Give examples and/or reasons to support your opinion.

Ex. 60 Read the text and write out the words and word combinations connected with the work of the police fitting them into the following categories:

people	weapons	departments	activities

Each of Britain’s fifty-two police forces is responsible for law enforcement in its own area. Some special services, such as the Fraud Squad (who investigate financial crimes), are available to any local force in England and Wales. In general, however, the local police forces work independently under their own Chief Constables. Each force is maintained by a local police authority. The exception is London, where the Metropolitan Police are responsible directly to the Home Secretary.

Police duties cover a wide range of activities, from traffic control to more specialised departments such as river police. The British Transport police are responsible for policing the railway network; the Ministry of Defence Police are responsible chiefly for policing military establishments in Great Britain. Each independent force has a uniformed branch and a Criminal Investigation Department with detectives in plain clothes. The famous “Scotland Yard” is the criminal Investigation Department of the Metropolitan Police, which gets its popular name from New Scotland Yard, where its offices are situated, close to Whitehall and the Houses of Parliament. In addition, the police forces employ nearly 5,000 traffic wardens.

Until 1986 the English police were responsible not only for the detection of crime but also for prosecution. Since 1986 an independent Crown Prosecution Service for England and Wales was established. This has led to fewer prosecutions, but a higher rate of conviction.

The heart of policing is the work done by police constables who are in constant contact with the public. They patrol the streets on foot, sometimes on bicycles or in cars, give advice and deal with disturbances. They also work at the local police stations, handling enquiries and dealing with arrested people. Some specialise, for example, as dog handlers or mounted police.

Britain has relatively few police – approximately one policeman for every 400 people – and traditionally they are armed only with wooden truncheons or batons except in special circumstances. However, recent years have seen some major changes in police policy in response to violence in Great Britain. The situation in Northern Ireland has also meant a change in the style of maintaining law and order. In general, there has been an increase in the number of special units trained in crowd and riot control and in the use of firearms, a controversial area for the British police. The number of police has risen along with the crime rate.

º Ex. 61 You will hear a news item about the use of CS spray by the British police. For questions 1-7 decide, which statements are true and which are false. Write T if you think the statement is true and F if you think it is false.

1. British police carry guns only in special circumstances. c
2. CS spray was invented for the use only when violent suspects resist arrest. c
3. The use of CS spray is on the increase. c
4. Judges are being criticised for their opinion on CS spray. c
5. A review of CS spray will look into how and when it is used. c
6. The review will be conducted by the Association of Police Officers. c
7. The police feel that the use of CS spray has prevented deaths during arrest. c

Ex. 62 A. Read the text about the relationships between the police and the public and answer the question that follow.

The Police and the Public

In early 1990 a major feature article in one of Britain’s leading papers was entitled, “What’s gone wrong with the Police?” it referred to the frequency of scandals during the 1980s involving the police. These scandals concerned the excessive use of violence to maintain public order; violence in the questioning of suspects; the fabrication of evidence and the extortion of forced confessions; and corrupt practices, for example the falsification of records concerning the successful solution to crimes. It also commented on the severe loss of morale among the police, and the high number of police who resign from force on account of stress.

Twenty-five years ago, the British police force was a source of great pride. Unlike police in almost every other country, the British policeman enjoyed a trusted, respected and friendly relationship with the public. The “bobby on the beat” made it his business to learn his neighbourhood. In return, the public placed a high level of trust in his integrity. This is probably a rosy and idealistic view of the past. But it was a source of pride that almost alone in the police world, the British bobby was unarmed.

The British police are probably still among the best in the world, but clearly there are serious and growing problems. A survey commissioned by three authoritative police associations at the end of the 1980s reported that one of five people believe that the police use unnecessary force on arrest, falsify statements, plant evidence and use violence in police stations.

However, in an age of increasing popular violence and disrespect for law and order, the great challenge for the police is to recapture the respect of the public. In the long run, the way the public feel about the police is of fundamental importance to police ability to control crime and maintain public order.

As the challenges of modern society become more complex, the response of the police has been to seek more manpower and more money. This has neither prevented an increase in crime nor in public disorder. More brainpower rather than manpower would probably improve police efficiency. Police officers have traditionally worked themselves up the career ladder from the lowest rank of constable. It is possible that a new cadre of commissioned officers will be formed to attract more highly educated entrants into the force.

There is also a strong case for reducing the present fifty-two forces down to, say, ten, and for creating one central criminal investigation body, which can direct its resources more efficiently than the present serious crime squads in each force.

1. What has gone wrong with the police? Based upon the information given, list the basic concerns the average citizen might have.