'Super wardens' go on patrol

[Sundowner]

Roving surveillance now on foot in the U K.
I've always had the deepest fondness for the British people.
Sad to see their rights continue to diminish.

Of course this is just an example of the trend worldwide.

Regards,
Sun

'Super wardens' go on patrol

PRIVATELY-employed `super wardens' are to go on patrol in Greater Manchester wearing head-mounted video cameras.

The 20 parking attendants, who work for NCP Services, will be the first in the country to be issued with the equipment.

Their main role is to issue parking tickets but under legislation brought in last year they will also have powers to give on-the-spot fines for anti-social behavior.

Salford council has asked the wardens to issue penalties up to £80 for offenses which include littering, flyposting and allowing dogs to foul the pavement. NCP will use the film as evidence to back up their wardens if any fine is challenged and also in the event of any attack or abuse....

Full article:
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1007/1007600_super_wardens_go_on_patrol.html

[Holden McGroin]

So the rights of the Manchester citizenry to park illegally, break litter and dog curb laws, and illegally post flyers has been diminshed.

so sad.

[Odee]

Originally posted by Holden McGroin
So the rights of the Manchester citizenry to park illegally, break litter and dog curb laws, and illegally post flyers has been diminshed.

so sad.

Me thinks you miss the larger picture, sir... or madam, as the case may be.

However, I agree that [we the people[/i] of the free world have to ask ourselves; "Just how much of our Freddoms are we willing to give up to government control, before we say "Enough already!" ...hmmm?

[Holden McGroin]

I see the larger picture fine.  

The essense of the story is that the city hired a company to enfore already existing law and the equipped the patrol with an effective evidence collection system. It does not peer behind closed doors, doesn't perform and search or seizure type of activity...  all it does is enhance the testimony of the patrol as to what occurs in public.

It is about as invasive as a gas meter reader.

[Jackal1]

Originally posted by Holden McGroin
It is about as invasive as a gas meter reader.

Propane is the answer. Hank says so.

[Mickey1992]

I would be more ticked off that my government was outsourcing law enforcement.

[lazs2]

I would not either.    It is bad enough to have security guards at malls.   What restraints would be on a minimum wage "warden"?

lazs

[Odee]

Originally posted by Mickey1992
I would be more ticked off that my government was outsourcing law enforcement.

That is the big picture Holden doesn't see.  Thanks

[Furball]

If your argument is correct then wouldn't the opportunity of a private company to enforce laws, be better than the "police state"? where everything is run by the government?

Privatisation of traffic wardens = more freedom

Police state communist style government control = less freedom?

[lazs2]

It would depend on who they were answerable to.

lazs

[AKIron]

Once upon a time the English decided they were fed up with the heavy handedness of an unrepresentative government and became Americans. Perhaps they will throw off the yoke of repression yet again.

[Furball]

Get over yourselves, it is fine here.

We even have the freedom to reverse in to parking bays.

[Maverick]

I fail to see how this is consistent with any concept of due process as well as innocent until proven guilty in a court.

Their main role is to issue parking tickets but under legislation brought in last year they will also have powers to give on-the-spot fines for anti-social behavior.

The rest is simply filming what is going on in the outside environs. You do not have a reasonable expectation of privacy once you go out in public.

[Holden McGroin]

Originally posted by Odee
That is the big picture Holden doesn't see.  Thanks

I saw it, I just think it's not a big deal.

There are privately operated prisons to which states outsource...

The roads would be better if road departments were all private, my trash pickup is an outsourced private company...

If government outsourced most everything, it would be more efficient and better for us all.

Smaller government anyone?

[68Hawk]

Ok, if they're private citizens and they want to hassle you for 'anti-social' behavior, knock them down, jack the silly camera and hop to another country.  Bring it back here and we'll make some cool videos with it.  

Do they really have such a problem with dog crap that they have to start writing tickets?  I see signs everywhere now that are themselves littering our parks and lawns.  I saw one in grass out front of a small town post office on grass that was about 6' by 6'.  It was the predominant feature of that pleasant setting.

We should be less concerned with enforcing standards against 'anti-social' behavior than we should be with why people are always letting their dog crap on the grass.  Encourage some personal responsibility, as you can never truly enforce it.  I'd personally rather see my money spent on poop scoopers than on glorified meter maids.  

Just make sure to use the word "liberate" when you get the camera off them.