Cameron blames the police - Parliament is recalled.

[Gromit]

// London riots: David Cameron says police must be more 'robust.


David Cameron has demanded that police are more "robust" in their response to rioters, in apparent criticism of the Met's handling of the recent violence.

Tom Harris, a former Labour minister, said: “The only role politicians have to play is to tell the police ‘yes’ in response to whatever request they make for resources.” //

http://www.telegraph....t-be-more-robust.html

Surely the wrong thing to say at this time?

[Ankou]

from 6,000 to 16,000 police just like that? what took so long.

maybe we should have some form of civil police unit, or sort of ta for the met. that way all those who are against the rioters can join the police line and fight back.

or we could just sit on our computers and huff and puff about it.

[China Doll]

Do people really thnk there's going to be trouble tonight? All the stuff being done/said today reminds me of horses, shed doors and bolting. I do agree wih Ankou to an extent but a civil police force would probably just end up as mob justice in another form.

[jno]

it will be nice to hear MPs stand up one by one and announce that it's wrong to take things you're not entitled to.

I don't suppose many of them are particularly alert to irony.

[Philtaz]

To be honest, the Met response to the lawlessness that has occurred over the last three nights has been woeful.

Officers standing literally yards away as looting and arson are committed, nothing more than bystanders.

Most of their inaction stems from commanders above them, fearful of overstepping a stringent budget, trained to be politically correct, be reactive not pro-active and to be mindful of the sensibilities and needs of the varied cultures and races whom they police.

A former Met commander said as much not half an hour ago on Radio 4. He said they need to act in a manner similar to infantry officers, be more robust and realise that if their officers are to go about the business of stopping rioters, looters and arsonists then some of those criminals may suffer the odd injury. Boo-hoo.

[anotheoldgit]

The police are damned if they do and damned if they don't.

They should ditch the softly softly approach, which it seems they enforce when dealing with ethnic minorities and start to use force.

Our military are still operating the softly, softly approach out in Afghanistan and look where that has got us.

Even Liberal Simon Hughes has stated that we should use the water-cannon on these thugs.

[emmie]

16,000 police was quoted on news, lets hope so, then maybe we can see an end to this nonsense.

[pa___ul3]

erm.. AOG.. I don't think it's right to say the police are guilty of using a 'softly softly' approach towards ethnic minorities.. given the event that started this whole thing!

[Philtaz]

pa___ul3
erm.. AOG.. I don't think it's right to say the police are guilty of using a 'softly softly' approach towards ethnic minorities.. given the event that started this whole thing!
-----------------------------

But what does it say for the fact that the officers involved were from Operation Trident, an operation and dedicated unit set up to specifically deal with gun crime within the black community?

[youngmafbog]

And will the courts dish out justice? Not unless justice is a fine (wont be paid) or ciommunity service (dont make me laugh).

This yobs dont fear authority because authority is a joke in this country.

[elgreco]

The problem now is in facilities. All police cells in the Met are full. Any further arrests will mean prisoners being transported out of London together with Met officers to deal with them. Prisoners can only be dealt with at stations designated under PACE and must be dealt with within a statuatory time frame.
Then bailed and put back on the streets. Common sense would say that certain parts of PACE be suspended, but that's not going to happen

[pa___ul3]

philtaz, that's a fair question but I'd reserve judgement on that until the facts are revealed about Mark Duggan's death, one thing it wasn't is softly softly!

[emmie]

seeing as how none of us were there, and don't know the full extent of what transpired over this mans death, there can be no excuse for what has happened since then

[Gromit]

em10

There is no excuse for the anarchy, but the police refusing to comment or see the family meant that rumour and whispers spread about the killing. They still have not suitably explained events, or refuted claims he was shot after he had surrendered and was lay on the ground.

Now we have copy cat lawlessness that is very worrying.

[Philtaz]

pa___ul3
philtaz, that's a fair question but I'd reserve judgement on that until the facts are revealed about Mark Duggan's death, one thing it wasn't is softly softly!

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Initial reports today suggest he died as a result of a single GSW to the chest. No, it wasn't softly softly, but neither was he used for target practice by several officers. As for it not being softly softly, they were trying to apprehend a man who was alegedly carrying a handgun, so they're not going to confront him with pea shooters, are they?