generalspeaking

Fecklessly Hopeless

Police forces in Great Britain famously did not carry lethal weapons. They carried truncheons and they knew how to use them. Now, it would appear, when they are faced with the threat of a psychopath who has already murdered and wounded and has promised to kill any officers of the law that confront him in their search to apprehend him and ensure public safety - let alone their own collective safety - they are issued high-powered rifles and suddenly have no idea how to comport themselves.

They have this murderer who is purportedly a martial arts instructor - a former night-club bouncer, a man who was recently released from prison after being sentenced on an assault charge, and who in an obvious jealous fit of rage murdered his past-girlfriend's new boyfriend, wounded her, then shot and wounded an unarmed police officer, while a fugitive hunted by the police - surrounded in a rural setting in a small country village.

Surrounded as he is by numberless heavily armed police snipers encircling the area where psychopathic bodybuilder Raoul Moat has fled; he is under siege. Standing beside a river, cut off from any escape route because he is solidly hemmed in; river on one side, road and assembled police on the other. They are there, the assembled police, weapons at the ready, and opposite them, the murderer.

Raoul Moat was reported to be sitting on the greensward "shouting and sounding agitated". Doubtless he would be doing that. A nearby police negotiator backed up by the surrounding armed police, one officer with a Taser stun gun, speaking to him from a close and safe distance. This man successfully eluded police for seven days. He has stated in a note that he has no intention to stop killing "till I'm dead".

What is the problem here? This is an obviously unrepentant murderer. He has taken one life, severely wounded two other people, and is promising to take more lives, given the opportunity. Why are the police not moving in and arresting him? Aiming the Taser at the very least and started with that, then moving on to additional resources, if required.

Well, it appears that this man has presented the police with a moral dilemma. Threatening to kill himself with a sawed-off shotgun which he holds, pointing it directly at himself. Move in to arrest the man and he will shoot himself, likely fatally. Or so he threatens. Saving the justice system a great deal of fuss, and the taxpayer unneeded expenses.

What is the problem here? His entitled right to a fair trial and a justice handing down a sentence? His initial choice of his own free will was to murder and to terrorize. His second choice has been to threaten the police who surrounded him with his own death by his own hand. And that would never do.

This does not, evidently serve the course of justice. Justice must be wringing her hands in agitated irritation at the course of human affairs interfering with her mission.

Labels: Britain, Heroes and Villains, Human Fallibility, Human Relations

posted by Pieface @ Sunday, July 11, 2010