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Police power to name and shame
Date published: 04 December 2009
Greater Manchester Police will be allowed to name and shame criminals on the internet — but only for a month, under new guidance from the Ministry of Justice.
The force says it is leading the way in naming and shaming local criminals that have been brought to justice.
Posters and leaflets with the offender’s photograph, the offence including burglary and vehicle crime and details of their sentence are being displayed in the local communities to show how they are being brought to justice. But the new guidance says officers must have specific reasons for publishing pictures, and police and council officers should take into account the affect it will have on offenders’ families.
Greater Manchester Police says the initial feedback to its naming and shaming campaign has been encouraging.
Assistant Chief Constable Terry Sweeney said: “People in Greater Manchester want to know what happens to the offenders who are plaguing their communities.
“We recently produced posters of two convicted killers showing the ageing process they’ll go through behind bars.
“This had an extremely positive impact. Criminals across Greater Manchester should be warned that they could end up being named and shamed within their own community.”
To find out more and have a say about how your local area is being policed visit the website at gmp.police.uk/neighbour hoodpolicing.
Alternatively, call 0161-872 5050 for details about Neighbourhood Policing Teams.
Comments
Stardom created by the idiots that are supposed to protect us, when will they learn or do they want to? After all it keeps them in work...... And who pays
Why should they worry about the effect on the offenders' families? The offender never worried about it when committing the crimes. How many of these families were happy to benefit from those crimes i.e. a few extra pounds stolen from a purse or a nice new telly? Name and shame them & not just for a month & not just on the internet. Stick posters up around the borough.
This is not a new idea, all the names of people who had appeared in the local court where printed in the papers before all this PC rubbish came in to effect.We know less now than we ever did.Get them locked up and make it for a long spell, never mind naming and shaming.It wont make one bit of difference.
Will this include photos & details of offences & sentencing of the increasing number of police officers, convicted of crimes in the region? Oh no! silly me! They have no shame about being named & will keep their jobs.
I would definitely not hesitate about naming and shaming, especially persistent offenders. I would put up a rogues gallery in town square and spindles, at supermarkets, and places where they are going to be seen. The trouble is, most of these people are so hard faced, it probably wouldn't even bother them. I can just see them proudly showing the pics off to their mates while they congregate around town. There are just too many low lifes in today's society. They would steal off their own gran.
Have Your Say
Another 'destined to fail' initiative instead of the old, effective, swift cuff round the earhole from a friendly neighbourhood bobby.
My guess is, that when the 'named and shamed' reach poster status, they'll already have a record as long as the bill poster's brush.
By A G H @ 04/12/2009 14:28:32