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[Jackpot]

Proposed by our home secretary in a bid to repair all-time low relations with the police federation.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22534665

Criminals who kill police officers in England and Wales will face compulsory whole life sentences, Home Secretary Theresa May is to propose.

Mrs May will announce that the government is to propose that the minimum term should be increased to life without parole.

The home secretary will tell rank-and-file officers: "To attack and kill a police officer is to attack the fundamental basis of our society.

It just comes off a bit weird. Don't mistake this for a GAF police hate thread, but the reasoning and implementation all seem half-assed. With no death penalty, being sentenced to jail until you die of old age is the worst punishment we can have. Pedophiles who tortured their victims only get 28 years. Drunk drivers who have killed children and people with over 30 counts of burglary don't even end up in prison.

It all seems a bit populist. None of the main parties are going to openly campaign for going easy on cop-killers. But this crime above all others deserves the nuclear option? And the reason she gives makes it sound like it's more a form of treason for attacking an instrument of the state.

 

[Volotaire]

I don't understand how this goes above anyone else who has been killed.

I also don't want to be misunderstood, but why does this offence get more time than anyone else that has been killed (in a deliberate sense). The disincentive to me will not divert attention if the person is going to do it. A lot of killings are split second decisions so the disincentive doesn't work here.

 

[Funky Papa]

Proposed by our home secretary in a bid to repair all-time low relations with the police federation.

Exactly why it shouldn't pass. That's not why you make or enact laws.

 

[AFollowerNotALeader]

No.

Longer answer. No. But policemen who murder civilians, especially those who do so on camera, should at least serve the same prison sentences as ordinary people. Or even facing trial would be nice.

 

[QuicheFontaine]

I don't really agree with someone being sentenced more harshly because they killed a policeman rather than, say, me.

 

[Alpende]

People sometimes commit the most fucked up crimes and don't even get life. They should look into that first.

 

[Kelthink]

It all seems a bit populist.

That's more or less it. Add this to 'verbally attacking squaddies counts as discrimination' and all the other stupid shit they've proposed. Not like killing a police officer shouldn't carry a hefty sentence, but this sounds fucking stupid.

 

[fizzelopeguss]

Will somebody please nuke westminster, thanks.

 

[frankie_baby]

surely if there is to be a differential it should be the other way round, killing an ordinary person should be treated more harshly

 

[Nicktendo86]

I don't really agree with someone being sentenced more harshly because they killed a policeman rather than, say, me.

Agreed, however I can see the reasoning. A police officer is, by taking the job, putting themselves into the line of fire against criminals so should be protected. Not sure this is the right way to go about it though.

 

[frankie_baby]

Agreed, however I can see the reasoning. A police officer is, by taking the job, putting themselves into the line of fire against criminals so should be protected. Not sure this is the right way to go about it though.

alternatively though they took the job they knew the risks

 

[Empty]

regardless of the police issue, this is depressing. i don't think anyone except for maybe mass murderers should get life without parole.

 

[Nicktendo86]

alternatively though they took the job they knew the risks

True. This whole idea seems like a typical coalition one, make something up on the back of a fag packet, it will get picked apart, we will have a U-turn.

 

[paile]

Typical conservative crap. They love shit like this. Gets them all hot and bothered.

 

[zomgbbqftw]

Doesn't make any sense to me. As mentioned in the OP, torturer rapists get less time in prison than that which is surely a much more heinous crime.

 

[Gawge]

I don't believe that people think "20 years for killing a police officer, let's do it.. oh wait... it is life without parole now? Better rethink that decision".

Generally, I think you are getting into dangerous territory when implying that certain lives are more valuable than others.

Prison should be about deterrent, protection and rehabilitation - not crowd pleasing.

 

[ComputerMKII]

Stupid law that creates a privilege. Policemen aren't above ordinary citizens, the sentence for murder should be just the same as other people.

 

[Willkiller]

alternatively though they took the job they knew the risks

That's the way I'd be inclined to look at it.

 

[DC R1D3R]

I don't really agree with someone being sentenced more harshly because they killed a policeman rather than, say, me.

Exactly. wtf is this?

 

[Rich!]

