Britain’s new secret police

I have reservations about the new police force which has begun operations in Britain. The Serious Organised Crime Agency will not actually be a police force, Its members will not be constables but agents. SOCA Agents working directly for the home office minister, can direct other law enforcement agencies or commandeer their facilities, they will exercise any of the powers of police, customs officers, revenue inspectors or immigration officials, they will have the power to demand information from a vast variety of sources without judicial warrant, under statutes ranging from the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 to the Identity Cards Act 2006, and pass it on to whomsoever they choose. Yet they will not have to take the oath which every other police office must and will not bound by their rigorous code of impartiality and confidentiality.

What this government have set up with SOCA is nothing less than secret police force, with powers that are greater than any other government agency in the country, reporting directly to the home sectary of the day, and which is accountable only to the holder of that post.

Smaizdata has a post, from which I nicked all the above information

Say hello to Britain’s new secret police

I was rather tickled by a comment:

On the bright side, the fact they haven’t sworn or signed an oath is an affirmative defense for shooting them, as you can argue that they are “impersonating a law enforcement officer”.

Another avenue you can take is something that’s been done with some success in various areas of the US: get one of your folks elected sheriff, and have him arrest any one of these fake cop. Here the sheriff requires all federal officials claiming police powers to register and be deputized for the specific task they wish to perform in his jurisdiction. If they don’t comply, they can be arrested for impersonating a law enforcement officer.

Posted by Mike Lorrey

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Filed under : We used to live in a Democracy
By Ken
On April 4, 2006
At 11:51 am
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