Ben Brown

Politics, Software, Renewables, Cricket, NFFC, not necessarily in that order. Confidence can exceed competence.

[Ben Brown @benbrownuk]

@thinkdefence Tories reduced spending on defence. Labour are increasing it. Pretending otherwise is just cope.

[Ben Brown @benbrownuk]

@radioactivered Uraniyummy.

[Ben Brown @benbrownuk]

@AlanBrown76ix5 @SAshworthHayes @andrew_lilico Yes dont disagree with any of that. We must use this to improve police response and training generally. But the way the right are going after the individual officers including death threats, is wrong and must be stopped.

[Ben Brown @benbrownuk]

@AlanBrown76ix5 @SAshworthHayes @andrew_lilico We're going round the houses. They acted on the basis of the info they got from the despatcher. It was bad info. Should they have overridden it? Yes probably, certainly with hindsight. Would any of us have done so in the dark, in our 8th fight of the night?
I'm not sure.

[Ben Brown @benbrownuk]

@AlanBrown76ix5 @SAshworthHayes @andrew_lilico I'm reporting what was said on the call. You want me to pretend it wasn't said?

[Ben Brown @benbrownuk]

@AlanBrown76ix5 @SAshworthHayes @andrew_lilico I don't think it's possible to have a protocol for every scenario. I understand why the first instinct of police is to handcuff the violent guy based on the info they have. You don't have to have many knives pulled on you or drunken punches thrown to be over careful.

[Ben Brown @benbrownuk]

@SAshworthHayes @AlanBrown76ix5 @andrew_lilico That was after they arrived as far as I read. Not on the call.

[Ben Brown @benbrownuk]

@AlanBrown76ix5 @SAshworthHayes @andrew_lilico Not on the call. That was afterwards. The info they got from despatch was that a drunk racist white guy was attacking Sikhs.

[Ben Brown @benbrownuk]

@AlanBrown76ix5 @SAshworthHayes @andrew_lilico No, they said he attacked them. They didn't mention him knocking their turban off.

[Ben Brown @benbrownuk]

@AlanBrown76ix5 @SAshworthHayes @andrew_lilico Is that what the attending police were told?

[Ben Brown @benbrownuk]

@AlanBrown76ix5 @SAshworthHayes @andrew_lilico And if the Golders Green attacker asks for medical attention are you going to follow that protocol or subdue/cuff him first?
Point being that there is no protocol that will cover the complex and dangerous situations police face.

[Ben Brown @benbrownuk]

@AlanBrown76ix5 @SAshworthHayes @andrew_lilico I think it's easy to say looking back with hindsight. And as I've said it sounds like a big mistake. But would you be 100% confident he wasn't going to wake up/attack/stab you as the attending officer? They secure the scene/protect themselves as the initial top priority.

[Ben Brown @benbrownuk]

@AlanBrown76ix5 @SAshworthHayes @andrew_lilico We've covered this. The despatcher told them a Sikh guy had been attacked as that was the (false) report. That was the default position.

[Ben Brown @benbrownuk]

@AlanBrown76ix5 @SAshworthHayes @andrew_lilico I've told you what the SOP is. Obviously it shouldn't have been applied in this case, seems like a significant mistake. But I'm glad I'm not the one who has to turn up to 10 drunken fights in the dark every night, keep the peace, keep yourself safe and never make a mistake.

[Ben Brown @benbrownuk]

@AlanBrown76ix5 @SAshworthHayes @andrew_lilico Yes, if they think someone is drunk and has attacked someone then SOP is to cuff them before they investigate. Obviously was a pretty serious mistake in this case.

[Ben Brown @benbrownuk]

@AlanBrown76ix5 @SAshworthHayes @andrew_lilico I think the police tend to presume that the despatch report they've been given is the truth until the investigation shows otherwise. Because 99.9% of the time that is the case, criminals don't tend to call the police.

[Ben Brown @benbrownuk]

@Anniepop2027 @BenInRushcliffe You think he should lie? Clearly he is running for the seat so he can challenge Starmer. Everyone knows it, would be dishonest for him to claim otherwise.

[Ben Brown @benbrownuk]

@commontruth_ @SAshworthHayes @andrew_lilico No, you said you didn't care if people sent death threats. That was the whole problem. If you are changing your mind now then good for you.

[Ben Brown @benbrownuk]

@SarahFlana39375 @higgyboson @elonmusk If a terrorist was shooting up a UK school and the police waited outside of it for an hour before they went in how would you respond? Would be far worse than this case where they took a couple of minutes to figure out the situation.

[Ben Brown @benbrownuk]

@commontruth_ @SAshworthHayes @andrew_lilico You want his name out so you can do the mob justice and death threats. It would be criminal to release them after what happened to the other policeman who wasnt involved.