View Full Version : Brian Paddick gets top job
Our boy Brian has been appointed new acting deputy assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.
Well done that boy.
Don't really care where in the ranks of pigs he is, as long as he does his job well and speaks up for the little folks
Anna Key
26-11-2003, 09:59
Originally posted by jjf
Don't really care where in the ranks of pigs he is, as long as he does his job well and speaks up for the little folks
I do. Because the promotion appears to send the message to the Daily Mail: fuck you.
It's also slightly sad. It shows Brixton lost - had nicked off it - a good copper.
Mr Retro
26-11-2003, 10:10
Originally posted by Anna Key
I do. Because the promotion appears to send the message to the Daily Mail: fuck you.
It's also slightly sad. It shows Brixton lost - had nicked off it - a good copper.
I totally agree.
Maybe, as a positive, it shows other coppers hoping to move up through the ranks that they can do so by being their own person rather than having follow some agenda.
Innovative, intelligent policing has got it's reward. I'm amazed to be honest.
Streathamite
26-11-2003, 10:15
Originally posted by Anna Key
I do. Because the promotion appears to send the message to the Daily Mail: fuck you.
It's also slightly sad. It shows Brixton lost - had nicked off it - a good copper.
couldn't agree more!
Originally posted by Anna Key
I do. Because the promotion appears to send the message to the Daily Mail: fuck you.
Exactly. And the Sun too. Today it took two of them to pen:
He takes charge of the Met’s territorial policing support unit on December 1 and his responsibitlies will include overseeing riot squad operations. Last night a police source said: “How can the squad be bossed by a man who finds anarchy attractive?”
Last night a Sun source said: "well, anything really, anything from a 'source' is usually made up". But let's go for - Last night a Sun source said: "ug, ug, ug, tits, ug".
Spot on AK. :)
The Guardian has the information that Paddick will receive a slary of between £82,000 and £96,000. Bloody yuppies.
Aren't I in a confrontational mood today.
detective-boy
26-11-2003, 19:11
Originally posted by pooka
Last night a police source said: “How can the squad be bossed by a man who finds anarchy attractive?”
And how can the police be staffed by such f-ing idiots? It's comments like this that make me so glad I left! Why are they so songenitally unable to read the whole context of the comment?
Don't get too excited by the way - it's only an "acting" promotion. The full selection process is yet to come and being selected to act up is no guarantee. Could even be a cynical ploy to prove they have nothing against him when they don't finallly select him. I know this would be a breathtaking example of forward planning by the Met ... but there's always a first time!
Hope I'm wrong though!
BTW Nick, that salary is about right!
Originally posted by Anna Key
It's also slightly sad. It shows Brixton lost - had nicked off it - a good copper.
I think we knew that, AK.
What's interesting about the promotion is that is seems to suggest that the qualities we appreciated are also appreciated by the Met.
(Though see also detective-boy's more worldly comments above.)
Peter Matisse
27-11-2003, 06:46
Congratulations to Brian, well done. It is only an acting position at the moment, as has been said, so lets hope the Met has the sense make it permanent.
Also the Met have said that his new responsibilities have not been decided so as usual it looks as if the Sun has gone off half-cocked. But then probably the Met would say that wouln't they.
I agree that Brian was a loss to the Borough when he went and I guess most of you know what I feel about the manner of his going. But we are still losing good officers, recently a very good senior officer who was very committed to Lambeth was transfered to Hackney. It was not a promotion either.
I think that as Lambeth is so hated and despised as a Borough that anyone who is good at what they do is put elsewhere sooner rather than later. The message that I get from that is the thinking is "they are too good for Lambeth".
As far as I am concerned nothing is too good for Lambeth.:)
Streathamite
27-11-2003, 11:12
Originally posted by Peter Matisse
I think that as Lambeth is so hated and despised as a Borough that anyone who is good at what they do is put elsewhere sooner rather than later. The message that I get from that is the thinking is "they are too good for Lambeth".
As far as I am concerned nothing is too good for Lambeth.:)
I am absolutely in agreement with this. Lambeth has been a whipping-boy for too long.
Brixton Hatter
27-11-2003, 12:33
So what do people think about govt plans for electing the local police body then? WOuld this be useful to Lambeth? Would Brian get voted in if he stood?
(I must say I don't know the detail of the proposals tho..)
