain clothed officers to mix-in, undercover, with ordinary pub and club goers does raise concerns. Predominantly the idea that the guy sitting on his own in a corner nursing half a pint of shandy yet listening in on private conversations assumes that we are all guilty until proven otherwise. Whatever has happened to habeas corpus?
Hollingsworth defends his plan by stating that it is not about “monitoring private conversations” yet many think otherwise. Indeed Bill Sharp of the Guild of Master Victuallers believes the proposal will ”undermine professional licensees” and suggests that this will allow the Police to act in “Stasi-like” fashion.
Whilst I greatly support the work that our Police force do, I think that the growing tendency of assuming guilt over innocence amongst certain of our boys in blue is a worrying development and action such as this does nothing to enhance relationships between the Country’s law enforcers and her citizens.
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