More police action over "non crimes"

[ProfessorSlocombe]

Not directly anything to do with FWR (although there are probably a shed load of doctorates about the social implications of plague treatments and women). But fans of Humberside police will be interested to see that Norfok police are now keeping up the fight against non-crime that threatens to overwhelm us.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-52456180

does this sound vaguely familiar ?

They said no offence had been committed, but officers were "keen to trace the individual in order to provide words of advice about the implications of his actions on the local community".

Would you really though? I'd be too busy trying to console my hysterical asd 6 year old and feeling deeply unfortable that the fake plague doctor guy was probably getting rocks off under his cassock at our distress. I'm not saying that didn't happen during the black death, of course

You might stretch it to breach of the peace in Scotland. It's a catch all for behaviour which isn't caught elsewhere but has caused fear and alarm but it's stretching it.

The fact the police plainly stated that no offence had been committed, means exactly that. No offence had been committed. There isn't even a suspicion of an offence (because they would have stated that and it would have allowed them to investigate with the powers they have). So not even the ludicrously vague "behaviour likely to cause a breach of the peace" (anything Scotland can find in it's legal ragbag, England and Wales can usually better ...)

Halloween busiest night of the year for Norfolk Police - read all about it!

Would you really though? I'd be too busy trying to console my hysterical asd 6 year old and feeling deeply unfortable that the fake plague doctor guy was probably getting rocks off under his cassock at our distress. I'm not saying thatdidn'thappen during the black death, of course

Yes I would. I would not leap to the conclusions you have.

well the police told the bbc they were keen to trace this person- which isn't the same as actually devoting any resources to the issue. I can't get worked up about this really- it's a teachable moment surely, unless the person is actually doing anything sinister.

I'd use it as a history lesson as well. I quite like it.

it's absolutely fuck all to do with the police.

This.

It might be distasteful or frightening or even morally wrong. If it's not illegal, then the police have no place offering 'advice'. Unless they're the fashion police. The police are not arbiters of the nation's morals.

What is worse is that people know that they have to pretend to listen to the police, can't argue the toss and have to basically play along with this, despite it not being legal, listen to the 'advice' and acquiesce. It's not good policing, it's not implementing the law, it erodes public trust in the police. Some opinionated constable on a power trip gets to act self righteous.

Meanwhile, domestic violence is soaring and women and children are suffering.

If this is really an issue for the police, I'm very interested in where the limits to this should be. What about people with scary tattoos? Goths? I was terrified of Goths as a kid. Should the police have stopped them dressing that way?

I'm not leaping to any confusions. I know Norfolk and I know men. Sadly.

You want to get dragged into someone else's twisted 'joke' you go right ahead. Clearly you don't have neurodevelopmentally diverse children in your care to worry about.

Agree it's a "teachable moment" though for neurotypical children. "Here's what not to do in the middle of a pandemic in an area full of young families and OAPs".

What if the police do catch up with him and warn him he's being scary, and he tells them to do one?

What then?

What if the police do catch up with him and warn him he's being scary, and he tells them to do one?

Well he's not breaking any laws (as far as I am aware anyway) so I guess they'll have to do one.

I don't know why, ElizaCrouch, but that made me laugh out loud.

But exactly. They are relying on an authority they don't actually possess in these circumstances.

I expect they'll be wanting to check his thinking Datun

I would gladly give up my freedoms to see my neighbour arrested for wearing their inexcusably shabby sun hat.

And "her" is a pronoun for female people in English. Therefore deeply gendered. Hth.

Really? I've never heard of that before.

Unless perhaps I'm making reference to the traditional gender neutral use of him and reversing it in a mostly female environment.

Nah, probably the first one.

You want to get dragged into someone else's twisted 'joke' you go right ahead.

I'm not sure that's the point OP is making. I imagine most people think it's daft in the current situation but it's not a crime.

Clearly you don't have neurodevelopmentally diverse children in your care to worry about.

I do, but I still don't want laws to be made against wearing things which upset children.

Because many young white men (actually a big percentage of all men) think the entire world revolves around their cocks and love nothing more than being able to drag unsuspecting bystanders into it

Out of curiosity, why young and white men? Do (for example) middle aged East Asian men never have odd sexual tastes?

I don't think any of the OAPs I know would be unduly bothered by this fancy dress costume
In fact, it might be an OAP wearing it
Or a neuro diverse person.

On one World Book day, DD went to school dressed as Death. Black robes, skull mask and scythe. About 20 miles on the bus.
(Maybe being

Well if people of Norfolk hadn’t made a fuss about it the police wouldn’t have needed to be involved at all.

I don't really see why this would be at issue. Adults presumably know there is not a real plague doctor running around and aren't going to forget any time soon that there is a pandemic.

As for kids, well, sometimes they get scared. There are people running around in rubber dinosaur outfits too, among other thing, which some kids might find scary. Their parents are meant to tell them its not scary, or remove them from the presence of the scary thing. Getting used to what is scary and what isn't is part of being a kid, it's how you avoid becoming an adult freaking out about safe spaces.

"There probably is a category of offence this would fall into these days." well yes it's called 'doing things the policeman (or his friends) doesn't like' and I want that stamped on right now!

If people can wear a hoodie, a habit or a burka they can wear that.

I'm not even sure why people are saying it will scare kids. Won't you have to explain to them first what the costume means? and then race after him to catch him up.

Because it's frickin' Hellesdon @donquixotedelamancha. If you're that interested, you'll be aware of the demographics.

That's lovely that you think autistic children can be educated out of meltdowns when presented with someone/something terrifying @goosefoot. I'm looking forward to a) reading that research and b) hearing how you'll personally be implementing it on a practical level with all the autistic people in the greater Norwich area. Marvellous.

RuffleCrow" when presented with someone/something terrifying" just don't tell them it's a plague doctor costume and they won't know to be terrified. I'm sure they've seen someone in black before. How do they react to a Burka?

If you're that interested, you'll be aware of the demographics.

If your point was merely demographic, why mention skin colour at all. You said it twice and specifically seemed to indicate that her skin colour was deterministic of her behaviour.

are you saying women in burkas look like plague doctors @lasttraineast?! That's pretty offensive in itself.

It's nothing to do with cultural references - it's about the fact that it looks fucking scary. Which is why it was reported and why the police are taking it seriously.