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.

[Flavius]

Actually that was mean, sorry dude really did not mean any harm...

And yes your right about the grammar and composition working on it...

Peace

[Norse]

and kick out the pakis

[coloradan]

Since the last time America sent guns over there to protect property (from a threatened Nazi invasion that never came) and the guns ended up in the bottom of the ocean despite promises they would be returned, all I can muster the will to send them is a bunch of "this is a gun-free home" window stickers. Maybe that will help.

[blackbart.223]

You need to be a little more clear on your intent. Are you for gun control or against it?I am in favor of The Second Amendment and I believe in armed citizens.

Where do you stand on this?

[blackbart.223]

"Since the last time America sent guns over there to protect property (from a threatened Nazi invasion that never came) and the guns ended up in the bottom of the ocean despite promises they would be returned, all I can muster the will to send them is a bunch of "this is a gun-free home" window stickers. Maybe that will help.

At the very least it would be appropriate.

[Cdnexpat]

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


Or cell phones or cars or vcrs or...

[coloradan]

Maybe there's a "This is a gun-free country" sticker ... to strike fear into criminals and invaders alike.

[11B3]

The people in England mostly live in flats. That means there are lots of neighbors, and lots of folks on the sidewalk. Seems as though someone - anyone - would've noticed the perps removing the items from his flat.

But they keep quiet due to fears of retaliation, since even if the perps were locked up, it would only be for a short time. England definitely needs to allow private ownership of guns, but they also need to take a hard look at their judicial system and its' slant towards the criminals rather than the rest of the "subjects". The Islamists among them aren't helping either, I'd bet.

We have a different mindset here in the US about firearms - they are a part of our psyche, and it would take a long time indeed for any Euroweenie nation to grow the cajones to allow their subjects to be armed like we are. Too bad, but they reap what they sow.

[Flavius]

Let’s just say that
The First Amendment is not of much use if it cant be backed up by The Second.

And I’m quite certain it was not meant to be for protection of wildlife management ex: Hunting Ducks, and Deer.

[blackbart.223]

"Maybe there's a "This is a gun-free country" sticker ... to strike fear into criminals and invaders alike."

While such a sticker doesn't exist the attitude does in most European countrys. And when they get their asses in trouble they call us, with our guns, to spill our blood and bail them out. France comes to mind.

[cmotormac44]

bb223 you are a man after my own heart----when the fools in England (and the ones in our USA) finally understand that there are evil people in this world, maybe, just maybe, we will get crime under some control---of course it pays off for the legal profession and govt. hacks (some politicians included) who get paid bigtime for making believe they are 'protecting' the citizenry---"an armed society is a polite society" and most of the time no one has to be shot to prove it--

[turk99]

More guns = less crime.

[Smile-n-Win]

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.

The local unemployed no go into house if they think owner with gun maybe home.

[Flavius]

That was awsome...

Pretty funny ...

Peace

[Flavius]

... awesome...

Dam...

[junta]

All I got to say is, "Celebrate Diversity."

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

So if they had the US /GB cold steel handgun, semi automatic rifles, shotguns, at home, and they were stolen too.

That is why you buy a gun safe. Granted they can be cracked but the vast majority of thieves will not want to risk the time or noise. And they have to worry about the owner coming home carrying the one that isn't in the safe or that they miscalculated and the armed owner was actually home...

They might decide to do something easier. Like get a job.

[Smile-n-Win]

What do you think of my argument, though? That the criminals will think twice before entering your home if there is a possibility that they may be greeted with bullets?

[Flavius]

Well as another person said, they dont know who is home and armed...

So being armed is better then not having firearms thats just the way it is...

So im with you..
peace

[Smile-n-Win]

I guess I underestimated you a bit based on your original post. I see you can be reasoned with.