Monday, September 05, 2011

Dropped

The police have dropped charges against singer Tiki Taane. Good. But the fact that he was arrested in the first place (for singing "fuck the police" in public) is a disgrace. It reveals a persecutorial mindset among police, and a willingness to abuse their powers to punish perceived slights against their "authority" and reputation, rather than actual crime.

Police Association President Greg O'Connor likes to complain about public disrespect of police. Here's a hint: the respect we hold them in depends directly on their behaviour. If they want to raise that opinion, they could stop abusing their powers like this (or like this). If they don't do that, and the public continues to hold them in contempt as a result, they have no-one to blame but themselves.