And one of the problems is that the job of being a police officer inherently involves being able to impose your will on members of the public, and being encouraged so to do as a legitimate part of the job. That is bound to have an influence on the type of person who joins, the type of person their training and experience makes them, and the culture that prevails. We do not and should not have to accept or endorse the consequences that we see - but it helps to recognise that there are reasons why police services (and military) across the world have these cultural problems.
And therein lies the problem - the idea of policing as inevitably being an occupation where you impose 'your' will ( by some kind of violent means) on someone else - rather than being about upholding the law and protecting people -
Of course i appreciate that in cases of violent crime - restraint that may involve 'violence' of some kind may be a proportionate response
But in policing as a whole - or any other institution - the disrespectful - 'just in it for a ruck' sort of bullies will tend to get the upper hand - and maintain that control - if they can - that's what those sorts of people do
They need weeding out in the selection process first off - not training and validating in that approach
And then seriously dealing with / getting rid of if these tendencies subsequently come to light - no ' turning a blind eye - or dismissing as 'inevitable' .
The police
should be 'better' as a cohort of people, than the average in society.
A well respected police force would attract a far better calibre of recruits in the first place - i can sympathise with anyone who feels that the Met for instance is beyond repair.
I think the fact that she may be an activist who wants to abolish the police is kind of the point isn't it? Weren't they trying to teach her a lesson of some sort, hence 'treat her like a terrorist*'?
Of course the problem with that tactic is that if you mistreat an activist, they might just go public with it. Although goodness knows how many women they've used this approach successfully on.
*FWIW I don't think we should treat alleged terrorists like this either, and although I'm not necessarily in favour of abolishing the police, I don't think a bit of discipline should be too much to ask.
Giving credibility to her case around 'defunding' the police.
Why would i go to a police force that allows this kind of behaviour to flourish - seeking any kind of protection or justice -??
in many ways they've used 'this approach' successfully on all of us - already, many women have little faith in the police to help or support them in cases of harassment or worse - jobs a good un if they want to deter any women coming forward.
There's going to be a long road back to building any kind of trust - Are they - or indeed society at large very much bothered ??
Is the key question .
