They just love filming us, using every excuse to take DNA & now want to be able to hold you for over a month without charge. In that context, how about this one?

When Andrew Carter saw a police van ignore no-entry signs to reverse up a one-way street to reach a chip shop, he was understandably moved to protest to the driver. Particularly as he lives on the road and always goes out of his way to obey the signs.

Mr Carter was then arrested and bundled into the van over claims he had 'assaulted' an officer with his camera, resisted arrest and was drunk and disorderly. He was held in a police cell for five hours before being released on bail at midnight.

I don’t suppose that the fact that PC Farooq hasn’t been dismissed from the police service has anything to do with this…

It is understood no further action was taken against PC Farooq, who is a member of the Black Police Association's Avon and Somerset branch. According to a report from the Bristol Equalities Network published two years ago, PC Farooq's duties within the BPA included work with the wider community on 'good relations with the police'. At the time he was the branch's general secretary.

You have to remember that Avon & Somerset Police are apparently an equal opportunites employer whose diveristy policies & employment criteria include the following statement…

We will continue to provide positive action for people from underrepresented groups including people from ethnic minority backgrounds, females, people who are transgender, gay, lesbian & bisexual & people with a disability.

Maybe I am just a tad too cynical about trite statements such as that, especially when they give cause to an investigation by the Commission for Racial Equality

The Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) began an investigation into recruitment at the constabulary following reports that candidates are being turned down for being white. The force rejected 186 white applicants because, it said, its workforce was "over-represented by white men". Under the Race Relations Act, shortlisting or appointing on racial grounds is unlawful.

However, lets take skin colour & race out of the equation for the moment & say that the police officer in question was one PC John Smith. If PC Smith had:

a.) Committed a traffic offence
b.) Sworn at a member of the public
c.) Damaged a member of the publics private property
d.) Arrested a member of the public on false charges including possible common assault

I just wonder if the police disciplinary process would have treated him as leniently as it treated PC Farooq?

Now while all of this is going on is Avon & Somerset, down in Cornwall, the local bill are showing their true colours…

Officers from Devon and Cornwall's police force are to officially support a gay pride event in Cornwall. Members of the force's Gay Police Association will attend the county's first gay pride event, Cornwall Pride 2008, in Truro on Saturday. The event at Victoria Park will feature stalls, dancers, singers, comedy acts and circus workshops. Chief Constable Stephen Otter said he was personally adding his support to the organisers and participants.

I know that I have a rather old fashioned view of life, put there was a time that I seem to recall when policing was about catching criminals, not about diversity targets or proving your poftah credentials. These days, even thinking like that, let alone publishing such comments on the internet will probably have you detained without charge quicker than the Metropolitan Police will beat you senseless for protesting against the Hunting Bill