Lambeth LBGT Police forum

[drfranni]

Did anyone else go to the first meeting? It was a laugh, especially Keith Paddick talking about coming out - I know that there is a great deal of hostility to the police and some of it very well-founded but I would rather have the Lambeth police than some others I can think of.

Anyway... there are now "elections" to the steering committee and, because I am sad and have no life, I am considering standing, so if any of you turn up to the next meeting, please can you vote for me

Ta

If it weren't for the fact I'm neither a Lambethonian nor L or B or G ot T, I'd definitely vote for you cause you sound sorted. Good luck, let us know how it goes, eh?

Do you have to be a resident to vote? I would vote for you as I like your sense of humour...

Shock horror! U75 poster seeks to seize control of an entire borough's police force!

Maybe we could sponsor the Lambeth Old Bill - they could have Urban75 logos on their patrol cars.

So - seeing as we could be on the threshold of an imminent takeover of the Met, what would your crime-fighting priorities be?

[hatboy]

I might go to this - being both gay and a Lambeth resident. When is the next meeting DrFranni? (Isn't it Brian Paddick, I think he's alright btw).

[drfranni]

HB - you are, of course, right - it is Brian, not Keith - why do I keep saying "Keith"? The next meeting is 6th December - did you not come to the last one? - I found it very mysterious. There were about 100 ish people - very wide spectrum of queers and loads of police - 99% (at a guess) queer as fuck.

So there are some speakers and then BRIAN Paddick gets up and gives a short but to the point speech and then some "victims I prepared ealier" gave very interesting and upsetting talks about their experience of hate crime and then the audience spoke - 95% of whom say "our police are wonderful" including the bloke that runs The Hoist.

Then BP said that he thought it was risky for a senior policeman to be openly gay but a year ago he though "fuck it" and came out. And then he put his hand on his hip, pursed his lips and said "Apparently everybody knew anyway"

I asked him if, in view of his policy on the cannabis laws, whether the same view was taken on the gross indecency law and he behaved as if I was trying to fart in his locker - he got very cross and said there hadn't been a prosecution in London for 5 years and if any policeman in his authority arrested someone who was cottaging they would "have me to answer to"

And on my way out a very straight looking DI jumped on me and asked if I was having any "trouble in that department" (Difficult to see how as I'm a woman and the law doesn't apply) and when I explained that I knew people how had he gave me his card and said "Ring me and I'll sort it out with the local lads"

Oh, the other funny thing was Paddick talking about Hendon. He said that it is now SO open and supportive that they can't cope with the number of recruits that come out as soon as they arrive.

I reckon it's the uniform

BTW - is this the same Paddick that said to a House of Commons select committee that him chasing recreational E and coke users was a waste of time when he had crack and smack to deal with?

<Looks up Guardian website>

Yes it is - nice one!

"Commander Brian Paddick, who is in charge of the Lambeth cannabis experiment, told an all-party MPs' inquiry into reform of the drugs laws that as far as he was concerned any of his officers who went into nightclubs looking for people in possession of ecstasy were simply wasting valuable police resources."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/st...602916,00.html

Drfranni you crack me up so much I would definately vote for you...

[drfranni]

Thank you, thank you- you too TC

And indeed, young Mr Paddick, what a joker he is

[Tank Girl]

Drfranni you'd get my vote too, you're a star

[drfranni]

I'm truly 'onored and 'umble and, if elected, promise to encourage the police to give lifts home to tired and emotional local residents who haven't got the cab fare

Just like they do in japan or so I'm told....

[han]

so when/where is the next meeting?

This Paddick bloke sounds quite a groover, what with his E/Coke comments as well.

I'll vote for you, drfranni!

Spud - perhaps we could invite the LBGT Lambeth coppers to the next U75 party.

We could wear our U75 t-shirts with our user names, and they could just have U75 t-shirts with Lambeth Queer Cops on the back....

[drfranni]

Some of the Lambeth Queer Cops are a real laugh - the G&L police association have their own poloshirt with the police emblem with a rainbow centre

I think that it definitely changes the atmosphere around police if they are all kissing and hugging each other - come to the next meeting and see what you think! 6th Dec - Lambeth Town Hall

[han]

gosh, sounds intruiging!!!
But that's the same night as Spud's drinks and curry evening - boo hooo!!!
Can't miss the curry, I'm afraid!
What time is the meeting? Is there drink?

Darcus Howe writes relatively enthusiastically about this Paddick punter in the most recent New Statesman:
http://www.consider.net/forum_new.ph...N=200112170020

Drfranni,

Have I read your post right....? If I arrest someone for 'cottaging' I will be up before commander Paddick for a bollocking...?

Can this be right...? Just because a senior police officer is a fag, he can stop his officers from arresting people who have committed crimes that he does not like.

When I become the Senior cop in Lambeth I'm bound to be an alcoholic, Working in such a shit hole for so long will turn me into one... So every night I will drive home pissed, only because I'll get robbed on public transport.
I'm then going to warn my officers not to arrest drink drivers because I think it should be allowed.
If your kids get mowed down by a drunk driver well thats just unlucky....

Is this an unbelievable abuse of authority...? Has anyone got a transcript of the meeting...?

There's plenty of laws that aren't enforced that could be in Lambeth, everything from weed possession to blasphemy . I would guess the logic is that if you're a senior police officer and you've got a patch that has Brixton, Stockwell and a bit of Vauxhall, you might prefer your subordinates to go after - you know - real criminals.

You're a nice person, aren't you, Colin?

[hatboy]

Colin, you are a dickhead.

Cheers Hatboy....

You just cant beat a well thought out argument.

Can I call you names....? Oh no sorry, I wont I'm no longer 12 years old.

[hatboy]

Fair point Colin. But come on, you can't compare cottaging with drink driving!!!

How many cottaging deaths have you heard of?

I honestly think Brian Paddick is good for this area and seems like a genuine person who knows the area and wants to do good here. You whine about people stereotyping the Police as racist or ignorant (which some are of course), yet you also slag off Brian Paddick - who appears so far to be the antithesis of this.

Brian Paddick probably is good for the area. The community get the police they deserves.... and maybe Lambeth residents deserve someone who is only intrested in promoting his career while street crime (robberies/snatches) goes through the roof.

Never mind his policies on cannabis and gays what the fuck is he doing about all the gangs of robbers....?
I tell you, he's doing nothing, infact he's made the dedicated robbery squad smaller.

Stop me if this is boring...

If you were a real police officer, surely you'd know already that there was a moratorium on cottaging prosecutions, that no-one had been done in London for years and that the only police force that actually actively enforces it is the NIPS/RUC? Or is it just that you're a sad, abusive fantasist?

I suppose it might help if I knew what a moratorium is/was...?

Please bear with me, you must remember I'm a cop so obviously I'm not very bright.