Before you view the video:
The driver of the Range Rover is 74 year old Robert Whatley. Earlier he had been pulled over by the two police officers (in the chasing car), for failing to wear a seatbelt.
Mr Whatley was fined £135 for failing to wear a seat belt, failing to stop, using a vehicle with defective registration plates and having non-standard tinted windows. However he also received £20.750 compensation from Gwent Police for the damage to his car and £45,000 in costs, an employment tribunal heard.
Why was the pensioner mentioned at an employment tribunal? Well, the police officer on the end of the baton has won an employment tribunal case where he insisted he'd been 'forced out of his job due to a bullying campaign'. It appears his compensation will be a six-figure sum.
Looking at the video and noting the frenzied attitudes of the three officers involved, I would suggest a little time in one of HM prisons would be far more suited to their behaviour.
How did this country get to the stage that thugs are rewarded? The officers should have been charged with assault and then dismissed from the force.
The usual public service approach - "Blame the innocent and reward the guilty".
ReplyDeleteHow an employment tribunal can make an award to a policeman who should have been in front of a disciplinary board beats my understanding.
But then Wales is a funny sort of place!
What has happened to the ethos and ethics within our police forces?
ReplyDeleteFrom kettling of innocent demonstrators; the killing of de Menezes; the Tomlinson affair and a thousand other incidents just like the one you describe here involving Mr Whatley. All point to a constabulary that has lost all aspects of self-control.
Unfair dismissal should never have entered this particular case, he should have been instantly dismissed for gross misconduct.
But aggression is now the primary response of all police, they now go in hard and strong to any and all situations and only ask question later.
From personal experience the ‘bobbie’ is no longer that friendly helpful chap he once was. Now sadly, he has degenerated to nothing better than a licensed thug in uniform.
Sorry if that offends some, but it is my experience and my opinion, and will remain so till they prove themselves otherwise.
A sad reflection on modern policing.
What is the Welsh for Stasi?
ReplyDeleteJRB hits the nail when he highlights the contempt shown by all the institutions towards the public.
The same public who support them through their taxes and, by so doing, have every right to expect quality, dignity and respect in their dealings with them.
Authority enacted without respect is intimidation which is a tool of tyranny.
The police I speak to, even those I know to be decent people have developed and us-and-them culture about their job.
ReplyDeleteI also think since the community officer went out of fashion, I know they're still around, but they seem less accessible I think down to the them-and-us thing.
I've lost confidence in the police too I'm afraid, ever since we found ourselves camping in a different (but no less remote) spot because our usual place was over ran by drunk young folk, only to find ourselves being moved along by officers who were part of a local campaign to prevent... Young people drinking in rural locations, precisely why we had to abandon our usual camp site in the first place...
It was a bit bizarre, when the irony was pointed out to the officers, they became even more querulous with us. This was a group of Scouts by the way, not a good precedent to set at all.
I remember our young folk being bemused by it, one did comment; neither wonder the police get little respect these days - and he was right.
This footage is absolutely shocking.
ReplyDeleteNot even Inspector Gadget could muster support for PC Mike Baillon.
ReplyDelete[Despite supporting PC Simon Harwood in the Tomlinson Affair]
The police are there to protect the top criminals, reportedly.
ReplyDelete- Aangirfan
"Not even Inspector Gadget could muster support for PC Mike Baillon."
ReplyDeleteGive him time!
Too politically correct for me this nonsense EP.
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts exactly JRB. What upset me most was the aggression they used when they knew the pensioner would be no threat.
ReplyDeleteWhat doesn't make sense is why the two of them weren't sacked immediately Crinkly. No wonder many young folk shun joining.
ReplyDeleteThey're ok around here pa_broon but I'm careful what and when I say anything other than "fine day". Trust factor lost.
ReplyDeleteIt is Jo, it's appalling.
ReplyDeleteHe may come round though Joe. :)
ReplyDeleteThat makes sense Anon. My favourite reading is crime novels and so many involve police being hand in glove with criminals. Usually authors write from experience.
ReplyDeleteYou beat me to it Julia. :)
ReplyDelete