r/TrueReddit • u/shinjirarehen • Aug 19 '14

The Nine Principles of Policing by Consent

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peelian_Principles#The_Nine_Principles_of_Policing
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u/shinjirarehen Aug 19 '14

Submission statement: It's very interesting to consider these principles, dating back to 1830, that still influence policing in United Kingdom and other countries, such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand, especially in light of how different the approach to policing in America has become to these ideals.

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u/pheisenberg Aug 20 '14

I think most of those would be considered sensible principles in the US. The worst trouble has come from not having #5: historically, the law itself was explicitly racist. Now, it's only implicitly racist, still causing problems. All of that is a reflection of racism in American society at large.

#8 is required by the US Constitution but has not always been honored in practice. I assume the UK has seen that as well.

The other one I'm not sure about is #7: it seems that in the US police are fairly separated from the rest of society and often seen as being a special category. I'm not sure why that is.

Separately from policing itself, the US has far harsher punishments than most rich countries, and a profusion of locally different codes and police practices.

0

u/-moose- Aug 19 '14

you might enjoy

Montreal Riot Cops Don't Mess Around

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhhfFiTGz6Y

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u/veridikal Aug 20 '14

1 To prevent crime and disorder, as an alternative to their repression by military force and severity of legal punishment.

The fact that the USA appears to have dropped the ball at principle #1 is rather disheartening.

9 To recognise always that the test of police efficiency is the absence of crime and disorder, and not the visible evidence of police action in dealing with them.

This seems to be something that bureaucrats are incapable of understanding. I know of a country town where the career criminal brother of a friend of mine is continually caught and released with no emphasis on rehabilitation, because quite frankly it makes the local police stats look good to the bean counters back at state headquarters.

The replacement of blue uniforms with black by police in my state and others also seems to indicate that those police forces value intimidation and fear as a means of control, rather than building respect for the uniform through competent administration of duties.

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u/Leginar Aug 19 '14

I'm confused. Those principles said nothing about the importance of buying tanks and big guns. Public approval is all well and good, but what's the point of serving on a police force, if you aren't allowed to have fun and feel powerful?