Tactical contact policing

[Infinite Chaos]

Moped crime - both theft of mopeds and crime by people on mopeds using them as highly mobile escape vehicles has been on the rise in London (especially) for quite a while until the controversial policing tactical contact method.

It certainly looks shocking when you watch but it has also reduced moped crime - so what do you think about the police ramming mopeds deliberately to knock the criminals off?

Personally, I'm uncomfortable with it, but it seems to be working. Today though, the first police officer may be charged with grievous bodily harm - the criminal he was pursuing has pleaded guilty to 5 offences including dangerous driving. I'm also happy the police refer themselves for investigation after each incident - no better way to prevent this becoming instant justice is by making sure each incident is investigated.

 

[Manc Skipper]

Most bikers I know reluctantly agree with it. Something had to be done. So long as they don't go so far as the Spanish police did with this violent bank robber!

 

[Infinite Chaos]

Most bikers I know reluctantly agree with it. Something had to be done. So long as they don't go so far as the Spanish police did with this violent bank robber!

WOW.

Do the Spanish have a Police Watchdog? That was too far.

 

[Bodi]

WOW.

Do the Spanish have a Police Watchdog? That was too far.

What? The guy had hostages and claimed to have a hand grenade... this was not too far in the slightest.

Personally, I'm uncomfortable with it, but it seems to be working. Today though, the first police officer may be charged with grievous bodily harm - the criminal he was pursuing has pleaded guilty to 5 offences including dangerous driving. I'm also happy the police refer themselves for investigation after each incident - no better way to prevent this becoming instant justice is by making sure each incident is investigated.

I think it is great. Be a piece of **** criminal and get your ass taken down. **** them.

 

[Bodi]

Most bikers I know reluctantly agree with it. Something had to be done. So long as they don't go so far as the Spanish police did with this violent bank robber!

It was perfect. This ****head had hostages and claimed to have a grenade. The cops didn't take chances and the took his ass down.

 

[Bullseye]

Moped crime - both theft of mopeds and crime by people on mopeds using them as highly mobile escape vehicles has been on the rise in London (especially) for quite a while until the controversial policing tactical contact method.

It certainly looks shocking when you watch but it has also reduced moped crime - so what do you think about the police ramming mopeds deliberately to knock the criminals off?

Personally, I'm uncomfortable with it, but it seems to be working. Today though, the first police officer may be charged with grievous bodily harm - the criminal he was pursuing has pleaded guilty to 5 offences including dangerous driving. I'm also happy the police refer themselves for investigation after each incident - no better way to prevent this becoming instant justice is by making sure each incident is investigated.

LOL, I seen cops pull pit maneuvers and other physical contact tactics with cars, so I guess this is a natural extension of that.

 

[Infinite Chaos]

What? The guy had hostages and claimed to have a hand grenade... this was not too far in the slightest

He didn't have hostages when he was on his escape motorbike... Spanish police went too far.

Policing is by consent and thus police actions should always be under impartial scrutiny where extreme violence occurs.

 

[Bodi]

He didn't have hostages when he was on his escape motorbike...

Irrelevant.

Spanish police went too far.

Not at all. They had to get this guy and they took no chances and caught him.

Policing is by consent and thus police actions should always be under impartial scrutiny where extreme violence occurs.

And if I was on the impartial panel I would classify this as a good capture.

 

[Evilroddy]

Moped crime - both theft of mopeds and crime by people on mopeds using them as highly mobile escape vehicles has been on the rise in London (especially) for quite a while until the controversial policing tactical contact method.

It certainly looks shocking when you watch but it has also reduced moped crime - so what do you think about the police ramming mopeds deliberately to knock the criminals off?

Personally, I'm uncomfortable with it, but it seems to be working. Today though, the first police officer may be charged with grievous bodily harm - the criminal he was pursuing has pleaded guilty to 5 offences including dangerous driving. I'm also happy the police refer themselves for investigation after each incident - no better way to prevent this becoming instant justice is by making sure each incident is investigated.

Infinite Chaos:

It will be tragic but also embarrassingLy interesting when the first moped-borne petty thief dies from being rammed by a Metropolitan police car. I would not want to be in the driving constable's shoes when that happens. Using highly dangerous kinetic police tactics to take down non-violent petty thieves is probably overkill, despite the growing nussance they are posing. They might as well dust off the gallows on Tyburn Hill if this is how non-violent criminal suspects are to be treated by the authorities. What happened to the doctrine of reasonable force which British coppers are famous for? I would not want to be a police officer put into the legal jeopardy of having to use these tactics and then facing a potential criminal review for following Metro Police procedures. This is Z-cars on rage-steroids.

Cheers.
Evilroddy.

 

[Infinite Chaos]

~ use these tactics and then facing a potential criminal review for following Metro Police procedures ~

But they do face criminal review after each case, the Police self report to the oversight panel after each incident. This ensures the tactic is not taken too far.

~ And if I was on the impartial panel ~

You wouldn't make it Bodhi. However I take all your statements with a pinch of salt as I have read you bluster before without meaning what you are posting.

 

[Chagos]

WOW.

Do the Spanish have a Police Watchdog? That was too far.

Actually, after Madrid in 2004, a certain normalcy returned but Barcelona last year took the patience level down.

Here we don't have anyone having grabbed a handbag from a speeding bike, we have somebody that just held hostages and professing to hold a grenade while trying to make off.

That would have justified getting a sniper to blast him, alone on the pretext of preventing any further potential harm to the innocent public.

One can interpret the decision to T-bone him both as a method to stop him from igniting any claimed device as well as apprehending him, no matter what injuries entailed in the process, without killing him. And, when in doubt, nevertheless taking into account that latter possibility, rather than let him roam dangerously.

I'm definitely no advocate of any "shoot 'em dead and then try 'em later" policy, yet this could not be seen here anyway.

And NO, there is no police watchdog institution in Spain that would equate to the UK version.