Some UK police appear to be 'little better than criminals' according to think tank.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4394862.stm
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/10/31/npolice31.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/10/31/ixhome.html

A think tank report states that policing standards in England and Wales are so low that some officers appear to be "little better than criminals".

The think tank, called Politeia, wants better training and tougher entrance requirements.

The report criticises the low standard of education needed for entry into the police and recommends university graduates should be fast-tracked.

BBC Home Affairs Correspondent Danny Shaw said: "The report is highly critical of the requirements for police recruitment, saying that a low standard of education is all that is needed, together with a number of vague skills and aptitudes.

"The result is that the most able find careers elsewhere. According to the study, the police service is left with officers who may appear incompetent and are unable to inspire confidence in those they serve."

One of the suggestions in the study is that senior officers should stand aside for people from other professions to take their place.

The authors of the study include a former President of the Association of Chief Police Officers - Sir Anthony Burden - Chris Woodhead, who was Chief Inspector of Schools, and the former Prisons Inspector, Lord Ramsbotham.

According to the study, one of the problems for the police is Government targets, resulting in more paperwork and fewer patrols.

''The public wants priority given to tackling burglary, mugging, hard drugs, violence, sexual crime and racial attacks,'' the report says.

According to the study, recent surveys show that almost half of people are dissatisfied with ''the way crime is dealt with''.

''The lessons from this study are grim,'' said Sheila Lawlor, the director of Politeia. ''Policing suffers from low-quality recruits, poor leadership and a structure of divided authority.

''Both training and employment lack direction, and even a sense of fundamental purpose, with confusion about what the police are employed to do and how well they do it. As a result, the system is failing.''

Police chief- Lockerbie evidence was faked

http://london-bombs.blogspot.com/2006/07/london-bombs.html

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Bruce Lait - I don't remember anybody being where the bomb was, or any bag.


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