Had this in my intray a little earlier on, from the Met's Media Unit:
JOINT STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE MPS AND MPA
Following a number of recent media reports concerning Commander Brian Paddick the MPS and the MPA wish to correct inaccuracies and ensure accurate reporting on this matter in the future.
In March 2002 the Metropolitan Police Authority appointed the Deputy Chief Constable of Humberside to investigate allegations that Commander Paddick had used Class C drugs. The investigation was supervised by the independent Police Complaints Authority. A report was submitted to the CPS and on its advice no charges were brought.
Allegations against ACPO (Association of Chief Police Officers) rank officers within the Metropolitan Police Service are submitted to the Metropolitan Police Authority's ACPO Conduct Sub-committee. On 12th November 2002 the sub-committee decided that no disciplinary proceedings would be instituted. Following feedback to Commander Paddick the MPA has stated the matter is now considered closed.
At no time during this process or at any point in his career in the Metropolitan Police Service has Commander Paddick been suspended from duty.
Commander Paddick also wishes to make clear that contrary to a newspaper report he has never admitted allowing cannabis to be smoked in his flat; the issue of whether he was required or not to inform senior officers that James Renolleau was on bail has never been the subject of any discipline proceedings; that quotes claiming he found the concept of anarchy appealing were taken out of context and he was not rebuked by the MPS on this issue and likewise that claims that he had said that arresting people for using ecstasy was low on his priority list were inaccurate, taken out of context and nor had he been rebuked by the Commissioner about this.
The Commissioner, Sir John Stevens, has publicly expressed his confidence in Commander Paddick and from 1st December 2003 the Authority has approved his temporary promotion to the rank of Deputy Assistant Commissioner. He will have responsibility for Territorial Policing Support, overseeing the Criminal Justice Strategy, modernising operations and monitoring the performance of some Territorial Policing units. His role will not include overseeing the Territorial Support Group often referred to in the media as the Riot Squad.
The language and tenor of that release is telling. Referring to canabbis as "Class C" is current, but wasn't at the time.
"no charges were brought" - at the time, MPA/MPS press releases were "it was not in the public interest to bring charges", leaving a lingering doubt.
The MPA and MPS press office supporting Paddick - who'd have thought it/ Times change, for the better sometimes.
bouncer_the_dog
28-11-2003, 13:56
Todays Littlejohn in the sun refers to the 'extremist website' he posts on . It also includes the phrase 'you couldnt make it up'.
It was a rubbisharticcle about paddick, but passed the time while I waited for my chips.
According to Littlejohn (http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,43-2003550954,00.html)
IT’S come to this. A Baptist minister is taking the Metropolitan Police to court to try to force them to prosecute drugs offenders.
Pastor Eddie Brookes says his parish in Brixton, South London, has been plagued by crime since “Camp Commander” Brian Paddick decided to go soft on cannabis.
Would this be the same Pastor who hosted the Dunkin Doughnut's disastrous "drugs" visit to Brixton?
Pickman's model
28-11-2003, 14:29
ooc, how many threads about this are there? i think this is the fourth i've come across.
:rolleyes:
Originally posted by bouncer_the_dog
Todays Littlejohn in the sun refers to the 'extremist website' he posts on . It also includes the phrase 'you couldnt make it up'.
It was a rubbisharticcle about paddick, but passed the time while I waited for my chips. Ooh, I haven't heard it called that for a while.
I'll add it to the list:
urban75 is...
'anti-globalisation site' (New Statesman)
'a website mainly subscribed to by people who live in Brixton because they value the bohemian liberality of the area' (Indy)
'anarchist group' (BBC Question Time)
'anarchist site' (BBC London)
'anarchist site' (Mail x1000)
'anarchist site' (Sun)
'extremist anarchist site' (Sunday People)
'website about anarchy and drugs' (BBC)
'anarchist-leaning' (BBC)
Brixton-edited street-culture magazine website' (Independent)
'anarchist chatroom' (BBC)
'alternative website' (BBC2)
'site well known for discussions of direct action and anarchism' (Independent)
'agitprop website' (Sun)
'subversive website' (Big Issue)
'website devoted to discussing direct action protests, anarchy and drug issues' (Mirror)
'radical alternative website' (Standard)
'renowned for its coverage of direct-action protests, drugs and anarchism' Standard
"underground site" BBC Radio 5
"community action website" (BBC)
"Lambeth community action" (BBC)
"protest website" (Telegraph)
"one of the leading political discussion and campaigning sites in Britain" (Jeremy Paxman, Newsnight)
" a radical online website" (Guardian)
'a website some regard to be subversive and anarchic' (BBC Radio 4)
"a radical website" (Guardian)
'a website run by anarchists' (The Sun')
''extremist website' (Littlejohn, Sun)
Mr Retro
28-11-2003, 15:19
Originally posted by bouncer_the_dog
Todays Littlejohn in the sun refers to the 'extremist website' he posts on . It also includes the phrase 'you couldnt make it up'.
