THE state opposition is demanding an inquiry to determine whether the Victorian government tried to falsely boost a police presence on the streets by using public servants to drive marked police cars.Yes, that is a bit of a downside. But if some of the behaviour of PCSOs in the UK is anything to go by the upside for civil liberties is also that they can't do anything.
Peter Ryan, the state opposition spokesman for police matters, also wants an inquiry to investigate "allegations of interference in operational matters".
The push for a probe follows allegations by former police media adviser Stephen Linnell that the state government planned to put police logos on unmarked cars, which would be driven by unsworn staff. Mr Linnell quit the force in 2007 after he was targeted in an Office of Police Integrity inquiry into the leaking of confidential information that allegedly compromised a murder investigation.
Mr Linnell, former head of the force's media unit, said yesterday that the government wanted ''to increase the number of marked vehicles that were out driving around the streets''.
"One of their ideas was to actually just put Victoria Police logos on the side of the unmarked vehicles," he told ABC radio. "That was a government initiative, that came to us, and it came to the corporate committee.
"That had a number of problems, because quite often you have unsworn or civilian staff who drive those vehicles, and if they're driving around and perhaps drive past an accident, or are flagged down by members of the public, they certainly can't do anything."
Hmmmm.
Reminds me a the carboard cutout of a copper that they used in a superstore to deter crime - that was promptly stolen.
ReplyDeleteShame. Would have been worth more than some PCSOs.
ReplyDeleteThe Force's MEDIA Unit? That'd be right next door to Sales & Marketing then?
ReplyDeleteOh, FFS ... right yep, those are the fearless crime fighters that here (SW UK) responded to a local plague of wee hours drunken car boot, roof and bonnet jumping, house window smashing, wheelie bin emptying and threatening carry ons by putting up some posters (2)and buying advertising on our local radio stations "you're very naughty boys" in a Michael Palin nasal granny voice.
I can foretell their next step - a few burglaries = they'll be buying TV adverts - simples this detective lark.
"THE state opposition is demanding an inquiry to determine whether the Victorian government tried to falsely boost a police presence on the streets by using public servants to drive marked police cars."
ReplyDeleteGiven this (sent to me by MacHeath) maybe they were just trying to cut down on repair bills?
Not much help here, I reckon. People who can park seem to be in a minority here, and to be honest I've sometimes left it a short walk from the kerb myself because of worrying about my alloys on a giant kerbstone that you need a sherpa to get over. But regular car parks here are full of cars looking like they were valet parked by Stevie Wonder. It might be sexist of me to blame it mainly on school run mummies but in fact it's Mrs Exile's observation, not mine. And I'm sure she's right.
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