Paddick's pink herring
From Mr Frank Pulley Sir: Your leading article (23 March) on Commander Paddick of Lambeth is interesting. It is difficult to know why this 'rum cove' is winning the propaganda war when his negative policies are so inimical to public tranquillity in an area like Lambeth, traditionally a breeding ground for racketeers long before the Yardies moved in to control the dope trade. His methods may suit the predilections of the chattering classes, but one thing he is not doing is scaring the skitters out of the criminal classes — something that. whether he likes it or not, is a major part of his brief. Racketeers are rubbing their hands and singing his praises in the clubs and pubs of south London where they meet and garner the proceeds available because of his libertarian stance.
Paddick is taking the credit for 'improved crime statistics', and attributing the ploy of publicising his intention not to arrest dope smokers as a major factor in the 'improvements'. Even if you accept that the statistics indicate an improvement in crime suppression — and many residents and bobbies in Brixton do not — to aver that this is due to letting cannabis consumption flourish is surely too much for even the louche literati to inhale without choking on their herbal smoke.
The measures implemented on a more general basis, i.e. dragging Trafpol away from persecuting the ever more demonised motorist — pointing them and the tactical support groups at areas where crime is prevalent and targeting known movers and shakers in crime — is what is working insofar as it is. It should have been in place all along, and those breaking the laws on cannabis should be included in the trawl. These are tried and tested methods used for years and years to good effect (until they abandoned them in a rash of political correctness in the Eighties). The pink herring of Paddick should be ignored.
Moreover, it is naive to suggest anything other than that his blatant display of perverted sexual proclivity, his willingness to tolerate criminal behaviour in his private dwelling, his cavalier brushing aside of strict and necessary regulations about associating with suspects on bail, all indicate a level of irresponsibility that cannot and should not be tolerated in a police constable, let alone a commander of a sink precinct of the Met.
There is enough confusion already in law enforcement without helping the sodomy lobby to run the police as well as many of the other institutions they have captured to such disastrous effect.
Frank Pulley
Metropolitan Police (retired). Dersingham, Norfolk
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