It was a rubbisharticcle about paddick, but passed the time while I waited for my chips.
It passed time for me while I was sitting on the bog!!!
Under Paddick, the streets of the borough became one huge open-air narcotics market, as dealers and users flooded into the area.
How do you know Rich, have you ever been here?
Orangesanlemons
28-11-2003, 22:48
From today's Guardian Profile of Brian Paddick, by Vikram Dodd:
"blah blah blah... radical website, Urban75.com... blah blah blah...
After news of his promotion this week the website hummed with public debate. One user wrote: 'Don't really care where in the ranks of pigs he is, as long as he does his job well and speaks up for the little folks'.
Another user replied: 'I do. Because the promotion appears to send the message to the Daily Mail: fuck you.'"
Fair play jjf: 6 posts in and you're already being quoted in the broadsheets. :D
Just for the sake of being highly postmodern - here is the thread being quoted in a newspaper, being quoted back onto the thread again... :) (sorry about the excess length but it just had to be done. Also people might want to comment about whether urban75 is being presented and reported accurately, and this makes it a bit easier, BTW I wonder if Vikram Dodd has posted on this thread?)
The Guardian profile: Brian Paddick Vikram Dodd, Friday November 28, 2003, The Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1094992,00.html
The police commander, an openly gay moderniser, was removed from his job amid controversy over his drugs policy. His promotion to a more senior rank this week has surprised both supporters and enemies
Brian Paddick is a rebel in an organisation whose raison d'être is order. The highest ranking openly gay police officer has become a hero for those who believe the police should become more liberal, and a hate figure for traditionalists and homophobes. This week Commander Paddick experienced a Lazarus-like career recovery when he was promoted to be the Metropolitan police's acting deputy assistant commissioner. He is part of the senior leadership of Britain's biggest police force, and now there is talk that he could one day be a chief constable. It is all the more amazing because of last year's professional and personal humiliation. He was moved out of his dream job as commander of the south London borough of Lambeth after a former lover claimed the officer had smoked cannabis. He was later cleared of the most serious claims. What put rocket boosters under the allegations was that Mr Paddick was leading an experiment in Lambeth which encouraged officers to warn those caught with cannabis for personal use, instead of arresting them. Under the pilot scheme police would confiscate the drug, saving hours of an officer's time that would otherwise have been spent on bureaucracy if an arrest were made. Mr Paddick was the public face of the scheme and rightwing tabloids accused him of going soft on drugs, and the fruits of the experiment are still debated. But in Lambeth Mr Paddick was admired in a way few police officers in modern times have been by the public they serve. When he took command, the police were distrusted in the poor borough, which has high crimes rates and is ethnically diverse. At its heart is Brixton, the scene of riots over the past two decades. But Paddick's personal style and openness has not just neutralised critics, it has made them fans. The cannabis scheme was a response to community demands for police to stop chasing kids with small lumps of cannabis, and instead to concentrate on class A drugs that are accompanied by crime.
Paul Amdell, of the Lambeth police consultative committee said: "When he spoke at a meeting in the town hall in Brixton, it was the first time the community gave a senior police officer a standing ovation. He had them rolling around in peels of laughter with the borough commander rather than at the borough commander. He is a warm and friendly person, very human. He builds confidence, people trust him."
As part of his attempt to engage the local community he went on a radical website, Urban75.com, to debate policing. His comments about finding the idea of anarchism attractive angered police chiefs and led the rightwing tabloids to brand him "Commander Crackpot". After news of his promotion this week the website hummed with public debate. One user wrote: "Don't really care where in the ranks of pigs he is, as long as he does his job well and speaks up for the little folks." Another user replied: "I do. Because the promotion appears to send the message to the Daily Mail: fuck you."
