STRONG ARM OF THE LAW: Row over police bid for 'instant justice'

By Bob Roberts, Deputy Political Editor
UK Mirror
Aug. 15, 2006

POLICE chiefs' ideas to dish out instant justice on the streets sparked a massive row yesterday.

Senior cops want powers to deal with lawless yobs without going through the courts which they call "slow and inaccessible".

They argue measures like banning thugs from town centres and crushing untaxed cars would be like a modern day clip around the ear. But rank and file officers fear it would lead to Judge Dredd-type law and order.

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And freedom groups said it's a step along the road to a police state.

The proposals include banning thugs from town centres or estates if they are caught drinking, fighting or vandalising property.

They would get a warning or fixed fine.

And drivers caught without insurance, MOTs or tax could have their cars towed and possibly crushed.

Suspects could be stopped and searched for knives if they were known to have previous convictions and officers were suspicious.

And gangs could be given three-month bans on meeting up at known troublespots.

If they breach a ban they could then be fined, given an Asbo or their family given a parenting order. All offenders could still go to court to appeal.

Surrey Assistant Chief Constable Mark Rowley came up with the ideas for the Association of Chief Police Officers because he said courts are "slow and inaccessible".

He said they would be like the "mythical clip round the ear from the local bobby".

Mr Rowley added: "It's time to debate whether constables should be given substantial additional, discretionary, summary powers."

Prime Minister Tony Blair is said to be keen on the idea. The Home Office is already looking at how police deal with antisocial behaviour. But Glen Smyth, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said ordinary officers did not want it.

"If we wanted a Judge Dreddstyle system this would probably be the way you might start," he added.

He said it was crucial to keep separate the courts' power to hand out punishments and the police's power to investigate crimes.

"This would effectively take that away. It's a blurring of the lines. This is the thin edge of what could be a much larger wedge."

Shami Chakrabarti, of pressure group Liberty, said: "This looks like instant police justice. When you do decide someone's been so criminal and behaved so badly and harmed other people that you need to punish them, that really is something that in a democracy belongs with the courts."

Ms Chakrabarti warned: "You can alienate people from the police and make the police's job even harder if they are perceived to be dishing out summary justice on the street."

Nick Clegg, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesman, said: "Whilst the fight against crime and anti-social behaviour is of paramount importance, the answer is not to bypass due process.

"The vital role of the police will be compromised if we also ask them to act as judge and jury."

Graham Brown, of the Local Government Association said: "It is vital that individual officers can be held to account. Proper safeguards would need to be put in place to ensure police do not abuse new powers and end up alienating local people."

But the Acpo insisted the proposals were at an early stage. The final details will be published in the autumn.

Police were given some powers to dispense "street" justice in 2004.

They can hand out on-the-spot fines for minor offences such as shoplifting, underage drinking, vandalism and littering.

JUDGE AND JURY

The Acpo proposals include:

Police allowed to ban yobs from town centres for an "appropriate period" when given a warning or penalty fine

Neighbourhood constables to have the right to hand out a three-month ban on estate yobs from associating in gangs

Targeting knife crime with powers to stop and search based on "reasonable suspicion" from previous convictions

The ability for police to seize and crush cars driven by those repeatedly driving without registration or insurance, licence or MOT. Instant driving bans could also be imposed ahead of court appearance