Re: Police admit keeping records on people who report crimes.

On Jan 3, 8:50 pm, "Steve Walker" <spam-t...@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
Periander wrote:
MM <kylix...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
news:ffa4i65ih3k37s4bpv963ifv0sv2h4739o@xxxxxxx:

On Mon, 03 Jan 2011 17:04:14 +0000, Nick
<archib...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Police admit keeping records on people who report crimes

On what legal basis can the police do this? Kind of makes a
mockery of Cameron's scrapping of ID cards.

"I've just seen a mugging ..."

Later as court ...

"Now then officer you claim to have arrested my client on
description, where did this description come from?"

"From the witness who called us"

"And that would be who exactly?"

"I dunno, he wouldn't give his name or address and we didn't keep
his phone number"

"I see ... your Honour, I wonder if this would be a good time to
make an application of no case to answer"

Fair comment, but it's also important to remember that some 999 callers are
fearful for their safety and do not wish to be identified to suspects who
may then come after them.   The knowledge that their ID is being harvested
and may be given to the suspect is likely to reduce the number of crime
reports involving the most violent and dangerous offenders.

But then of course recorded crime will fall, and everyone will declare it a
triumph.  This new approach could be further improved by publishing the full
name & address of every complainant or witness in the local paper - reports
of crime would fall even further, demonstrating the remarkable success of
modern policing....

PS - I assume that in practice, the arresting officer would say they
arrested the suspect on the basis of information provided by their control
room, which led them to form a reasonable suspicion?

I'm sure the last time I dialled 999 (to report an attempted attack by
a vicious dog), they greeted me by name. Or even if I'm slightly
exagerrating there, when they were asking my details I said my name,
and they then followed on with "is your address X Road", which it was.
.

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