The secret Policeman.

[outlandish]

The BBC screened this documentary last night inwhich an undercover BBC journalist enroled in the Bruche Police training college to expose the deeply ingrained racist attitudes of new recruits to the Police Force:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/race/story/0,11374,1068291,00.html

The British Police Force is still reeling from the Macpherson report which condemed the Police Force, especially the London Met as being "Institutionally racist", in the wake of the Stephen Laurence murder enquiry:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lawrence/Story/0,2763,941201,00.html

The two links above provide the foundations of my thread, however I do not wish to get dragged specifically into racism within the Police Force. Rather, I would like to examine the issue of racism exhibited by Police officers in the wider context of racism, and racist beliefs within society as a whole.
The issue of racism is being debated and reported within the context of the Police force:

- The Police Force has always had an intrenched racist attitude.
- Race relations in Britain have always been the bane of the public perception of the Police.
-What can the Police do address the issues of racist attitudes held by many of it's officers?
-What can the police do to attract more officer from ethnic minorities?

The problem regarding racism has always been debated within the above parameters ie: within the context of the police/Military etc. As such I feel and always have felt that debating the issues only within the context of the Police force detracts away from the real issue of racism within British society, and furthermore I feel politicians have deliberately kept the debate to within the confines of the police force to take our atention away from the more disturbing fact: Britain is institutionally racist

Does a racist Police officer "switch" off his racism when he takes off his uniform and goes home to his wife and kids? No

 

[SpyMoose]

I'm going to propose that any observant police force will be inherently racist unless it functions in an equalitarian society, which to my knowledge does not exist anywhere. In any society there will be a race that is not perceived as native, or equal to the other race or races that inhabit the society. This race will have a hard time ever lifting itself to a high station, and will remain lower class until there is some kind of social upheaval. Observant police forces will notice that they spend most of their time picking up members of this race. This will be do to the observation that the poor commit more crimes (this is not necessarily true, the poor are merely the social stratum who can raise the least objections if legal enforcement is leveled against them. Higher class criminals can cause problems for police which is why the rich can get away with pretty much anything short of murder). In short a police department will notice it is taking in more members of one race than another and begin to believe there is a correlation between race and criminal activity, when the real correlation is between race and social status.

Note (written 5 minuets after the fact): Wow thats got to be the most liberal thing I've ever written, I'm not sure I really believe it.

 

[outlandish]

just a couple of points to pick up on...

Firstly I must point out that the program was made in England, and hence depicted the state of racism, cultural perceptions/stereotypes specific to English society.

I'm going to propose that any observant police force will be inherently racist unless it functions in an equalitarian society

my point was to discuss the issue of racism within society and not within the context of the police, since such a discussion only serves to detract from the more wider perspective. However yes I agree with your point to a certain extent, in that a non egalitarian society will be reflected as such within the police force. However when you start to discuss society with regards to egalitarianism then all factors must be considered, social background, education, class, etc and not just race.

This race will have a hard time ever lifting itself to a high station, and will remain lower class until there is some kind of social upheaval

very big fallacy, and misconception. You equate:
Non white race with Lower class
A study of the demographics of Britain will show lower classes are represented by all races, and in fact the largest segment of lower class people are white caucasian.
"class" and "material satus, earnings etc" doesn't come into the argument which I outlined. The Police officers caught exhibiting racist attitudes towards Black and Asians (Pakistani/Indian) did so irrespective of class.
Check out Britain's wealthiest people list, and have a look at the numbers of Indians/Pakistanis in that list.

 

[Vienna]

For the life of me, I can't see where the 'news' is in discovering that some rank and file police officers are ignorant racists.

Pick a profession, any profession. Lawyers, journalists, bus drivers, plumbers - we won't even mention the dole queue - firemen, shopworkers. They each have individuals whose pet hates include people.

They might be Asian, they might be black - or Catholics, Jews, Irish, you name it.
Where do you stop? You don't, because in every walk of life there are people who have prejudices. And there's no cure for it that I've ever heard of.

What's important is that there are rules and systems to protect the wider public whatever its colour or religion from suffering the effects of those prejudices.
And the police, of all organisations, have those safeuguards up to the brim. It's why these morons will get what they rightly deserve.

But will people like them still slip through that net? Of course. But maybe not as many as there are race crimes which go uninvestigated because police force bosses are scared stiff of upsetting the racial applecart.

This was neither a ground-breaking programming or good journalism. Excuse me while I re-start my campaign to abolish the BBC license fee.

 

[outlandish]

I take it you saw the documentary then?

 

[and2000x]

Racism scares those who feel the world should bend to their selfish social norm. 50 years ago it was socially acceptable to yell racial slurs on TV and openly call someone a 'negro'. Race equality was at once taboo, now it is the opposite. Talk about an Orwellian scenario.

While I considered the behavior of the officers to be crass and intolerant, I found this particular story to be nothing more then sensationalism, to rub eqalitarianism in people's faces. I don't know what's more pathetic: the officers or the reporters.

 

[outlandish]

Racism scares those who feel the world should bend to their selfish social norm.

spoken like a true white man.

. 50 years ago it was socially acceptable to yell racial slurs on TV and openly call someone a 'negro'.

socially acepetable?????!!!
so was:
-Burning women who were thought to be witches.
-Pedophila (in some societies)

which societies? What era? Get real.
Apeal to common practice fallacy Alert!!! Just because X is common, therefore X is morally/ethically justified.

I don't know what's more pathetic: the officers or the reporters.

..no, it's people with attitudes like your who are truly pathetic.