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More than 900 people have been followed and filmed by Greater Manchester Police as part of a pilot project to prevent crime. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england

by movix 17y ago

More than 900 people have been followed and filmed by Greater Manchester Police as part of a pilot project to prevent crime. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/8164697.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/8164697.stm They can arrest you before you've even THOUGHT of committing a crime. Not as a 'civil libitarian' but as an ordinary human I find this disturbing. I don't know how you solve the problem of these mostly 'low level' criminal activities, but maybe they should park those trucks on the doorstep of some major international banks. Isn't this where the real harm to society is being done?

Semiapies 17y ago
Judging by the comments here, a lot of HN commentors would welcome surveillance, especially if targeted at poor, minority neighborhoods. The kindest thing I can think to say is that when the cops get the address wrong, they only intimidate the Hell out of the people inside and maybe scare them into moving, as opposed to the usual practice of smashing down their doors, assaulting them, and sometimes shooting them. Considering the ridiculously flimsy pretenses narcotics officers can use to get warrants to raid homes, the fact that police would resort to something like this when they can't justify arresting someone should be a waving, neon-red flag.
pbhj 17y ago
"They can arrest you before you've even THOUGHT of committing a crime." You arrest (halt people from continuing in their normal activity) in order to determine if a crime has been committed or to determine if the person halted is prima facie guilty and accessory or privy to information about a known crime. It's almost a truism that the police should arrest those who are not able to be proven guilty or are not guilty of any crime. When I've been stopped, yes it makes me nervous, but it also affirms to me that the police are actually taking part in tracing criminals and attempting to reduce crime.

by movix 17y ago

Semiapies 17y ago

Judging by the comments here, a lot of HN commentors would welcome surveillance, especially if targeted at poor, minority neighborhoods. The kindest thing I can think to say is that when the cops get the address wrong, they only intimidate the Hell out of the people inside and maybe scare them into moving, as opposed to the usual practice of smashing down their doors, assaulting them, and sometimes shooting them. Considering the ridiculously flimsy pretenses narcotics officers can use to get warrants to raid homes, the fact that police would resort to something like this when they can't justify arresting someone should be a waving, neon-red flag.

pbhj 17y ago

"They can arrest you before you've even THOUGHT of committing a crime." You arrest (halt people from continuing in their normal activity) in order to determine if a crime has been committed or to determine if the person halted is prima facie guilty and accessory or privy to information about a known crime. It's almost a truism that the police should arrest those who are not able to be proven guilty or are not guilty of any crime. When I've been stopped, yes it makes me nervous, but it also affirms to me that the police are actually taking part in tracing criminals and attempting to reduce crime.