If so, the paper is going down screaming. Yesterday the Daily Mail found a Met source who said of the promotion: "This is a good way of keeping Brian quiet. A lot of senior officers are unhappy about this." Mr Amdell says of the backlash: "Anybody who is going to try innovative methods is going to be open to criticism from the more traditional elements." Mr Amdell says he would welcome Mr Paddick's return. "When Brian was forced to leave, we were getting packed halls, there were T-shirts, petitions in pubs - it was phenomenal. There has been nothing like it before or since."
The allegations that led to Mr Paddick's ousting from Lambeth came from his former partner of five years, James Renolleau. Paid £100,000 by the Mail on Sunday, he claimed Mr Paddick had permitted him to smoke cannabis in the flat the couple shared and had flouted Met rules by not telling his bosses that Mr Renolleau was on bail facing criminal charges. Mr Paddick admitted the newspaper's claims, but his vehement denials about allegations that he himself had smoked cannabis were vindicated in November 2002 when he found out that he would not face criminal or disciplinary charges.
In rebuilding his career he had allies, including fellow officers and Ken Livingstone, the mayor of London. Lee Jasper, the mayor's leading adviser on policing and equality, said Mr Paddick was one of the finest officers he has ever met: "He understands the necessity to have a listening ear, and to be genuinely transparent and honest, including at times of crisis." He was too valuable an officer to lose, says Mr Jasper: "Because of his accessibility, his willingness to respond, people began to believe he was really seeking to police by consent, and that endeared him greatly. When he could not do things he would explain why. He trusted the community and they trusted him." Mr Jasper admits that Mr Paddick's honesty and transparency can also be weaknesses. "He's a strongly extrovert character and that can often lead him to speaking without thinking and that can get him into trouble."
Mr Paddick is relaxed enough to laugh at himself and told a gay magazine: "My last staff officer got promoted and went to royalty protection. In his leaving card I wrote, 'Same job, different Queen'." He was not always so comfortable with his sexuality. The son of a plastics salesman and a building society secretary, Mr Paddick was born in south London. During his adolescence he was tormented by his homosexuality and bullied by other children who realised he was gay. He joined the Met at the age of 18 in 1976. He had two failed engagements before getting married which he says he did to cover up his sexuality. He told one interviewer: "I broke off the relationship because it wasn't working and came home very upset. Mum said, 'Oh, what is the matter?' And I rather dramatically placed the engagement ring on the coffee table. And mum said, 'Thank God for that; I thought you were going to tell me you were queer'."' Mr Paddick's former wife shows no bitterness towards him, and at the height of last year's investigation she spoke out in his defence.
Mr Paddick took a break from policing to study politics, philosophy and economics at Oxford. He has a criminology diploma from Cambridge University and even his critics concede that he is bright. As he rose through the ranks he finally came out. It was a decision that came at some cost and Mr Paddick feels his sexuality and views have made him a target for other officers. On the day he was promoted to commander in November 2000 an anonymous note was sent to his bosses claiming he had misused a police vehicle. Another time someone rang a crime hotline with a false tip-off that Mr Paddick had forewarned a gay bar he frequents in London's Soho, about a drugs raid. In an Observer interview last week, Mr Paddick said he had not known whether he could get through his ordeal. "Everything has consequences. You take decisions and live with the consequences. Thankfully, I've been given the constitution to survive the consequences. Many people end up destroyed. But you don't know until it happens to you whether you'll survive or not." There has been talk of Mr Paddick suing the force for its treatment of him and after he was cleared of drug taking he seemed set for a confrontation, saying it was a return to Lambeth or bust. Instead, he settled for a compromise.
Those who have observed Mr Paddick believe he has decided to be less high profile in the hope of being judged on his policing skills instead of being a whipping boy for the traditionalists. Mr Jasper said: "He's thought about the media exposure he had and obviously decided it would be better if he kept radio silence. His recent promotion has probably proved him right. "I think he's a lot wiser because of his experience. It's just apparent he's reflected on his experience and changed his approach. He's more cautious and has been very successful in rescuing his career." Mr Paddick, now 45, is just three years from being able to retire on a full police pension. His promotion to deputy assistant commissioner is temporary, lasting just two months. In January he can apply for the permanent position.
On Urban75 people are rooting for him, one user saying about his promotion: "Innovative, intelligent policing has got it's reward. I'm amazed to be honest."
