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Katrina July 21, 2008

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Lean on Me by Kirk Franklin - Hurricane Katrina Tribute

Amazing - and we live in a civilised society? I guess we don’t have ghettoes in Britain?

My Sweet Lord July 19, 2008

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My Sweet Lord

This is probably one of the great songs of our times. Chief Officer’s might learn a little from these words. Have you ever wondered why so many of the older Black generation are church goers? The answers might  be found in this song.

The bags get heavier….in Ian’s office… July 16, 2008

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Republished: The sequel continues: The Staff Officer, after having taken advice, responded to me. I was so impressed that this officer was so busy answering Ian’s emails, and I remain impressed to this day. But as I say, before long I was asked to see one of my Chief Officer’s. I was duly advised, but it was understood that I meant well. Yet, no mention was made of the content of my message. This is what I wrote to he who must be obeyed.   

“I do not comprehend what you mean by, ” I do not think I have had the pleasure of replying to any emails from you before.” Why is it deemed a pleasure? Prior to this email I sent a message regarding the impact of stereotypes, which is clearly the email I was referring to. From your response it would appear that you do not wish to understand the impact of “race” or feel it unimportant in these matters.

I am not suggesting that the Metropolitan Police do anything that will prejudice the outcome. I thank you for correcting me. Clearly the service has been here before with the Kent enquiry which preceded the Macpherson Report. If Ian Blair does not have time for issues that he publicly comments upon, without a “full” understanding then that is a matter for yourselves.

We are all busy, but some of us have a reasonable grasp of the subject of “race.” I sent this and the previous email to assist because there is a blatant lack of understanding of “race” nationally and certainly within your offices from your response to me. I see that institutional racism has not left the Metropolitan Police Service. Some of the issues I mentioned could be having an impact on your officers but I am now left wondering whether I have the abilities to strike a sentence in English let alone make any sensible contribution that is valued.”

THEIR FINAL RESPONSE

“Dear Sergeant Twining, Thank you for your reply. I have forwarded your e-mails to Chief Constable so and so’s office for his attention.

Yours sincerely, Staff Officer. ”

THE ROLE OF A BAG CARRIER IS TO DEFLECT July 16, 2008

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The below contents of an email highlight the role of a bag carrier.These people stand like the rear guard of honour protecting the backsides of Chiefs. When I say protecting, I mean they perhaps with hold information, information that is likely to cause Chiefs to reflect, OR DROP THE CHIEFS IN IT. Isn’t that their role? And then they get promoted! But just who is protecting who? I published this post originally in October 2006. And because of the tiff over the tiffin in the Met, Blair V Ghaffur, I am compelled to publish this again. This reproduction is not about de Menezes, let me make this clear, this is about Blair and his bag carriers, the elite, who compound difficulties for operational staff. Blair and his followers suggest he wanted to implement Macpherson and he is PC? Is he really? I sent the original email in 2005. I was summonsed upstairs rapidly; apparently I had offended the Met..
 
“Sir, I quote from you: “But what concerns me is that this part of the story is concentrating on the death of one individual, when we have 52 dead people from all faiths and communities in London and from abroad.” (1) This one individual was a human being also, and an innocent human being. He was not a primary victim of the terrorist attacks. He was a secondary victim and as such there can be no comparison between primary and secondary victims in this way.
 
There is no “like.”(3) Nor is the view that a life of a human being is really acceptable cost in fighting terrorism. If we take this view then in the future it will be minority ethnic people of colour that will be targets. Historically the police service has not been open when dealing with deaths of minority ethnic people. (4) We really have to consider what really the life of a human being is worth, if as it is being banded around, the price of life is worth £500,000 this is a sad indictment upon us all as police officers. Or is this the value of life placed upon a minority ethnic individual?
 
Surely the Metropolitan Police and the Government together can agree a value that is more realistic and accountable. (5) On a second note please find the attached message. I hope it is of some use to you, I have sent it to the editor of the Police Review. You cannot and should not be criticised for the manner in which the Metropolitan Police and the BTP have professionally investigated these matters and detained persons quickly. These persons in essence are racist individuals. The officers of the Metropolitan police and the BTP have acted bravely and are making extreme decisions. I hope this email and information contained here-in can be some of your future focus. Sir, with the greatest respect this issue of extremes and stereotypes if acted upon honestly by us may be our only saving grace.”
 