Surely over the past twenty years, there's been far more child killers and rapist/murderers than police killings?

Surely the former should be in need of more of a deterrent?

 

[BlazingDarkness]

Seems kind of weird, seeing as police officers are putting themselves in danger by the very nature of their job.

Should be instant life sentences for killing vulnerable people, like children.

 

[liquidtmd]

Two thirty year old men are brutally killed in identical circumstances

One is White

One is Black

You could not in a million years come out with a Pre-declared Law saying the death of either warrants a longer sentence than the other. You would get haranged and abused by every Civil Rights and activist group on the planet.

Why on Gods Earth should the occupation you chose make this any different?

Whats next - Murder of Policemen = Life Imprisonment, Murder of Politicians = minimum of 30 years, rest of Joe Public = 10 years in prison / out in five for good behaviour?

 

[leadbelly]

It just comes off a bit weird. Don't mistake this for a GAF police hate thread, but the reasoning and implementation all seem half-assed. With no death penalty, being sentenced to jail until you die of old age is the worst punishment we can have. Pedophiles who tortured their victims only get 28 years. Drunk drivers who have killed children and people with over 30 counts of burglary don't even end up in prison.

Nah, the thing that really gets me is the sort of jail time you can get for fraud. Like for instance, Russell Wasendorf Sr was sentenced to 50 years in prison. Not only that he was ordered to pay $215.5 million in restitution. 50 years for fraud!

I could murder someone and get less. It just goes to show that money is worth more than life in this world.

 

[Corleth the Fey]

There's a lot of ways the government could raise morale in police officers, but unlike this joke proposal, they would cost money. More police, more pay, less red tape. Too easy I guess.

 

[shuri]

Policemen represents the law, the state. When you attack a policeman, its like you are attacking the state. It's more on a symbolic level.

And if nobody respects the law, then its total chaos.

I approve of this.

 

[Napoleonthechimp]

Can Theresa May get anything right?

 

[Conor 419]

Nope.

 

[ReadingRambo]

Mandatory sentencing is a very bad idea in general.

 

[Napoleonthechimp]

Policemen represents the law, the state. When you attack a policeman, its like you are attacking the state. It's more on a symbolic level.

And if nobody respects the law, then its total chaos.

I approve of this.

What if the government enacts laws that you disagree with on a fundamental level? Respecting the law only goes so far.

What if they eventually proposed that breaking any law results in a lifetime imprisonment?

 

[UnluckyKate]

Policemen represents the law, the state. When you attack a policeman, its like you are attacking the state. It's more on a symbolic level.

And if nobody respects the law, then its total chaos.

I approve of this.

I approve the idea and making law stronger to make sure the law and the police are respected. How ever, it should be in the other way around too.

The police officer should be treated has severly for any mistakes (I'm looking at all the abusive cop news and violence from US we see on a weekly basis here on GAF)

 

[Polari]

What a load of shit. It's not like there's been a rash of judges sentencing cop killers to a few months' home detention. I don't really believe in compulsory sentencing anyway, all you need is strong sentencing guidelines.

 

[shuri]

I approve the idea and making law stronger to make sure the law and the police are respected. How ever, it should be in the other way around too.

The police officer should be treated has severly for any mistakes (I'm looking at all the abusive cop news and violence from US we see on a weekly basis here on GAF)

Of course, it should go both ways. Police Officers are supposed to be role models; if they screw up, the punishment should be very harsh, because they have broken the same code they are supposed to uphold.

 

[Napoleonthechimp]

Police represent the state so if you murder anyone then lifetime imprisonment for you!

I'm not for the murder of anyone, but the idea of enacting harsher punishments for crimes against the state is something that disturbs me.

 

[frankie_baby]

Of course, it should go both ways. Police Officers are supposed to be role models; if they screw up, the punishment should be very harsh, because they have broken the same code they are supposed to uphold.

but unfortunately as we've seen they can get away with murder

 

[Rich!]

but unfortunately as we've seen they can get away with murder

There was an incident near me involving a hit and run fatality where the driver was talking on a mobile phone.

She got off with it due to a lack of evidence. She's a police officer.

