Let's privatise the police! • Non-Gaming • News and Politics • Eurogamer.net

1Dgaf 3 Mar 2012 02:22:17 5,211 posts
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"Our correspondent says the two forces have invited bids from firms including G4S, the world's largest security firm, to deliver a number of services currently undertaken by the police.

They include responding to and investigating incidents, supporting victims and witnesses, managing high-risk individuals and patrolling neighbourhoods.

In a statement, the Home Office said of the plans: "Private companies will not be able to arrest suspects, and they will not be solely responsible for investigating crime."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17242956#TWEET91745

Khanivor 3 Mar 2012 02:52:19 44,800 posts
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I'm curious what legislative changes were made to allow for this. If any.

SuperCoolEskimo 3 Mar 2012 02:56:31 11,892 posts
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I'm pretty sure some states in Australia have a privatised police force. Doesn't seem to be much of an issue there.

onestepfromlost 3 Mar 2012 04:42:08 2,721 posts
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I have had the pleasure of working with some G4S people, most of them can barely tie their own shoelaces.Beginning of the end. More and more im thinking maybe id like to move country.

uiruki 3 Mar 2012 08:45:42 5,975 posts
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So when do they start building Delta City?

Deleted user 3 March 2012 09:05:27

This reminds me of the Private Eye coverage of the Newham Park Coppers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newham_Community_Constabulary

Following a number of allegations into corruption, racism and abuse of non-existent police powers the constabulary was subject to an investigation. An official report identified that the use of titles such as sergeant and constable was misleading as members of the service are council workers rather than police officers and it has been recommended that those titles are changed to reflect their actual status and powers.

I do not believe that their powers will forever be circumscribed to investigation.
Give a little shit power but not the framework to control the individuals, and you get hell. A private police force has more of an incentive to make this control of power a secondary issue than a state-owned one... as long as the state we're talking about isn't a brutal dictatorship.

I thought that the privatisation of the Forensic Science Service had been bad enough. Also the translating services used for non-English speaking suspects. Well, I suppose the government is never supposed to learn.

MetalDog 3 Mar 2012 11:01:04 24,076 posts
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onestepfromlost wrote:
I have had the pleasure of working with some G4S people, most of them can barely tie their own shoelaces.Beginning of the end. More and more im thinking maybe id like to move country.

Back in the 80's, then known as Group4, they were given contracts with prisons (some of which they still run, I believe), and they managed to lose seven prisoners in as many days. They became such a laughing stock they stopped using the name Group4 on the vans in this country. Companies can often withstand scandals better than they can stand being laughed at.

What the hell is wrong with our politicians? The last government seemed hell bent on recreating Orwell's 1984 and this bunch of fuckwits want to give the keystone cops the power to order us around so they can line their pockets and spend our taxes on things other than healthcare, welfare and policing - if they keep going there will be nothing left I /want/ to pay taxes for.

FWB 3 Mar 2012 11:05:04 56,369 posts
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David working for his mates again.

Tom_Servo 3 Mar 2012 11:09:31 18,079 posts
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Something about private police forces/armies, etc. gives me shivers.

ResidentKnievel 3 Mar 2012 11:10:51 7,679 posts
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I'm beginning to think David Cameron doesn't want a second term, he's managed to create fantastic future career opportunities for himself while in office.

neilka 3 Mar 2012 11:12:34 24,021 posts
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As long as they're "hot cops" I'm fine with this idea.

Tom_Servo 3 Mar 2012 11:14:18 18,079 posts
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RK: Oh you cynic!

(Probably right, since the Tories might be unelectable by the time the next general election comes around, although their ability to stay up there in the polls continues to amaze me)

Edited by Tom_Servo at 11:15:26 03-03-2012

MetalDog 3 Mar 2012 11:18:15 24,076 posts
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If we end up having to march against this and other privatisiation issues, I wonder if we'd still get kettled?

ResidentKnievel 3 Mar 2012 11:26:23 7,679 posts
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@TS

"The country can't afford it!" rhetoric has worked wonders for them.

"We can't afford a functioning society, slash and privatise everything!"

Edited by ResidentKnievel at 11:27:50 03-03-2012

WrongShui 3 Mar 2012 11:40:30 6,858 posts
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OCP owns the cops!

MrWorf 3 Mar 2012 12:18:41 64,187 posts
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Nice idea, WrongShui, If it leads to a tea swilling, monocle and top hat version of robocop then I'm all for it.

RichDC 3 Mar 2012 12:37:34 9,177 posts
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It will be less robocop, more

Dougs 3 Mar 2012 12:39:17 100,414 posts
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This is a fucking terrifying prospect. I'd also like to know how this is able to be legal.

neilka 3 Mar 2012 12:57:56 24,021 posts
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#Privatise the police!
Priv, priv, privatise the police!#

Deleted user 3 March 2012 13:11:39

Of the coppers I've known, a number liked to use the copper's privilege of doing things illegal and getting away with it once in a while - speeding, drink driving, minor(ish) stuff really. I'd hate to think what the body-pumping, ex-bouncer well'ard dick-heads that'll get employed to do this will be like. Tazers galore.

Deleted user 3 March 2012 13:14:15

This is fucking scary.

disusedgenius 3 Mar 2012 13:16:39 10,677 posts
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Bremenacht wrote:
I'd hate to think what the body-pumping, ex-bouncer well'ard dick-heads that'll get employed to do this will be like. Tazers galore.

I imagine something similar to the security guards at the US universities, yeah.

senso-ji 3 Mar 2012 13:20:41 10,271 posts
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I don't understand the logic - surely Private Security firms will charge more for their services in like for like situations? They're not bound by pubic sector pay rules, so how do we know our taxes will provide good value for money if these companies are putting profits first?

MetalDog 3 Mar 2012 13:23:26 24,076 posts
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They'll use the same argument they used for privatising water, power, communications and rail services. 'Competition will control prices'.

Thatcher is well and truly back, in spirit if not in body.

MrWorf 3 Mar 2012 13:24:04 64,187 posts
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Megapocalypse wrote:
It will be less robocop, more

Nah.... It's be more like this

MrWorf 3 Mar 2012 13:25:30 64,187 posts
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And in colour:

I need this on a t-shirt

Deleted user 3 March 2012 13:26:13

PMCs, nano machines, war's changed.

senso-ji 3 Mar 2012 13:31:05 10,271 posts
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MetalDog wrote:
They'll use the same argument they used for privatising water, power, communications and rail services. 'Competition will control prices'.

Thatcher is well and truly back, in spirit if not in body.

The difference is that if my water/electric/gas company is shit, I can change over to a different provider. I'm not sure that, if I'm dealing with G4S over a policing matter, I have the choice of asking for a member of West Midlands police or Xe.

The competition argument was given for privatising the rail networks, and there's none of it around and the service provided is still shit because of it.

MetalDog 3 Mar 2012 13:36:55 24,076 posts
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It just means it'll go to the lowest bidder with the best government connections.