Government cuts to police funding could prove to be detrimental on society. The lack of access to help and support from the police can lead to further crimes and unrest in society.
A law lecturer at SOAS University of London is campaigning against the closure of public counters at police stations in Britain after he suffered atrocious injuries during a raid by thugs at home in 2014.
The 58-year-old lecturer, Paul Kohler, 58, attempts to raise £5,000 in order to commence a legal challenge against the alleged “unlawful” decision by the Mayor of London of closing public access to police stations, as well as selling off police buildings and claiming the cuts are essential as the savings are needed to protect the jobs of frontline staff.
Kohler believes his life was saved because police officers arrived from the local police station within 8 minutes of receiving a 999 call from his daughter who had been hiding upstairs during the ordeal. He suffered a broken nose, hand and a fractured eye socket. The 4 perpetrators, aged between 13 and 19 were later jailed.
In November, Sadiq Khan announced the closure of front counters at 37 police stations across London, including the police station closest to Kohler's home, in Wimbledon, Southwest London which has allegedly been tagged as for sales to developers.
Paul Kohler expressed, “I do not doubt that Sadiq Khan has a problem because £1 billion has been cut from the police budget. But he has provided no analysis and no evidence to support the closures. I want him to stop making assertions and assumptions and make a proper consideration of police needs for the future or he could be making a terrible mistake.”
Having local police stations open can help tackle crimes at a faster rate, helping victims getting help much faster.
Liam Allan
While on one side, we have members from the police force who fight tooth and nail in preventing crimes and helping victims, on the other side, there have been allegations against the police regarding certain cases. The recent revelations in the case of a student, Liam Allan, who was falsely accused of rape, it has emerged that the police failed to hand over text messages from the alleged victim that could have instantly proven him innocent. Instead, the 22-year-old had to spend nearly two years on bail and was put on trial for twelve counts of sexual violence.
It has been revealed that the alleged victim who accused Liam Allan of rape had allegedly sent text messages to friends stating how upset she was that Allan will not be able to see her again, while also describing her obsession with sex and talking about her sexual fantasies of being raped. In reference to the accused, she had written, “it wasn't against my will”.
The defence team had repeatedly asked the police for the complainant's telephone records. The police declined the request as, according to the opinions of detectives, there was nothing of interest to either the prosecution or defence. However, a new prosecutor, who took over the case before the trial, finally agreed to the request for the defence lawyer to see the telephone records of the victim and hence, the case was immediately dropped.
Liam Allan suffered immensely in the last two years during the ordeal of being on bail. He stated, “I felt completely isolated at every stage of the process. I feel betrayed by the system which I had believed would do the right thing.” Consequently, Allan now intends to sue the police as well as the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
Isaac Itiary
Another revelation has emerged that the police had failed to disclose crucial evidence in another rape case. 25-year-old Isaac Itiary had been charged with the rape of a child, however the case was dismissed after it was revealed that important information from the alleged victim's phone was not shared and analysed by the defence and prosecuting lawyers.
A common factor between the two cases, apart from them both being accused of rape, Detective Constable Mark Azariah, 37, had worked on both of these cases. These two cases have prompted senior officers from Scotland Yard to launch a review on every live rape case that is currently being investigated by the police force. Mark Azariah has been removed from duty following the collapse of these two rape cases.
The Tory MP, Nigel Evans, who was cleared of rape charges after a controversial investigation and prosecution has accused the police force for making these basic faults. He said, “There has been an absolute systematic failure in the disclosure of evidence that might result in people not being charged... it is putting people through a mental torture, it is a colossal admission of failure... I have a suspicion there is a desire to ensure that the number of convictions increases.”
The Justice Secretary, David Lidington has also said that the prosecutors and police should not be chasing targets in sex abuse investigations. He also expressed that rape suspects should be granted anonymity until convicted.
Corruption allegations
Amid the controversy of these two rape cases, the police force are facing further allegations, including corruption claims. An associate of the alleged gangster Paul Massey told The Times newspaper about the police receiving bribes. Paul Massey was murdered two years ago. His former associate revealed to The Times newspaper, “Nobody wants to admit it. It was officers, left right and centre. Big A4-size brown envelopes full of money. It was running into the tens of thousands.”
Failure in protect children
Furthermore, a damning report 12 years ago revealed that Scotland Yard is allegedly the worse at helping children at risk of sexual exploitation and rape.
According to fresh assessment by the police watchdog delivered a month ago, Britain's biggest police force had failed to adequately handle 90% of the child protection cases.
The Metropolitan Police has been criticised for police officers' poor attitudes dealing with missing children, delays of up to three days in responding to such cases, as well as failures to record the concerns of children and the lack of intense investigation.
Shayab Miah
A British Muslim man from Southampton, Shayab Miah won the right to challenge the secret intelligence used against him after he claimed he was discriminated against after being stopped and questioned by police under terrorism laws.
In August 2009, Shayab Miah was stopped and detained for an hour at London Heathrow Airport by counter-terrorism police after returning from India. He was later released without further action, and complained to the Metropolitan Police, stating that his detention was not a random stop, but was motivated by religious discrimination. It was only after he made a complain that it emerged the security services had placed “tab” on his passport, which would be activated whenever he left or entered the UK. However, the police refused to say on which basis Shayab Miah was being targeted.
Miah further appealed to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) who backed the Metropolitan Police's original rejection of his complaint. However, three judges from the Court of Appeal recently ordered the IPCC and the police to consider the complaint again by taking full account of all the secret intelligence in Miah's case.
Supporting our Police Force
The Government's decision to make cuts in in the police force has undoubtedly been detrimental, putting a lot of pressure on the police while they try to combat crime across the country. The five incidents named, although very unfortunate, should not make one lose faith in the police as they are doing the best that they can in trying to provide justice to the general public regardless of staff shortages, financial cuts, as well as closures of local police stations. One may be dissuaded after reading about such incidents, but we must also bear in mind that had it not been for the local police, Paul Kohler may have not survived from his horrific ordeal, and justice may have not availed if the police had not arrived on time, saving Kohler and nabbing the perpetrators.
Undoubtedly, a majority of the general public can walk down the street without any fear, all thanks to the great work of the Metropolitan Police, who make us feel safe. Amid the recent crimes in London, including the four killings on New year's Eve, one would hope that the Government revokes its decision on further cuts in the police force.
