So what do the police have to do with the tabloid cell phone hacking? Were they actually involved in the process or just looking the other way? I’m having a hard time understanding this story.
Yes, it seems silly to Americans. I think this is a British ‘scandal’ that is a total enigma..............
They were involved in having a fake investigation of News International because of corruption and a too cozy relationship with that group.
Even the Prime Minister was involved by having a spokesman recommended by Rupert Murdoch.
The direct allegations against the police are that some police officers took bribes from News International (UK subsidiary of News Corporation) journalists for information about celebrities, politicians, members of the royal family etc. This could have an effect in the United States because it would appear to be in breach of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which makes it an offense for American companies, as News Corp. is, to bribe foreign officials.
The police are also accused of incompetence by not properly investigating the allegations in 2007 and 2009, either by not taking the allegations seriously enough, which in hindsight was a big mistake, or as you say, looking the other way hoping it would drop off the radar as an issue.