THIS WAS SENT TO POLICE REVIEW
 
“The below issue is an ugly one, but the fact remains: Stereotypes are a complexity amalgam of thoughts and images that the police can neither live with nor live without. The recent acts of terrorism highlight clearly the fact that our stereotypes of those potentially involved in such acts have been heightened; and to a certain extent they need to be for us to be able to conduct our policing role. The complexity of stereotypes worsens though when our stereotypes become “negatised” for too long a period and when they are prone to becoming “over inflated” by limited incidents, (7/7, 21/7). Naturally we begin to associate images from intelligence and the media. Height, weight profiles, facial expressions and types, colour, ethnicity, gender, clothing/accessories, etc. are all a part of these images. Unfortunately currently these images relate to alot of Asian/African youth/men based on the London bombings. Worse still for policing is the fact that those involved were all “British.” At this moment in time we have to accept that our stereotypes of persons potentially involved in terrorist activity is potentially “over inflated” and it is paramount that those on the front line try to keep these stereotypes in check. The stress and tiredness this may cause in days to come should not be forgotten. In one event a stereotype may save ours or the lives of others, or it may save people from injury. In another event, a stereotype may prove totally wrong. To lay blame upon the Police service in relation to these issues is not the answer to something that deserves to be debated at a broader societal and National level, because the blame, if there is any, lies within a variety of failing societal processes. Putting things into perspective let us not underestimate the nature of this task for I can think of no decision, (deciding upon the reality of stereotypes), more difficult for anyone in society at this moment in time. And these decisions are falling hourly/daily upon officers within the Metropolitan Police and the BTP. Dealing with stereotypes of this nature is, therefore, no easy task and anyone that thinks it is does not understand the relationship between policing and stereotypes. The mechanism of intelligence, the support of effective training, regular debriefs, and the support of the community is what we must rely on if we are to continue to police terrorism in a professional manner and avoid another tragedy like that of Mr de Menezes.”
 
MY EMAIL TO THE MET - AS THEY CHOSE NOT TO RESPOND
 
“I want some reassurance that the messages I am sending are getting through to the Commissioner. Sir, If what I say about stereotypes is true then I would suggest that the Metropolitan Police Team involved in the investigation with the IPCC and the Brazilian Team push forwards with an open view that a professional such as a psychiatrist or psychologist with specialisms in stereotyping works with the team to assist in unravelling a very difficult area. If we do this openly, then we are being honest and genuine.”
 
THEIR RESPONSE - NICE AND EASY.
 
“I don’t think I have had the pleasure of replying to any e-mails from you before. It will probably not come as a surprise that your message is hard to fully comprehend given that it is out of context. Sir Ian does not read the vast majority of the e-mails that sent to him. They number, literally, in their hundreds, and as his staff officer I reply to many of them on his behalf. As a serving police sergeant, you ought to be aware the IPCC is fully independent. The MPS can do nothing that would prejudice or pre-judge the outcome of what will no doubt be a very thorough, impartial and professional investigation which will in due course make recommendations for the future. The MPS is not investigating the shooting (and neither is the Brazilian delegation who have in fact returned home) and has no role other than to co-operate with the IPCC.” The sequel follows shortly….

Twining Circular, (TC006), - Differential treatment July 11, 2008

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In this circular of circulars Sergeant Twining explains the art of differentiation and how it can be enveloped within the concept of modernisation and sold to incompetent BPA’s. This is what managers up and down the country must continue to do to ensure they continue to promote effective race relation’s, (not), under the Race Relations Amendment Act.

(1) Ensure that you tell BPA executive members that they should not expect to attend all NBPA meetings, even though you don’t apply that same rule to any other policing function.

(2) You are to ensure that they understand that they must conduct vital support work of those claiming racial discrimination in thier own time, and sell the idea that this is about modernisation and value for money, and it doesn’t really matter that Chief Officer’s have been given the latest mod con vehicles for their use. The latest Volvo is more important than the BPA function.

(3) You must also ensure that they know that BPA meetings might even be expected to be conducted in their own time even though meetings of equal opportunity officer’s are conducted in duty time; noting fully and hoping that they do not pick up that equal opportunity officer’s can conduct their support work in duty time also. 

This is an excellent example of a Force duly carrying out it’s duty under the RRA, and moving us backwards 10+years yaar. Tea for me please!

Twining Circular, (TC005), - The art of email ping pong July 10, 2008

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In this series of this circular Sergeant Twining articulates the art of email ping pong…..something that I would imagine affects most BPA’s. Ping pong is a fine art involving the movement of a ball from one side to another.  In email ping pong nothing changes, but the Princess of darkness always wins. Anyway here goes….

(1) The BPA should be upfront and reveal all details clearly in an email asking questions of the Force.

(2) The Force should respond with something that doesn’t resemble what the email sender asked. The Force should never be upfront and the sender should always seek advice before corresponding with a BPA.

(3) Having received this at (2) the BPA might again communicate a similar message as it originally did to the Force, as in (1), above.

(4) The Force should then respond with something which looks good but doesn’t answer anything requested at (1) above, hoping that the BPA won’t pick the fact up that it does not intend to answer anything asked.

(5) The BPA should then adopt the praying position and hope that people have the ability to understand the difference between what is right, wrong, and email ping pong. (A note of warning: BPA’s are not to hold their breath though; one could die hoping one would get a reasoned response from Forces).

(6) Failing this, ask to see the Chief and see if the email ping pong becomes email shuffle…..