Police action...

About 5 police cars, including one of those big blue vans as well as plenty of police dogs have just stopped a car on Southwark Street and the driver and passengers are being searched. It looks like it was planned rather than a routine stop and search.

OK, I don't get this... There were about 6 police cars a and 1 van, all with blue lights etc. They closed down this dark blue/black Japanese sports car like something out of those rubbish car chase docs on late night TV. The people in the car were rounded up against the wall, I think 2 or 3, and then the police armed with torches and at least 2 excited (well, barking anyway)dogs were deployed to search the car. The whole thing lasted about 30 mins, and then everybody drove off again, without any arrests. Judging by the procedure and the vehicles used, the whole thing looked like a targeted, planned raid, but I don't know. They stop and search an (apparently) innocent driver while a 16 year old friend of one of my sons got mugged in broad daylight the other day. Have the police got their priorities right?

Muggers cold hurt police. they're not going to risk that!

It might be filming. Webber St was closed Friday 18.00ish with a police cordon, but lurking in the back alleys/streets, there were filming and sound crew.
There again, maybe the incident you saw was kosher.

Police Action.....mmmmm, does that come under the heading of an oxymoron or an anomaly in terms?

'...lurking in the back alleys/streets, there were filming and sound crew.'

Perhaps they were hiding from the police.

I hope the police do indeed have their priorities right. It's called "evidence". They stop someone expecting/hoping to find something (drugs, weapons etc) and when they don't find any evidence they have to let them go. Perhaps their information was wrong or perhaps the suspects decided to clean their car that day!

Thank goodness for a voice of sanity Possil...amazing how many big brave know alls there are on this forum when it comes to policing matters. People get stopped and searched...whinge, whinge. People DONT get stop and searched...whinge, whinge. People get arrested and carted off in a van - the police are brutal and overreact...People are let go because they have no guns/drugs on them(at that time)...they should be locked up anyway! Easy to make good decisions when you have little idea of some of the intelligence that is out there... I suppose the same individuals have all the answers when it comes to social work issues/child protection issues as well. Come on guys, it is obvious that police/social workers/child carers/teachers and others are in a situation where they have to make difficult decisions all the time. largely they get it right and sometimes they get it wrong. Unless you are prepared to put your money where your mouth is, stop criticising and just let them do the jobs that you are not willing to do.

beverly wrote:

Unless you are prepared to put your money where your mouth is, stop criticising and just let them do the jobs that you are not willing to do.

I have raised my children to be happy individuals who don't go bullying/mugging other kids. I have taken a stand against local juvenile thugs and have been threatened with beatings or worse because of it. I could go on. I do more than my bit. Delinquency should be nipped in the bud so that erstwhile naughty kids don't grow into serious criminals because they are never challenged by any authority, parental or official. Those kids are the responsibility of their parents first, the authorities after. Not me. As they don't take that responsibility, it becomes mine, whether I like it or not.

beverly wrote:

amazing how many big brave know alls there are on this forum when it comes to policing matters.

I used to teach 14-16 year olds thrown out of school for bad behaviour, often violent. I had to call the police when one lad organised a fight in the street. I told the police he had a knuckle-duster made from a fork with the prongs facing outwards in his pocket. They wouldn't look and when my manager assured them it was there they shouted at her. They had to ask the lad to take his boxer's mouth guard out to hear him. Later I was left to convince him it was not a good idea to use the 'fork' on or my manager.