From: billy@anon.com 
  
 "Mark Goodge"  wrote in message 
 news:qnvjbktqs9kv43u2h4ljltfo0tqgetvkqc@4ax.com... 
 > On Thu, 4 Sep 2025 18:46:49 +0100, "billy bookcase"  wrote: 
 > 
 >> 
 >>"Mark Goodge"  wrote in message 
 >>news:2p4jbk141lh6iojm6ta3cs0ed0agbu5tk2@4ax.com... 
 >> 
 >>> The modern preference to arrest first, and question later, seems 
 >>> to me to be a suboptimal use of police resources as well as 
 >>> unnecessarily melodramatic. 
 >>> 
 >> 
 >>Or quite possibly, necessarily melodramatic; so as to impress the 
 >>taxpayers, make the news headlines, and send a message. 
 >> 
 >>Only as per usual, it turned out to be the wrong message. 
 >> 
 >>The only wonder is they didn't tape off the whole of the 
 >>arrivals area, for the operation. 
 >> 
 >>While at a wild guess if they'd only deployed the one officer, 
 >>the other four would have simply stayed in the rest room 
 >>playing cards or watching TV. Rather than making their show 
 >>of strength, on the News. 
 > 
 > Yes, I'm fairly sure that the other four didn't have anyting particularly 
 > important to do at that particular moment. And, had anything kicked off at 
 > the airport, they'd have have dealt with that as a priority rather than 
 > attending to the arrest of a person who posed no immediate threat. So, in 
 > one sense, it wasn't a waste of police resources, because they were at work 
 > and getting paid anyway whether or not they attended the arrest, and they 
 > weren't diverted from other duties because being at the airport was their 
 > duty. 
  
 > But, on the other hand, attending the arrest was a piece of theatre 
 > that wasn't strictly necessary under the circumstances. And it's reasonable 
 > to ask why they decided to do that. 
  
 You just answered your own question. It was a "piece of theatre". 
  
 Whereas in the "real world" the police are seemingly powerless 
 in the face of a shoplifting epidemic which is plaguing our 
 high streets; and unlicensed E-bikes and scooters some of them 
 capable of 50mph * which are causing havoc both on our streets 
 and our pavements. To name but two supposed threats to our way of 
 life. While policemen sat at computers, whatever they're doing, 
 are never going to go down well with the taxpayers. 
  
 quote: 
  
 The cycle response unit operates on pedal bikes. "I believe they 
 wouldn't catch me," he says. 
  
 :unquote 
  
 https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/sep/04/britains-e- 
 ike-boom-desperation-delivery-drivers-and-unthinkable-danger 
  
  
 bb 
  
 --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05 
  * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)