British take U.S. cues as violent crime rises, calls in American for help

IHT ^ | 10/04/03 | Lizette Alvarez NYT

[Pikamax]

British take U.S. cues as violent crime rises Lizette Alvarez NYT Saturday, October 4, 2003

MANCHESTER, England Michael Todd, the new police chief in this northern hub, knew something was amiss the moment he arrived home. Where was his Sony Playstation? His television set? His new stereo equipment?

Not two months into his job as the city's chief constable, he had suffered a burglary, a random crime in a random apartment. It would have been funny, Todd said, a year later, if it had not so perfectly captured the frustration of the city's residents and the uphill task he faced in a city widely known as "Gunchester."

"I can't repeat what my reaction was to the burglary," Todd said with a toothy grin. "But it was surrealistic explaining to the officers, well, 'They took my James Bond DVDs and my Sony Playstation.'"

Todd's challenge at the helm of the Greater Manchester Police Department is not unlike the task confronting police chiefs across Britain, who are being asked to modernize their forces and take their community policing cues from Boston and New York.

Although overall crime has dropped slightly in recent years, Britain's major cities have seen an alarming jump in gun-related and violent crime. Gang warfare, drive-by shootings, crack dealing and the like, crimes that once were the exclusive staples of American urban street life, have encroached on everyday life here. Assaults, robberies and carjackings have grown steadily, too.

[Monty22]

Here's my answer: LEGALIZE GUNS

[OldFriend]

Gun grabbing laws ensure that only the criminals have guns.

[Agnes Heep]

Oh, certainly not. Give the criminals a big hug and tell them it's gonna be okay.

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[Reaganwuzthebest]

How about a Second Amendment? Works for us.

[Arpege92]

"Here's my answer: LEGALIZE GUNS"

Either that or just don't buy playstations, televisions or stereo equipment. ;-}

[McGavin999]

You'll notice that the highest crime rates were in cities with the strictest gun laws. That should be the Brits first clue.

Iraq is already benefiting from Kerick going over there and teaching the Iraqis how to fight crime. Funny, everyone calls us cowboys, but when in trouble they call the cowboys first.

[SandRat]

....gun-related and violent crime. Gang warfare, drive-by shootings, ...

But - but - but - I thought that since all guns were banned and made illegal by the liberals that none of this could happen ever again?

It has to be wrong that this could happen in a gun free country; at least that's what the liberals told us.{/sarcasm}

Remember an armed man is both citizen and protector while an unarmed man is both a victim and a subject.

[BenLurkin]

Here's some American help. I suggest handing them out to the upstanding citizens in the community:

[dagnabbit]

Gang warfare, drive-by shootings, crack dealing and the like, crimes that once were the exclusive staples of American urban street life, have encroached on everyday life here. Assaults, robberies and carjackings have grown steadily, too.

You are what you immigrate.

These crimes are no more evenly distributed among "communities" in Britain than they are in the USA.

[SandRat]

I think he may be making a flight soon on special duty!

[Frank_2001]

Call in these two Americans: Mr. Smith and Mr. Wesson!

[McGavin999]

Ah yes, one city, one ranger. Sounds about right to me. :o)

[Flavius]

Stupid question,

Seem everyone is donating firearms...

The dude chief was not home while the local unemployed helped themselves to his stuff.

So if they had the US /GB cold steel handgun, semi automatic rifles, shotguns, at home, and they were stolen too. Then what, I guess you buy more guns and keep supplying the local criminal element with fine tools.
Well on the otherhand if enough firearms were stolen from homeowners, they would possibly drive down the black market and thus put them out of business. That would be good.

Some possible ideas create multiple security. Local network security powered by hidden electronic surveillance systems. Brits love those anyway…
Then install an ADT type 3rd party system with battery backup. Also install, Internet cameras where your video cell phone would call you, as soon there is the disturbance in the force.

If all the electronic systems fail as they often do, then the last form of unemployed/immigrant (yes off course the criminal immigrant/unemployed element working closely with domesticated one) etc deterrent would be a by pair of politically incorrect Rottweilers with a mean streak…(you need at least 2 in case the perp is armed and a bad shot, he may nick one and pi.s it off and the other one may have a chance to clamp down) Off course they would cause you to be called an irresponsible person for endangering the lives of all the neighbors and everything that can be eaten by Rots. Not to mention your homeowners insurance would be flying through the roof…

Oh last one, maybe install some illegal booby traps that if used would certainly give you long jail time...
Another thing fast forwarding to armed nation, Iraq is pretty much armed now so how do you distinguish from people sitting on top of their stores defending from riff raff and maniacs roaming the streets…

Go at it...

[1066AD]

Exactly. I saw an article not long ago saying that a large proportion (if not a majority) of burglaries in UK are now more like home invasions in that the perps do it when the owners are home so they can be intimidated into disclosing hiding places. Rural living retired folk are increasingly at risk. The crooks know the homeowners are effectively defenceless, and that if they put up a spirited defence they could even be prosecuted or sued by the crooks.
I grew up in UK and since coming to the US I was ambivalent on personal gun ownership issues for many years. No more, it's essential (still don't have one tho' (yet) !)

[blackbart.223]

You need to go back to school and study composition and possibly the use of the english language. Once you have accomplished that, Call back.

[Flavius]

Anger management?

[blackbart.223]

"Anger management?"

You seem to be the one in need of that. I'm quite content with my life.

[Flavius]

Drugs?