tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2705771450596300887.post8582243034828441622..comments2024-03-28T07:36:37.715+00:00Comments on Lord Belmont in Northern Ireland: No Police PresenceTimothy Belmonthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15111145260662707575noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2705771450596300887.post-57805431139943737202009-08-28T14:01:34.690+01:002009-08-28T14:01:34.690+01:00Quite. The police force seems to have been effecti...Quite. The police force seems to have been effectively emasculated - toothless.<br /><br />I sometimes wonder what rank-and-file morale is like...<br /><br />I am acquainted with police officers, though not on such intimate terms that I'd inquire about the true situation. <br /><br />Perhaps I'm one of those mavericks who proclaim "the emperor has no clothes"!Timothy Belmonthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15111145260662707575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2705771450596300887.post-24157964300073826002009-08-28T13:20:52.770+01:002009-08-28T13:20:52.770+01:00The police are there primarily to negotiate with &...The police are there primarily to negotiate with 'community representatives' in order that they might attempt to persuade criminals to desist. They're allowed to shepherd drunks home after they get out of the pubs, do some traffic work and wander about if there's a high profile event taking place (as a sort of adjunct to Event Sec). Anything more and Sinn Féin / loyalist group might cry about 'heavy handed' policing.Owen Polleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00567787385096905811noreply@blogger.com