Mr Paddick is one of those rare police officers who becomes more than just a uniform. He provokes emotion, he really means something to people in Lambeth and to Britain's gay community. Alan Wardle, of the gay rights group Stonewall said: "The fact he is so senior and visible sends out an important message that there are no no-go areas for gay and lesbian people in British society." Mr Paddick will know that alongside admiration for what he has achieved, some of his own colleagues are willing him to fail whatever he does.
Originally posted by bouncer_the_dog
Todays Littlejohn in the sun refers to the 'extremist website' he posts on .Here's the thing: The Sun don't even trust theie own readership by having a forum or any kind of area for discussion. Either they don't have a clue about running a board, they don't trust their readership to post anything decent or they are actually too scared of having apublic discussion of their journalism - probably on the grounds that exposure to criticism would show it up for what it really is.
By all means The Sun and its writers can have their opinions, but could they hold their own in a public debate? Somehow I doubt it.
Pickman's model
29-11-2003, 07:04
staying briefly with the sun, you often here other journalists introduce their political editor, trevor kavanagh, as one of the best-connected people in the media. certainly whenever i've heard him on the tv he's sounded very knowledgeable. i don't think that all their journalists are think as pigshit. just most of them.
Originally posted by Pickman's model
ooc, how many threads about this are there? i think this is the fourth i've come across.
:rolleyes:
Isn't it interesting how different they are?
Maybe because his comments led to much publicity for the site and shit from the Daily Mail.
It is strange how the Brixton forum seems to wholeheartly back Brian!
Why would that be then?
Originally posted by TeeJay
Here's the thing: The Sun don't even trust theie own readership by having a forum or any kind of area for discussion. Either they don't have a clue about running a board, they don't trust their readership to post anything decent or they are actually too scared of having apublic discussion of their journalism - probably on the grounds that exposure to criticism would show it up for what it really is.
By all means The Sun and its writers can have their opinions, but could they hold their own in a public debate? Somehow I doubt it. Hmm - I've reconsidered this comment...
The 3 million plus Sun readership would probably have plenty to say - if they were allowed to by The Sun.
I'm sure The Sun is capable of employing people to run an open forum.
Many of The Sun journalists are no doubt intelligent and good debaters.
I suppose my point is that The Sun wouldn't want people picking their stories to pieces or allowing anyonew to put the other point of view or the other side of the argument. Journalists can be intelligent, know their 'market' and know what line to take - but of course this doesn't make them fair or honest or independent. They wouldn't want *this* side of their journalism exposed for what it is.
Good to see Anna Key quoted in the Gaurdian.
Paxmans very flattering about U75-Ill keep watching Newsnight.
I found Lee Jaspers comments in the Gaurdian article irritating.ie
"I think hes a lot wiser..hes more cautious." and he can "speak without thinking and that can get him into trouble".
If hes has had to be more cautious its because we live in a homophobic right wing country.The implication of Jaspers remarks is that he was niave and has learnt from that.
What Jasper should be objecting to is that someone like Paddick was subject to a character and career assasination.
Interesting to note that, according to this (http://www.mpa.gov.uk/downloads/about-recuit-mpschart.pdf), Paddick unit in Scotland Yard includes Cmdr Bob Broadhurst, Cmdr Simon Foy and Cmdr Brian Moore - all ex-Lambeth. Foy was Paddick's predecessor and Moore his successor.
It would be strange until you consider that only two Boroughs were headed by Commanders - Westminster and Lambeth. This means that anyone who is 'promoted' (or moved sideways) from Lambeth will be fairly senior in the first place. Also they will probably tend to be in a "hands on" role rather than an admin type role, due to their experience. This probably means that they are more likely to end up in a similar place in the diagram.
It's always been the case that only Westminster has that rank - Paddick's posting here was the exception, and the perception was that the use of the Acenture review (which bumped Lambeth back down to a Chief Supt) was in fact a dodge to avoid putting him back (see "18 Sep 2002: Rank manoeuvres afoot", here (http://www.lambeth4paddick.org/html/latest.html)).
Foy and Moore both got promoted after leaving Lambeth; Foy spend the intervening period as Steven's staff officer. Generally, it's common for people in senior positions in any organisation to have had both admin and operational experience, service functions like IT or Finance aside.
I wasn't meaning that there was anything strange or sinister in them all ending up in the same unit, just worthy of note. Hopefully their experience in Lambeth will bring a particular perspective to their work.
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