Tuesday 13 December 2011

That He’s Still In The Job Say More About The Met….

…than I ever could:
The Metropolitan Police said compensation had been paid and an apology issued.
Well, big deal! Why are you not taking disciplinary action against the (unnamed) Inspector?
'The inspector told (Jules) he was a public hazard and said that photographing in public was 'anti-social behaviour'.

'He described the act of taking photographs as 'silly' and 'gay' and 'stupid''.
I guess it’s just as well none of his Oxford colleagues were nearby when he said that, eh?
The lawyer continued: 'When (Jules) continued to state the lawfulness of his behaviour, the inspector declared it was 'dangerous' as he was 'likely to be trampled on by soldiers' from the parade.'
What, if he spooked them, and they stampeded..?
Solicitor Chez Cotton, head of the police misconduct department at Bindmans, said: 'The police had no legal power to stop him photographing in a public place. The inspector attempted to justify his actions in shocking and absurd ways.'
And, what’s even worse, he did it in public and while he was being filmed.

Therefore he must have had full confidence that he wouldn’t be facing any censure at all for his behaviour…

And I can’t help but contrast that video with this one.

Whatever we may think of ticket inspectors, it’s hard not to admire the professionalism and refusal to give in or to stoop to the little oik’s level, and he is then assisted in his job by a member of the public. He’s a credit to his profession, and should be rightly commended by his employers.

While the video shot by Mattsson simply serves to further debase the reputation of the police while he still remains in uniform...

H/T: RAB via email

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

I suppose he should be grateful the officer wasn't "gadgetted" otherwise he may have been shot or tasered.
Obviously intelligence isn't a promotion necessity.
Maybe he [officer] should have read the ACPO guidance on photgraphy in a public place....oooppsss.....most police regard the ACPO as fools (at best).

Jiks said...

Oh dear God, I don't want to live on this planet any more ><

The level of fail, arrogance, ignorance and willful idiocy on display makes me concerned for the future of our species.

RAB said...

In my day Law firms had Conveyancing depts, Divorce depts, and keeping the clients out of chokey depts, that they now have Police Misconduct depts speaks volumes eh?

That was an Inspector for fucks sake! There are (or were ) stiff exams to pass to get to that exalted height, so either the officer is knowingly taking the piss and making it up as he goes along, or he is thick as two short planks and arrogant with it.

I can't make up my mind which. But there might be a clue in the picture of the inspector. See that paper he's holding up to obscure the camera? It has a map on it. The Desk Sargeant gave him that so he could find his way back to the station at the end of his shift :-)

Anonymous said...

un -be-fucking-lievable! I can only assume he is awaiting misconduct hearing and will be sacked - but then again, when in the Met I was told NEVER to assume anything. An utter disgrace.

A salt and battered said...

Dealing with dangerous people - A 'Day in the Life of Joe Jaded'.

Intimidated and threatened under the 'Gadget Rabble Act'. Abused under the 'Police do as they Please Act'. Arrested under the 'Uniformed Thugs Act' and assaulted under the 'Mind the Stairs on your Way Down (HaHaHa) Regulations'.

What version of events would police expect the Country to accept, were it not for evidence in this clear recording?

We can at least be certain that Jules would have been 'fitted up' for a criminal conviction. At worst, he might be on a slab with internal organs neatly laid out to one side.

On this blog, we might even be commenting upon a substitute 'truth'....something along the lines:-
A disturbed youth abused police and repeatedly lunged at an Inspector with a flick knife. He was forcibly restrained in a confrontation of his own making. The youth could not calmed and refused good advice from an experienced, senior policeman.

As a result of necessary restraint, Jules ceased breathing in this unfortunate incident.

Anonymous said...

I keep thinking:

"what if he had been 30/40......instead of 15....what then"

Anonymous said...

I read this story this morning and I fully expected it to be on here Julia.You didn't disappoint!
No i'm not going to defend him either.I've never claimed everyone in my organisation is perfect-well except me of course.......
I think calling for him to be sacked is a bit strong though.Lots of people cock-up in their jobs and don't get the elbow.I don't expect many of you on here to agree though.
Jaded
PS Melvin,when you have the guts to change your screen-name back then I may have a tiny amount of respect for you.I'm not sure what your point is though-are you claiming that the police would have killed him if he hadn't stopped filming? Seriously?
PPS Julia-it was a bit lazy tagging that story from Oxford-it was in 2006 and a completely different force as well.

blueknight said...

I retired 5 years ago and I am mystified as to why current police Officers think it is against the law to film. Policing demos I was regularly filmed and photographed.I can only assume that there is some law, (Public Order Act?) that is being misinterpreted

Woman on a Raft said...

Lots of people cock-up in their jobs and don't get the elbow.

I have cocked-up work in the past but if I attempted to shove a customer down the stock-room stairs and accused modom of being an obstruction in order to justify it, I think I would be sacked. And rightly so.

Human Cannonball said...

"Lots of people cock-up in their jobs and don't get the elbow".

I once messed up and didn't get fired, WOAR.

banned said...

Brave lad, knew his stuff and stood up for himself.

JuliaM said...

"...that they now have Police Misconduct depts speaks volumes eh?"

Indeed! It must be a good living...

"I think calling for him to be sacked is a bit strong though.Lots of people cock-up in their jobs..."

To clarify, I don't think he should be sacked for getting the law wrong. I think he should be sacked purely for his utterly appalling attitude to the public.

And no, I don't think this is out of character, either...

"PPS Julia-it was a bit lazy tagging that story from Oxford-it was in 2006 and a completely different force as well."

I tagged it because the Inspector similarly used the word 'gay' as a derogative.

"Brave lad, knew his stuff and stood up for himself."

He did indeed.

General Pyston Broak said...

Julia, you say the Inspector was unnamed.

At 7 mins 34 seconds the Inspector names himself as Inspector Fish (at least that what it sounds like to me).

Anonymous said...

Nice police always have a lobotomy scar.

JuliaM said...

"At 7 mins 34 seconds the Inspector names himself as Inspector Fish (at least that what it sounds like to me)."

Ooh, good spot! I'll watch out for that name..