There has to be a certain 'mentality' in terms of someone wishing to join the police force - given that their main job is protecting terrorists eg. poiliticians and the international 'business' community. Interesting to note that last years Mayday was the most expensive bill for policing a one day event in 2003, yes, even more expensive than Feb 15th anti-war demo. Well, I suppose somebody has to protect those nice arms dealers etc etc.
'just following orders' eh? Work really does set one free...

You think thats why people join the police. Could there be other reasons how about:

A belief in making sure society is protected from criminality at a personal level

Just a thought

If joining the police because of "A belief in making sure society is protected from criminality at a personal level"

Surely a good place to start is by not kicking the shit out of a handcuffed, pinned down man already blinded by pepper spray and hit several times with a baton?

In my experiences with the police they seem more prone to violence than the general population; probably because they're armed with truncheons and CS spray and members of an authoritarian structure with little accountability (except when the CCTV controler acts on his conscience and films an assault).

Just a thought.

I see Tom so you have a different view of the Police so I must be wrong then.

I believe that called "I am the world" syndrome by psychiatrists. If you really
think that the majority of the Police are some sort of right wing state enforcement unit
you're just plain bonkers. Yes there are extreme elements and many have behaved in a shamefull manner in examples such as this. However the majority are working class men and women who make a positive difference to the quality of life for the average citizen.

The majority reflect the views and opinions of the society they are drawn from

The Metropolitan Police were dubbed "institutionally racist" by the McPherson report not so long ago.

And since then we had the "Secret Policeman" exposé of racism within the Manchester police college. Now we have Delbo King affair on video. As King says: if he had done to the police what they did to him, he would have been jailed for a very long time. For how long will these police thugs be jailed, I wonder? We shall see in due course. The Los Angeles police who assaulted the other (Rodney) King got off scot free, if I remember rightly.

The Manchester police even smeared and witch-hunted its own deputy chief constable, John Stalker, out of the police 20 years ago when he took the rhetoric about the need for an "external" investigation of the RUC's shoot to kill policy a little too seriously. Read Stalker's book.

The police do not reflect an average cross section of society. The police lower ranks are drawn disproportionately from petty power-seekers, thug elements, morons and racists. The BNP brag about how many requests for membership they have received from the police ranks. The police heirarchy does the bidding of the establishment. The primary role of the police is to protect the unequal status quo from change. It is to guard the ill-gotten gains of the wealthy against redistribtuion of this wealth to the mass of the population. The role of the police in protecting individuals against petty crime is secondary to this and is used to legitmiate its real as gaurdians of greed.

Dave, I agree. It probably is a minority of police officers who are racist thugs who get off on abusing their power. But the 'good' ones are silent and complicit. It was not the officers colleagues who reported him kicking the guy pinned to the floor, but the victim. If he hadn't have persued it, nothing would have happened. Watch the footage, or go to a demonstration and see that although a minority throw the kicks and punches, the rest go along with it and protect the violent ones. Perhaps they fear for their jobs if they speak out, perhaps they enjoy spectating on institutional violence.

What would happen to me if I was caught on CCTV kicking a man who was pinned down by three of my friends? Prima facie case, arrest, reffered to CPS, trial, prison. But if I was a police officer? As lenient a punishment as PR requirements allow.

The Police Service of the United Kingddom as a number of slogans for its own self asteem. We are told that it is policing by consent. No member of the british public ever voted for policing by consent,it is policing by coersion.

Having said that all civilised nations need a police service. It is governments that often misuse the police service for purposes other than that of policing the criminal law.

There are both good and bad in the police service,but sadly the prejudice of the canteen culture and the bulying and harrassment of certain officers within its ranks,do it no credit.

I have witnessed police officers attacking tourists in central london with batons and pepper spray after a demonstration they had policed had passed the area. All the officers concerned were under 30 and all had their various divisional numbers turned over on their riot coveralls. The tourists were doing nothing.

There have also been cases during the late 1970s and during the 1980s of criminal lunatics in police uniforms armed with automatic weapons,illegaly entering peoples homes in the early morning and pointing weapons at them,illegally detaining them and wrongfully arresting them,thames valley police and metropolitan police respectively. It turned out they had entered the wrong address. Two police officers who shot,pistol whipped and insulted a innocent victim they mistook for a dangerous criminal in notting hill during the early 1980s kept their jobs.

So if a bunch of lunatics enters your home with loaded weapons and wearing police uniforms and you are innocent of any crime and they are not educated enough to read the warrant and get the correct address what can you do. Well legally sadly little,except sue the Chief Cocksucker(CHIEF CONSTABLE).But they would be guilty of? Assault by pointing the loaded wewapon at you,common assault to GBH,wronggful arrest,wrongful imprisonment,(had theft of some property for good measure) and mORE besides. find out where the bastards work and arrange accidents for them that will terminate their lifespan. All legitimate things to do when faced with uniformed bullyboys and cowards.

In london 3 years ago Police prevented people who where leaving work as well as legitimate prtotestors from leaving or entering a public square. The public outnumbered them and should have attacked the police engaged in this illegal act and killed them that would soon change their goddam attitude.