 

[Kinky John]

Next up: compulsory whole life sentences for murdering members of the armed forces, politicians, and celebrities.

 

[frankie_baby]

There was an incident near me involving a hit and run fatality where the driver was talking on a mobile phone.

She got off with it due to a lack of evidence. She's a police officer.

hmmmm

 

[Ravensmash]

Police represent the state so if you murder anyone then lifetime imprisonment for you!

I'm not for the murder of anyone, but the idea of enacting harsher punishments for crimes against the state is something that disturbs me.

Why?

These are police officers, not government officials.

I mean, aren't there already harsher penalties for assaulting a police officer, etc? Why would murder be different in that regard?

 

[frankie_baby]

Why?

These are police officers, not government officials.

I mean, aren't there already harsher penalties for assaulting a police officer, etc? Why would murder be different in that regard?

why should there be harsher penalties for assaulting a police officer though, police officers are generally the worst thugs out there

 

[Hoya Destroyer]

Policemen represents the law, the state. When you attack a policeman, its like you are attacking the state. It's more on a symbolic level.

And if nobody respects the law, then its total chaos.

I approve of this.

I agree.
I would also say cops are regularly put into dangerous situations, so anything that may discourage people harming them, is a good thing IMO.

 

[scar tissue]

Policemen are people too. Murder is murder.
And since policemen are not an ethnic group or similar, it's not a hate crime either.
Ridiculously stupid.

 

[CHEEZMO™]

Not a fan.

Typical populist Tory wankery. Plus I think violence against the State is oftentimes legitimate so doubly disagree with this creation of privilege.

 

[smokeandmirrors]

Policemen are people too. Murder is murder.
And since policemen are not an ethnic group or similar, it's not a hate crime either.
Ridiculously stupid.

Yep. The police do not need to be a protected 'class'.

 

[Kettch]

While I respect the danger policemen put themselves in, and do feel they need protection, I would still like to see them treated equally under the law. If the reasoning for this is that it deters the killing of policemen, then I see no reason that it should be different for killing anyone.

 

[Mindwipe]

I suspect this is incompatible with existing legistlation anyway.

It wouldn't be the first time May has announced populist tripe and found she can't actually do it. And then moaned about judges rather than her own competence.

 

[Kinky John]

12 police officers have been murdered while on duty in England & Wales since 2000 according to a news clip on LBC. I thought it'd be more than that.

 

[syllogism]

While this proposed sentence doesn't appear to make systematic sense, some crimes being directed at on-duty police officers or other public servants is ubiquitously considered a circumstance for aggravation. So for instance assaulting a police officer or a judge will in some US states always be a felony while the same act against someone else may be just a misdemeanor. Without reading anything, I'm guessing that this law would require the murder to be due to him being a police, although the default assumption would be that it was and thus the defense would have to show that it wasn't.

 

[Ravensmash]

why should there be harsher penalties for assaulting a police officer though, police officers are generally the worst thugs out there

Police Officers put themselves at risk to protect the civilian population, and are frequently targeted/met with violence.

Of course, police officers can be thugs also but the actions of a few bad apples shouldn't detract from the actual role they perform on a daily basis.

Ultimately this law is a Conservative attempt at winning populist votes/appeasing the police federation. I'd have no issue with aggravated murder carrying the same sentence across the board though.

 

[4444244]

Two thirty year old men are brutally killed in identical circumstances

One is White

One is Black

You could not in a million years come out with a Pre-declared Law saying the death of either warrants a longer sentence than the other. You would get haranged and abused by every Civil Rights and activist group on the planet.

Well if the murder was deemed to have been racially motivated, you would. - A hate crime charge would be added.

 

[frankie_baby]

Police Officers put themselves at risk to protect the civilian population, and are frequently targeted/met with violence.

Of course, police officers can be thugs also but the actions of a few bad apples shouldn't detract from the actual role they perform on a daily basis.

Ultimately this law is a Conservative attempt at winning populist votes/appeasing the police federation. I'd have no issue with aggravated murder carrying the same sentence across the board though.

its not just a few bad apples its a very large number, i'd imagine the amount of violence inflicted by police officers overall dwarfs the the amount they receive